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Messages - stripedcomic

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The Treasure Chest / Re: Got my first locker today!
« on: October 29, 2011, 02:03:50 PM »
Just a quick update to the original post...  One of the gold chains we found was actually gold! We got $60 for it.  So, before any of the merchandise auctions on ebay end, we're already at $85 for the gift certificate and the necklace.  What we get from this locker is going to be most of our seed money for a future locker, so we can kind of keep our expenses in this venture self-contained. 

-Stripe

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The Treasure Chest / Got my first locker today!
« on: October 27, 2011, 05:24:26 PM »
I went to a place today that had 5 lockers for sale.  As I'm just dipping my toe in the waters to test them right now, I had my wife along to discuss what we thought we should bid on any of them.  Keep in mind that we don't own a truck, or even a large car, so furniture units would be difficult for us, and would require at least a rental for us to move them.  I know, I know, get a truck or get out...  but we're really just giving it a whirl right now to see how it goes.

today was a silent bid auction.  The first unit was 10 X 20 had some torn up furniture, a air conditioner, and more...  the furniture made it so I wasn't going to bid on it at all, as it looked like dump run stuff.

The second one, a 10 X 20 was...  almost empty.  From what I could see at the door, it had a bad of some old bread-like substance, a bag of empty energy drinks, and a baby rocker...  the rest was in boxes.  I discussed with my wife, and we came up with $21, just to take a chance in case no one else wanted it.

the third one was another one with potentially larger items (I saw a matress in the back of it that looked covered up), which again put it out of our range.

The fourth and fifth were both 5X10s, and were interesting.  The fourth one had at least a box for a flat panel 17" computer monitor, and a box for a computer, among other boxes.  The fifth one had a nice dresser set, and several rubber bins that you couldn't see inside...

We went $50 on the monitor one, and $80 on the dresser one (the dresser was nice, so a truck rental would be worth it to us, as we might have need for the dresser ourselves).  

We got the nearly empty $21 10X20.  In the bags, we discovered a lot of in poor condition baby clothing and items.  However, we found a $25 gift certificate for a local restaurant, which we're deciding on whether or not we want to keep to go eat on, or sell it for $20.  We also found a complete set of Spongebob Squarepants toys from burger king from a couple of years ago, and a large SpongeBob stuffed animal in great condition.  

Also, we found a Pyramid 4 channel Car Amp...  which even looking up online had yielded painfully little information about what it might be worth.  Also, I have no idea how to test to see if something like this is working.  I think I might take it down to the local pawn shop and see if I can get $20 for it, as I really can't find much information about it otherwise, but other ones roughly like that (I've discovered that Pyramid is the really low end of car amps) are going for around $50 used.

So, for $21, we're looking at getting back about $60, plus dinner!

Oh, almost forgot, we found some jewelery that we suspect to be fake, but we're going to get it looked at as well.

As part of my old job, I used to handle a lot of the lost and found for a state agency (think lost at parks, that kind of thing).  What I enjoyed about it, was digging around and looking at everything.  This kind of scratches the same nosy itch, only I get to take the stuff with me.  

While I wouldn't say I'm hooked... I certainly enjoyed the crap out of it today...  even though we had our first snow of the year while I was cleaning it out.

Striped...

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New to Storage Auctions? / Re: First auction tomorrow-Do I have everything?
« on: September 20, 2011, 11:28:08 AM »
Just an update.

I didn't buy or bid today.  There were 4 units, about 20 people there. 

First unit was trash bags, with clothes inside.  That looked to be about all.  There was one baby toy as well, but besides that, all trash bags.  It went for $20.  Of them all, I thought about taking the low priced risk on this.

Second onelogad washer/dryer, mattress, boxspring.  A box of DVD as well could be seen from the door.  This unit looked like everything was literally thrown in. A 10X12. Went for $250.  Looked like too many trips to the dump for me to be interested.

The third one was neatly stacked boxes.  I saw a computer box (couldn't tell if anything inside), a PS2 Guitar Hero controller, a regular guitar case, a ceramic figurine box...  A lot of taped up boxes/plastic bins.  This was a 5X5 piled to the ceiling.  It went for $525.  I wasn't willing to gamble on The contents of what I couldn't see though.

The last one had some very nice high end furniture.  It was a 10 X 20, and entirely out of my price range.  It went for $1050, and I expect them to make some money off of it. Tables, chairs, a nice china cabinet, plus the china (at least a box labelled china).  It was very nice, but out of my current range/desires.

However, I enjoyed going, and will try and make more of them soon.
-Deric

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New to Storage Auctions? / Re: First auction tomorrow-Do I have everything?
« on: September 20, 2011, 06:42:06 AM »
Hey Rebecca.

Thank you for the advice...  I've actually read through your entire blog...  every post (and I check it every day!).  I love the letters from the Storage Lockers.  I've read a couple out loud to my wife, trying to accurately capture the bad spelling by reading the words incorrectly is a challenge, and, hilarious.

I do have a couple different pairs of gloves, a thicker one for the moving, and some thin vinyl ones for digging. 

Keep up the great blog!

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New to Storage Auctions? / Re: First auction tomorrow-Do I have everything?
« on: September 19, 2011, 07:40:25 PM »
Band Aids!  Thank you...  I bought them, and didn't have them in my bag yet...

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New to Storage Auctions? / Re: First auction tomorrow-Do I have everything?
« on: September 19, 2011, 02:52:12 PM »
I appreciate the posts Movieman.  This is actually an extension of the niche buying/selling I've been doing for a while. 

I used to buy concert T-Shirts at salvation Army/Goodwills and sell them on EBay (used to average around double the thrift store price, or about $10 for a $4 or $5 shirt).  Then, more recently, I would buy used board games at garage sales/flea markets, to take them with me on my yearly trip to a large gaming convention that features a big auction as well. Typically, I would pay for a sizable percentage of my trip through selling these off.

So, I see this as expanding from a niche market to a broader market.  I understand that failure is an option, which is why I'm taking the gambling "only bring what you can afford to lose" mentality.  I'm not blinded by the TV shows...  Which is to say I'm not doing this to try and make a living at it.  I'm viewing it as a hobby for a while, just to see if I enjoy the process.

It actually reminds me of a job I used to have, I used to run the lost and found for a large spread out company that ran the length of New York.  The kind of company that had people all over the city going through it every day.  My favorite part was digging through people's stuff.  Strangest thing ever found?  A Tombstone.  Filled out.  Creepy.

-D

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New to Storage Auctions? / Re: First auction tomorrow-Do I have everything?
« on: September 19, 2011, 12:52:20 PM »
plastic bins are nice, but you will find enough of those in lockers so that you will probably never have to purchase any.  Eventually you will give some away.

I just mentioned the bins due to that I recently moved, and I have a few left over from that.

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New to Storage Auctions? / Re: First auction tomorrow-Do I have everything?
« on: September 19, 2011, 12:45:31 PM »
I do have those... Vehicle, the dump is only a few minutes from my house, I have an unused shed in the backyard for storage (it's closer to a barn than a shed in size, storing things is not an issue)

Wait, solid work ethic?  Crap...  Where can I buy one of those?  :-)

Actually, I feel pretty prepared.  I went through over the last couple weeks and literally read every post on this forum.  This forum really developed into a wealth of information.

In fact, I'd like to thank everyone that has posted on here before.  and to other n00bs, I suggest reading everything you can find online with regards to storage auctions.  This forum is the best one I've seen, and there are a few excellen blogs on the subject too (I really dig the Storage Heroes blog)

-Deric

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New to Storage Auctions? / First auction tomorrow-Do I have everything?
« on: September 19, 2011, 12:21:13 PM »
Hi everyone!  I'm Deric, in upstate NY.

I'm attending my first storage auction tomorrow, and while I'm expecting to just watch, I want to make sure I'm prepared just in case something comes up I'm interested in.

I have:
Flashlight (only 120 lumens for now.)
Locks with keys
Gloves
Broom
Cash
Trash bags

What else would you recommend?  Plastic bins to help carry loose items?
Thanks for taking a look,
-Deric

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