Storage Auctions

What do you do with your totes?

Offline Travis

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What do you do with your totes?
« on: December 28, 2012, 08:29:51 AM »
Anyone who has been buying storage lockers for a while knows that it doesn't take long to amass a large quantity of plastic storage containers / totes. Since these storage containers retail for $5-15 each, they usually resell pretty well.

I used to let mine build up until I had 40 or 50 of them, then I would sell them off in bulk for about $3 each.

What do you do with your totes?

Offline alloro

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Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2012, 10:01:56 AM »
I put them on the curb and they usually disappear within an hour.

Offline Travis

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Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2012, 12:22:59 PM »
I put them on the curb and they usually disappear within an hour.

Seriously? Your losing some serious money.

Offline Cobia

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Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2012, 01:41:58 PM »
I keep them to store flea market, yard sale, & seasonal inventory. When they get beat up from use (broken lids, holes puched in them, etc.) they get filled with stuff for Goodwill and left there. Sometimes I sell them or throw them in when bulk purchases are made at the flea market.

Offline Alias300

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Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2012, 02:01:02 PM »
I put them on the curb and they usually disappear within an hour.

Same here.

I do so few auctions I've never had many.   No space to store if I did.
And most are crap or no lids.    Good ones I use for personal storage or they disappear to friends/family.

One time that I did have a quantity I donated to local 'Pea Patch'.
They use good ones to store people's gardening tools.  Bad ones for planters, compost bins, hold soil.....

Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2012, 04:12:36 PM »
by the time im done with them they arent fit for resale , ive thrown out 20 in the past 2 weeks

Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2012, 10:07:10 PM »
I keep them to store flea market, yard sale, & seasonal inventory. When they get beat up from use (broken lids, holes puched in them, etc.) they get filled with stuff for Goodwill and left there. Sometimes I sell them or throw them in when bulk purchases are made at the flea market.

This is exactly what I do with mine.  Every once in a while if I get some extras in really good condition, I will sell them for $4-$5 each. 

Offline theoddfind

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Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2012, 07:14:04 AM »
good ones I keep, junk ones i fill with trash, ones without lids i use to sort and use for recycled metal.

Offline Travis

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Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2012, 09:59:08 AM »
I would keep the best of the best for myself. These storage containers are great for organizing things and they stack better than boxes. Not only that, you don't have to worry about the bottom falling out.

Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2012, 06:45:06 PM »
 I use mine at our shop, but if anyone has extras, pet shelters/rescues can use them to store food and such. Also :2nd hand towels/bedding that's too junky for re-sale is very welcome too.

Offline rulesforrebels

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Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2013, 03:51:29 PM »
i keep them, those things arent cheap you can pay up to like $12 at big box stores for the sturdier ones or larger one. i keep them in the rafters above my garage. oftentimes i give them away to friends or family, hwen i donate to goodwill i donate my stuff in a tote rathr than garbage bags. also they sell pretty well at garage sales or flea markets at like $2 a pop ifthey are decent condition. i was mad recently i had a hole lot fall from the rafters and because its so cold in chicago they all shattered.

Re: What do you do with your totes?
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2013, 09:55:21 AM »
Broken totes that I find (holes, bent out of shape, etc.) are used to hold trash in.  That way I don't waste a bag on something that is going to the dump already.  If they have a lid and are in good shape I either use them or sell at $3-$5 depending on size.  If it's super clean I can get 1/2 of retail or so each time.  The other totes with no lids get used for sorting, covers, etc.  I keep every good lid I find since they don't take up much space.  Have a few mismatch lid vs tote but I don't care.