I seem to be in a problem, I mean it's not a huge problem but I can't seem to sell one of my items and it's not anything to worry about but I need money to make money and since this is my only real job right now this load up is killing me! Anyone have any advise? I don't wanna seem stupid and go to a Pawn Shop but is that stupid? And I tried Craigslist and no one contacted me. What is my best bet to do in these situations because I'm sure this has happened to one of you before. Thanks!

I would write the storage auction tv shows and tell them you were cheated! Tell them that they show how easy it is to buy and not that easy to sell. Tell them to do an epsiode of both spectrums of buy and sell.

How about storage wars usa. Wait thats what the AH show is about. Or Storage wars 30 towns in 30 days. Besides the quote unusal finds isnt the show as predicalble as watching a garge door open and close each time the button is push. Even that can be more entertaining at times

Great post!

Would you disagree with this article or more agree on this?  I agree on this part of the article 100% " People are using the last of their money to buy up units hoping to find that one miracle item only to find they have now thrown away their cash on a unit full of trash and are worse off then when they started. "

The REALITY of Storage Unit Auctions
Being that I have been to many of these auctions myself prior to this show being aired, there are some things that the shows producers choose not to show you.  

Yes it is a great that one unit in a few thousand (if your lucky) has that great turn over item in it, in all reality, you are lucky to break even on most units.  By the time you pay for the unit, clean out it our or pay the clean out fee, transport the stuff to your location, invest the time and money into the items you found to clean them, sort them and sell them, you are luck enough to not be in the red when it is all said and done.  Unless you have an outlet to already sell or auction these items off, to randomly purchase units is only going to loose you money.

What the show needs to show you is the units where the furniture is tarped and looks like new, only to finally be able to get into the paid unit to find pieces are actually busted-up, vermin/insect infested or water/smoke damaged.  Boxes full of junk that cost you more to dispose of them to buy the unit.  

Another key point is the illegal issues of some of the items you find.  Stolen items, drugs, fire arms, etc are all over the place in many of these units and if you as the buyer does not know what to do about them can end up with yourself in a lot of hot water.

Finally, while this makes competition hard for those who are actually established in the industry, my concern is more for the people who are watching the show and being mislead into believing there is a quick buck to be made in these storage units.  People are using the last of their money to buy up units hoping to find that one miracle item only to find they have now thrown away their cash on a unit full of trash and are worse off then when they started.  These storage unit shows are making these units out to be pots of gold sitting at the end of rainbows when in reality most are filled with personal memorabilia that is worthless to those who didn't own it originally or boxes and bags of trash that the owner decided wasn't worth paying on anymore.


P.S. For those of you concerned about the personal items like tax papers and baby pictures, a lot of the people who do this for a living and have for years do make an honest effort to contact original owners whenever possible.  These items are of no use to the buyers and they would rather see you get your grandma's wedding picture back then throw it in a dumpster.

A little short on reality, but fun
As a former storage manager, I enjoy watching this, but for those who want to try to make a quick buck, this is what I found out:

Don't always believe what you see.   Maybe I was just unfortunate to manage (aka be an underpaid employee of)   two facilities - one in So. Cal, one in No. Cal. -  all that ceremonial lock-cutting may not be what it seems. 

The first facility I worked for would go into the unit after hours and remove anything of real value.  Once there was just a hot-tub (value around $5000) and they were stuck with auction, but had a shill bidder there who outbid everyone on purpose.  The facility owner then paid the auctioneer his cut and got back the remaining bid amount.  And the hot tub was his to install at his house.

The second facility would also go into the units beforehand and shuffle contents around, making one or two high-end units out of five or six smaller ones, and let the amateurs bid on the remaining junk units that had been pilfered.

It would be fun if the facility owners can be trusted, but better ask around.  The storage laws are too easily broken, and even though in a lot of states the owners can only keep the rental amount due and the expenses of auction, who is going to argue about whether this or that object was really in the unit or not?   The cops/district attorneys have better things to do.

Fake or not fake! Its tv! The show is for entertainment purposes only. Wrestling is fake as well but as long as people are watching AH the show will contuine to stay on. Good new is all auction show have dropped out of the top 25 for ratings and people seem to careless to watch the shows according to the last 5 weeks of ratings.Doesnt matter what they find each week its all about what someone is will to pay for what is found in units. Supply and demand.

100 people. That was after 2nd week after storage bors aried. Now that lots of people have found out you dont make storage wars money out of every unit its down to about 30 people each auction. Wednesday having the most people.

Well are you gonna do your part???....tell every noobie you see at any storage auction, "Psst...Hey Buddy, Buddy...have you heard about the new airport baggage auctions....yea buddy, folks are getting rich by buying those...not like these unit things, where most are loosing their shirts"

. No! I will be like everyone else and jack the bid up on the newbie and tell them hey there is a pot of gold in that unit just like you saw on auction hunters last night! Tell the newbie bid on that unit it will make you rich beyond all dreams! You can do your part and bid on that unit! Thanks buddy . Come on, you newbie's are what stimulate the economy at the auctions

Least there you either have clean cloths, or dirty cloths that can be cleaned easy.  Plus, the cloths are in better shape then the crud we pull out of units.

There is a huge store in TN that sales stuff from lost luggage at airports.

Really do it helps to thin the crowd but doubt it much.  Airports don't hold them as often as storage auctions.  Most places also send stuff to a "central" location I think.

If you did happen to watch the show last night did any of the buyers look familer? Well two of them are on storage wars? Well as for thinned out crowds , look how many people started to show at storage auctions due to the shows promoting how huge storage auction buying is. I think if and that is if the show is a success airports all over will hold auctions and people lazy as most are would rather buy suitcase then clean out a storage shed. Plus the storage shows cater to a certain demo and that demo is not in the home ownership demo. So the apartment dewllers would be in heaven only having to find room for a few suitcases then having to find room for a 10 x 20 unit. So yes I think the crowds that watch the show that are in the demo would flock to baggage auctions.