There are people that do this full time and that is the income they make.  It can range from 20k a year to 50k a year.  All depends on how hard you work, your ability to sell, and some luck.  Now if you have noticed those people have moved from full time storage auction buying to picking.  The reason being the profit margin on units has shrunk in the last 2 years thanks to the shows.

People on here fall into 3 broad categories:
 *  Full timers (either retired people that do it for extra income, thrift store owners buying inventory, or perm flea market/swap meet vendors buying inventory)

 *  Hobbiest / Part timers - people like myself who have full-time jobs, or part-time jobs, or housewives, etc.  They sell most of the items at flea market, CL, and ebay.

 *  Newbies / Fly-by-nighters - people that see the show, think it's fun and easy, and jump in feet first.  Then they find out about all the work, how hard it can be to sell, etc.  Most of these people only last a month - three max before they burn out.

I myself have a very good full time job.  I do this as a hobby and to spend time with my oldest.  I have fun at the flea market meeting new people, BSing with the vendors and other storage auction people, etc.  Making money is just a bonus.  The time I spend with my oldest who loves both buying and selling is just priceless.  Long as she wants to spend time with old dad, I will drag my butt out of bed and spend 6 - 8 hours at the flea selling.

You can make money on CL and Ebay if you have the right items.  You will have to be very selective in your unit purchase.  No matter how selective you are however you will soon gather a ton of $5 and under items.  These you either donate, trash, or sell.  Most of us do that at the flea.  The box lot auctions is a way to get rid of it and make some cash like others have said.  Just be willing to take what you get.  People at the auctions are looking for items that they can re-sell for profit.

Other option is to offer these lots to your fellow auction buyers.  Those that do like to hit the flea and stuff.  Figure 25-30% return, maybe 50% but still not what you could make selling it yourself.

Hey every penny counts as long as it's profit.  I'll have to try the website out and will let you know.  Depending on what they sell I have some things I'll toss up there to try the waters out while they are also up on ebay (have multiples).


Blah - I don't do facebook or any other social media site.  Will have to think about creating one just for my storage stuff I guess.

I love ebay.  I can sell things that I just don't think will sell.  Example - in the lot of computers, printers, and 4 boxes of cords, etc. I found 5 Win 95 OS CDs still in the blister pack.  Sold 3 so far between $15 - $22 each.  So after shipping, ebay and paypal fee getting 10 - 16 a CD.  Had 6 new gas stove grates that I traded a guy at the flea for - $10.  I've sold half of them so far - made $30 so far and still selling.  Atari games are selling well for me on there also.  Don't make a ton of money but every $3, $5, $10, etc. profit is still a profit compared to selling or not selling local.

If you can get organized and have all your items packaged, weighed, photographed, and description ready to go it helps a bunch.  So on those free days you can list everything.

Good fleabaying

One facility or two that does this online would be great.  I wouldn't want everyone to do it however.  Part of the "fun" that I have is interacting with the other regulars and all of the BS sessions before, during, and after an auction.  Not to mention the other contacts that you can develope at an auction.

Plus - I prefer to see a unit in person so that I can get a good "read" on it.  That includes what is smells like, looking at the cut lock, dust, etc.  Would hate to win a unit for say $500 based on the pictures and then find at a different angle you see all the rat crap, water damage boxes, etc. 

You are so right Movieman that "Family" is what it's all about.  Part of the reason I buy lockers and sell at the flea is to spend time teaching my daughter.  We've had some painfull mistakes, but that is part of learning and life.

Wish I had some good quality rocks to sell at my flea.  No one really has any down here.  When hit the mountains for a overnight vacation will take the girls to pan for gold.  Will then prob sell any of the rocks they don't want to keep.  Geodes sell for a good bit down here, even in rough and original shape.  Cut and polished ones can do well.  Not much quartz around here.  May have to try and find a small sample on ebay to re-sell at flea.  See how it sells.

Have fun in Santa Fe.

Oh man rockin - I read "DEEP" and just had a mental image of that clip down in your bra.  Just couldn't help myself.  We have one lady at the auctions that carrier her cell phone on her chest (very well endowned lady).

Myself - I have a seperate wallet for my auction money and it stays buttoned up in my cargo pocket on front of the pants.  That way I feel it hit my knee as I walk, it's secure, and I don't carry anything else in that pocket.  So the only time I check the wallet is when I double-count my money before leaving house and when I'm paying.

That would really suck to loose $700.  If it was lost at the auction I'd of hope someone would turn it in.  As is - was prob a lookly loo that just got rich.

Better watch out StorMe - pretty soon he will start out-selling you.  My oldest helps me buy and sell units.  She works her tail off at the flea greeting people, answering questions, etc.  Is a great learning exp.  Some days I think she sells more stuff then I do.

Laugh - I look at storage auctions as my form of gambling.  Don't hit the casino very often (unlike my mother).  Saying that - I pulled that $20 out of my auction wallet and bought some tickets.  Suspect I'll not have 1 dang number on 20 tickets but had to try.  Would be fun to win and then play the local "Berry" and toss out all that good stuff just to keep the 1 "unique" item.