Too funny...when I first read about your runway light I imagined something either a fashion show runway or that of a scantily clad young thing at a club designed for "gentlemen" !

I grew up (and subsequently threw up) in a small plane as both parents had their pilots licenses.....so runway only means one thing to me~

Did you take a picture before you started pulling stuff out Rockin?  I want one so I can sit and drool over it.  Sounds like a super unit.  Thinking that would of been a grand or more in my area.  I'm way over due for a guy unit.  With my oldest I keep ending up with "girl" units with lots of cloths.

Get the title for that bike and ride it around

Gratz rockin - how was the rest of the auction?

Ya know~I always forget to do that.  Besides, I wouldn't be able to figure out how to post pics here.  I've tried and epically failed!  think I tried MovieMans way.....

Just doing my rough guesstimates I've got this unit @ $1350 and that's doing my usual low figures and just the big (obvious) items.

The rest of the auction was ok, but we definitely got the best unit o' the day.  There were 3 units at the first facility and 17 (!!) at the next.  We went to the second and really never placed a bid.  One unit (won by our whale) was intriguing.  It was a 10 X 30 FULL!  there were some great pieces of antique furniture and just loaded.  He ended up getting it for $800.  I was shocked that it didn't go higher.  We were talking at the end and he (also) thought it would hit a grand.  They landed 5 units that I know of.  I love it when he buys numerous lockers.....leaves a bit of breathing room for us little fish~

We bowed out then as the next two facilities were quite a distance, with minimal (1 & 2) units and we had our one daughter getting out of school early today.  besides, I was ready to dig!

Crowds were minimal with prices 'fair'.  All in all a very good day on the auction front~

Oh yeah and we found a new method for bidding against our whale.  He never did know who he was bidding against~

bulldogmom~help me figure it out and I'd gladly post some pics~I'd love to show you that old stool!  I am NOT going to 'restore' this one.  It is sooooo old and AWESOME! 

First unit of the day!  10X10 full with get this........a motorcycle in it!  All I know (at this point) is it's a Yamaha and has some big fat tires on it.  One of the guys there said we probably made the unit on that alone.  We paid $750.  I know the bike will need work, but honestly....we'll make our money back on the tools and furniture, so the bike and sporting goods will be the gravy~

Quite a few tools (yeah!) and tons of sporting goods.  There are at least 4 sets of skis, some Faber snowshoes and icefishing gear......uhmmm.....I live in Tucson AZ and we're heading into summer....yikes.

Some vintage furniture with a beautiful old coffee table and the coolest old stool.  It has cast iron legs that attach into a wood (barrel-shaped) block and screws up and down.  the seat is trashed, but it's still very cool.  I have an old metal sign that measures 3' X 2' double-sided with a neat scene and it says State of Vermont Maple Syrup then on the bottom Member Vermont Maple Sugar Maker's Assoc.  It's a bit rough, but all in all in very cool, vintage condition....even has a bullet hole in one corner~

Rollerblades, tennis rackets, fishing poles, hunting jackets.....too cool.  Not much in the way of housewares and the like, but certainly a money maker.  Oh and it is primarily a GUYS locker, but we did find a Dolce & Gabbana purse.  Have a friend who will 'authenticate' it for me tomorrow~

An extra oh....oh there is a runway light in there.  We didn't have room to haul it home on our first run, but it's BIG.  I know the glass is chipped and I have no idea of age, but we know it's a runway light.

I'm sure I'm leaving things out and will definitely update when I know more, but dang it feels good to get a unit with some 'surprises' again!

Two facility caravan today.  Got to the first and saw two 'regulars' pulling out and a note on the door saying "Auction cancelled".  Went in and talked to the manager as he is my favorite and I had some homemade strawberry shortcake to deliver to him.  He said the other facility was still a go, but for the third straight month all his tenants paid up. 

Headed on down to the other facility and there were about 30 folks (2/3 newbies and/or looky-lous) for 3 lockers.   First locker a 5X10, 1/8 full with nothing but junk.  It was obvious it had been gone through.  Went for $75.  Second unit a 10X10 2/3 full.  I really liked this unit.  Nice dining table with 6 chairs, lots of tubs nicely stacked, an NFL stadium seat, tools, golf clubs and kids toys.  I was in it up to $500, but it went for $800.  Our local whale never even placed a bid on it.....he knew a newbie couple was going to overpay.  Final unit was a 5X10 with about 3 feet high of crap on the floor from front to back.  There was a nice headboard in/under it, but other than that it looked like oodles of dirty laundry.  It went for $100 to a regular.  He said he needed the headboard.

Rather disappointing day, but seems to be the norm lately.  Small enough crowd, but units were minimal, quality was lacking and prices just a bit too high.

We have some unadvertised auctions on Wednesday and Friday.....so still some hope for this week~

 Do I have the right mindset?

I believe YOU have the right mindset~

It's a rough way to make a buck and most of us have to eke out a living in the beginning.  I really like how your conducting your side of the business.  I love to repurpose items too and often something that was destined for the dump is now a piece of art in a garden somewhere.

I couldn't handle a partnership (well except for the marriage one) in this business.  Just too many ways to end a perfectly good friendship.

Best of luck to you~

I too have a pretty big property and an empty basement and attic, plenty of room to stuff treasures from storage unit auction. I how ever have little interest in going the flea market route. I really can't see myself selling a used toaster oven at a flea market on my weekends. I was wonder if anyone gives there low end crap for someone else to sell (for a small percentage) and keep the more valuable items to sell on Ebay or Criag's list. Maybe I'm not humble enough to be a serious storage unit buyer, I still have a full time job (at least for now) that pays pretty well.

Well 'low-end crap' is the bread and butter of this business.  What's the magic $$ amount? 
It's really quite simple~we sell what people buy.  From microwaves to diamond rings, from coffee mugs to vintage art, from phone chargers to AC units.  We sell what we can, donate or dump what we can't and we make a pretty good living doing so.  We also work our fingers to the bone, hit the sheets exhausted and get up and do it all over again.  best part is we don't have somebody in our ear telling us how to do it.  It certainly isn't glamorous, but it pays the bills, provides a service and is, quite often, fun.

And I DO love the swap meet.  I enjoy my fellow vendors and my customers are great!!  Plus I've made some incredible contacts being humble sitting in the sun.  by the way~I have one hell of a tan and it's only April~

Congrats on your full-time job..........try to hold on to it, because in this economy.............
There but for the grace and all~

Final final (I know I keep saying that, but more and more it keeps coming up) update~
Don is at the CubeSmart caravan auction as I type.  I called to ask if he'd been blackballed and he laughed.  He said and I quote "Just the opposite.  The district manager walked up and shook my hand and apologized profusely."  He went on to tell me that they would no longer be doing consignment auctions and that there is now more paperwork to fill out ahead of time (sorry to those in a hurry) and that copies are presented to you immediately!

So out of this mess comes some good. 

Oh and it wasn't just Don and the other guy.....we found out a couple weeks ago that there was another issue on the same day with another facility.  Rough day for local buyers and CubeSmart staff.

But all in all~many lessons were learned, procedures changed and nary a bridge burned~