TV Storage Wars: What Would You Want From An Abandoned Storage Locker?

Image: RogueSun Media

What is the Storage Locker Auction Phenomena?
Call it cheap daytime television, but ‘Storage Wars’ has now achieved something of a cult status.
If you have a storage locker that you have not paid rent on, the facility where you have stored it have the rights to your stuff after a set amount of time. It’s a way for the storage company to make back lost money that they have lost if you had not paid your bills.
Now, if I was a storage locker owner, I’m not sure what I would do with all your property. I sure don’t have time myself to deal with it -  makes more sense just to let people come and buy the lockers and make me some relatively quick cash.
There are now various companies that facilitate public auctions to sell off these storage units. The auction will be open to the public to be able to bid on the contents.

But how do you know if you want to buy a unit?

The only way of telling what is in a unit is by having a look in from the doorway. As a bidder, you are not allowed to set foot inside the unit or open any boxes, so you have to make guesses about what you see.
Clues could include markings on storage boxes, the way in which the units are packed, the particular neighbourhood that the unit is in, or even how much dust is resting on top of the items.
Over the years there have been some crazy things found in storage boxes: One man found a grenade inside a storage unit and took it to the authorities, who promptly alerted the bomb squad.
The most impressive find has to be $500,000 worth of treasure that was auctioned off by Dan and Laura Dotson, they featured in the popular Storage Wars show - the man who bought the unit paid just $1100!

Let’s go buy some units!
But wait, if you were thinking that every unit is a veritable treasure trove of goodies, think again.
The vast majority of storage lockers are full of the normal household overfill items that people just want to get rid of to make some room in their house. Think about what you’d put in a locker if you wanted to make some space:
Old TV’s
Most houses have at least 2 televisions, and with dropping prices, as well as the introduction of 3D sets, lots of people are upgrading – many droves of old television sets make their way to storage lockers.
Mattresses
Everyone has a mattress, and family households can have a whole load of them.
When they are not being used, they take up a lot of space so, off to the storage unit they go.
While the thought of finding a storage boxes full of treasure and cash is tempting it is more the gamble that attract people to these auctions.
I’m sure that after the success of the storage auction shows, there will be even more competition bidding the prices up!
The question is - what would you hope to find in an abandoned storage locker?


Guest Author Bio: Estelle Page is a thirty something interior designer, who loves scouring markets and antique shops for unique pieces of furniture for her latest creations! She currently writes and blogs for Rapid Racking ltd.