posted on December 29, 2000 09:20:55 PM new
Clutter in my house is getting overwhelming, and in a thread I started in the Yahoo forum some people suggested that I get a storage unit as a possible solution. I am really interested in discussing this with you guys who are already using them. Any insights you'd be willing to share with me are very much appreciated.
Right now my system is:
1)buy merchandise (& bring it home)
2)inventory each purchases- price it, record it, etc
3)clean each item if necessary
4)scan/photograph each item
5)list items for sale at auction site of choice
6)package & ship items
OK, please help me out with where in the process I should start fitting in "take items to storage unit". How does it work for you?
My biggest initial worry is the whole "out of sight out of mind" phenomena. (Are you guys familiar with this? Or is it just me?) If I insert "take item to storage unit" between steps 1 & 2 then it seems like I am in grave danger of forgetting about the stuff & never listing it. But then if I insert "take item to storage unit" between steps 5 & 6, will I have to do a lot of driving back & forth to answer customer emails when they ask questions about the items?
How do you guys with storage units maintain maximum efficiency?
posted on December 29, 2000 09:37:09 PM new
My husband built me a work desk w/bins and such at our storage unit/office. I have my scale, boxes, inventory there. That way, I have a place that is quiet and uncluttered away from our home.
No kids touching my stuff, no getting broken...if I need to work at home I carry a crate in the van and tote things back and forth that way.
Getting the unit was a great idea and well worth the money every month. (Even if it is just a place to get away).
posted on December 29, 2000 09:43:47 PM new
wow eagerbeader! that's such a great idea!! How big is your space? sounds bigger than the storage unit I was picturing, that's for sure!!
posted on December 29, 2000 10:53:00 PM new
Just a thought:
Depending on the type of item(s) you sell and the area of the US in which you live you may need to consider a climate controlled unit. Extremes of temperature and humidity may damage your items.
Wishing all on the boards a safe, sane and Happy New Year!!!!
I use a storage unit after I started to buy in bulk . Some of the items that are hot sellers I put the kids to work LOL and box them up when I get a new load of stuff that way I can just pull it off the shelf and send the item out.
posted on December 29, 2000 11:59:31 PM new
I dont like the Idea of a storage unit to many trips weekly would be required inless you went down weekly drag all the Items you have listed out and keep them at home.
Over time the unit its self might end up running more money over a year then you make in sales auctions sales are not steady.
As far as climate control I Wouldnt worry to much about that I would worry more about flooding and roof leaking here where I live storage units seem to be built on land no one in there right mind would build a house on mainly lower wet land.
I store my item in a garage that is not heated and humidy and temp changes are not a problem as long as items can breath not covered with plastic but what need covering I use blankets or chair covers type stuff been doing this year with little to no trouble.
Most of my smaller item of paper magazines small stuffed toys my cameras batterys and other stuff I store in plastic storage bins the stackable type on wheels look like fileing cabnets low cost they are parked next to my desk white in color and blend in pretty well.
my desk on the other hand I cant find some days you have to hunt for the keyboard which is about par for the course from what many have told me over my year on the net
down fall Of the storage unit is that its not handy will mean many more trips and back tarcking to do business and the cost.
posted on December 30, 2000 12:49:22 PM new
dina9- thanks for posting, that is something that never occurred to me. I don't think it will be an issue at present since I'm mostly selling toys- not computer parts or anything really heat sensitive- but you're right, it could become an issue with some types of inventory.
dman3- yes, I know where you're coming from. I am not necessarily crazy about the idea either. But my choices are basically to get a storage unit & clean up my mess, or to stop selling on online auctions altogether. Unless anyone else has any brilliant alternative suggestions for me. I'd really like to think through all my options before I make a decision.
Thanks you guys for all your helpful posts! I really appreciate it!
posted on December 30, 2000 01:02:39 PM new
Are you in an apartment or your own house? If your own house, buy a wooden storage shed with floor set up on skids. This keeps thing high and dry right outside you door when needed, and you can use the cost of the shed as an expense. Just one more idea.
Goingslow
posted on December 30, 2000 01:13:37 PM new
yeah if you live where a shed can be put up or live near a relitive close bye with the room and would agree to a shed going up there or keeping you Item there this would be a one time cost to you far lower cost to you and serve the same purpose.
I remember some time back another person here said a older reltive dont remember maybe there mother had a big house with room to spare who let them use a room or two in there home to store there items and they set up a computer there as well did all there auction work there.
Also gave them more time to visit with each other then they had before this is a Idea as well and solved two problem for them.
posted on December 30, 2000 01:29:54 PM new
CAgrrl....Two words: Be Careful!....Although a storage unit, be it an on property shed, or rental storage unit or spare space in relative/friend/neighbors place, can be a real relief to house clutter, moving your inventory out does make it out of site (& out of mind)...If you're not careful, you'll wind up leaving stuff in storage, buying more, clearing that stuff out to storage & so on & so on & so on, until you have huge amounts of inventory!...
Trust me, I know (all too well!) how quickly this can happen....I have a 16' x 20' shed on site & a 40' x 12' off site trailer FULL!!....
Eagerbeader....I LOVE your idea!...Sounds like a super project for the spring!....Heck, I could even "go to work" and be outta the house & away from the usual distractions!...YIPEE!....
posted on December 30, 2000 01:37:05 PM new
we rent a house. There is already a shed in the backyard but the landlord has it filled up with his junk. We already tried asking him to move it out, but he won't. The shed is pretty creepy anyway; it's not secure (doesn't lock) and it doesn't close all the way, and it's full of bugs.
posted on December 30, 2000 02:02:22 PM new
I highly recommend a Rubbermaid outdoor storage shed. The model I bought and put together last week is the Slide-Lid Storage Shed #3752. The material is resin, no wood or metal except a few screws in the floor. It goes together by tapping the pieces in place with a rubber mallet.
This model is 92 cubic ft. The dimensions are: 4'1" x 5"10 x 3'10" (inner dimensions). There are two doors that open out in the front exposing the whole width, the roof then slides back halfway to the back of the unit, allowing you to step inside.
You can add shelves in the notches provided. It's probably not totally waterproof, but would serve for most items.
I carried it home in the back of my Mitsubishi station wagon. First, I had to remove the pieces from the gigantic box. It looks good, is easy to transport, you can take it with you when you move, and it holds a lot.
posted on December 30, 2000 03:15:50 PM new
I have two habits (faults)that I have to watch out for.
One is, with any given lot of items, I list the stuff that interests me and stick the rest aside for later. (In some cases, there never is a later.)
The second is that I'm a binge buyer. I'll go on buying binges both at individual auctions or at several auctions in sequence.
There seems to be no answer for these problems and no 12 Step program available.
I am presently in a self imposed "On the wagon" peroid from buying. I've pledged to buy no more until every preowned thing I presently have is listed (or donated to charity). It's driving me crazy as our local Salvation Army is having daily auctions. People overload the charities with donations at this time of the year to get tax deductions before year end. Three block line of cars today waiting to pull into the SA donation area and unload stuff. Their warehouse is full and they are pratically giving the stuff away, in volume, off the back loading dock.
If you can use the storage space for excess inventory, as availibility of preowned product is often uneven and good buying opportunities sporadic and draw down from that supply in FIFO order, taking only manageable amount home, you'll be fine and it can be very productive. It's also a good place to keep extra mailing supplies which I often order in very large quantities. Marking a few large boxes with seasons also lets you gather summer, holiday etc. together but out of the house for use at the appropriate time.
Or you can do it my way. Rent a unit, fill it with stuff, sell a few things that are visable whenever your dropping off a load and rent another unit when you get carried away at an auction and there's no more space to cram stuff into.
The one benefit of my approach is all the fun stuff you find, that you forgot about buying, when you do finally clean out a unit.
A less apparent benefit of rented storage space is that it introduces you to "default auctions". Many people default on monthly rental payments, die or wander away(like to prison). Most states require that the contents of these units be sold as a whole, with little or no inspection. That combined with stuff available from people cleaning-out their units, thru the manager or from the dumpster is a rich new endless supply of inventory. It can also offset, at least partically, the rental fees. Some people keep one of the smallest available units at several different storage rental unit locations just to be "in" on the local action.
They rent by the month, so what the h*ll, give it a try. Cheaper than getting a new boy friend and no training required.
posted on December 30, 2000 03:16:51 PM new
CAgrrl...I hear ya!....I KNOW that my husband will be doin' alittle contruction in my trailer this spring!...&...I get the feelin' he won't be the only one!....
Here's another idea that another AW poster had a while back (warning: requires extreme willpower!)...He set his goal of selling all his current inventory & wouldn't buy/acquire anything else until he had cleared out!....Personally, I could do that & have enough to sell for about a year!..But the draw of buyin' more would be sooooo tempting!....AGH!!!
posted on December 30, 2000 04:13:40 PM new
Our storage unit/office is right across the street from my house. It is about 25 x 17 (feet that is). My desk area only takes up about 8 x 3 (feet that is). Very small area, but nice to work on. My husband has one of his servers in the other room (it was a work garage and we converted it to 1/2 office and 1/2 storage). I am in the hallway between the office and storage area. Works great for us and it is super cheap. But if we had the room, I would rather have my stuff in my own garage or spare room, but we are busting at the seams with all these children and animals.
I have an old computer there I can work on if I need to and there is a phone and internet connection. The unit itself costs us $117.00 a month..but like I said it is also used as my husband's server room. If we weren't already paying for it, I don't know if I could justify the cost for what I sell.
posted on December 30, 2000 07:31:18 PM new
littlenell- that sounds like it could be a possible solution for me!! I will definitely look into that!! A million thanks for posting!!
reston_ray: sounds like you and I have the same 2 faults in common!! "me too" to the first 3 paragraphs you posted. (Except my buying binges aren't at auctions...yet...I have managed to stay away from those so far! However, my buying binges usually take place on ebay, so as you can imagine it's a bit harder for me to go "on the wagon"!)
My ears really perked up (so to speak) when you mentioned storage unit auctions. Do you have to be a renter at a unit to be eligible for those? I've been curious about it ever since mrssantaclause posted earlier this week about her fantastic finds in a storage unit auction. Anybody have details???
(The flip side is, I started getting paranoid about what would happen if I had a bad month & skipped a payment on my unit. AAACK! disaster!! I'd hate to be the victim of a storage unit auction myself! )
rancher- I actually sold almost all my inventory. I had it as a new year's resolution that I would be out of the online auction biz. However, I am having really mixed feelings about it- I am thinking now that I really don't want to quit after all. But I do have to make some changes, things just can't continue the way they have been...
You guys are really such a fantastic help. I could hug you all!! *virtual group hug* Thank you!!!
posted on December 30, 2000 08:47:40 PM new
CAgrrl...Ah, tried to kick the eBay habit, but just can't do it, eh?...
In my area storage unit auctions are listed in the local paper...no need to have anything to do with the company, just have to have $$ to pay if you're a lucky winner & the ability to get the contents outta the unit quickly!..My storage rent is currently past due, although it WILL be paid before they slap the big lock on it & auction it for pennies on the dollar!...But what a steal a buyer would get if they did manage to win my unit!....
reston_ray...WHERE do you get your willpower?...I'm gonna go for the "can't buy til I sell it all" program myself when I start up again (after the beginning of the year)...I'm dieting, quiting smoking & will also be quitting buyin'!...What doesn't kill me will make me stronger!...I'm hopin'!
posted on December 30, 2000 09:50:49 PM new
Because we do flea markets several times a week we are in and out of our storage unit everyday. We only buy at storage auctions and have lots of funiture so we need room.
10X20 feet
After cleaning out a unit it comes home where I separate, clean and immediately put in plastic crates which are then taken to storage and stacked and ready for flea markets. We also have about 3000 videos in storage that go to almost every flea market. We only put about 30 a week on ebaby.
I also use my garage. Stacked crates ready to go. Right now I have two stacked washer and dryers to go in the paper. Easier for people to come here then go to the unit to look at them. The other stuff I put on eBay stays here in the house or the garage.
Our storage unit is between my house and my sons house and just 5 mins away from either place. He spends hours there. Sometimes I think just to get away from me and his wife. LOL.
posted on December 31, 2000 05:49:01 AM new
Cagrrl:
A couple of helpful hints if you buy the Rubbermaid storage shed:
It takes two people to put it together.
When the directions tell you to use a rubber mallet, believe them. We tried it with a normal hammer and couldn't do it. Once we broke down and spent $4.00 on a rubber mallet, the shed went together beautifully.
Oh, yes, remember to buy a padlock while you're at the hardware store.
posted on December 31, 2000 07:03:26 AM new
If you do use storage units, remember that things can lose value in storage!
Make sure you prevent:
Eaten by insects
Chewed and pooped on by mice
Sprayed by cats
Water damaged
Mold and mildew growth in humid areas on organic things, rust on metals
Massive dust accumulations
Accelerated aging of paper and textiles form excessive heat
And if you live in areas with brown recluse spiders, black widows, or scorpions, you have to be wary when pulling things out. I got nailed by a black widow that had set up house in the gap between the lock and body of a trunk. The bite was every bit as painful as I had heard it would be.
And then there's theft. Yard sheds are favorites, because the tools and stuff can be sold at a yard sale with no questions asked. Even if a thief doesn't take anything, they can break things and leave you with one hell of a mess to clean up.
posted on December 31, 2000 09:47:57 AM new
Rancher - you give me credit where none is due.
About twenty years ago, after over two decades of problems with alcohol, I became open to finding an answer that worked for me. I wanted to know how to avoid "The Drink" that seemed to seperate an enjoyable evening from the progressively frequent occasions of blackouts and insanity.
Someone suggested I avoid the first drink.(Actually the process was a little longer and more complicated but that was the core of the idea.) To my total surprise it completely worked.
Now, whenever I'm starting to feel very uncomfortable about something I'm doing, I borrow from that experience. Whether Oreo cookies or auction purchases, I find it easier to avoid the first one rather than number 5, 15 or 50. Fortunatly things usually come back into balance and I can again have Oreo cookies and auctions or a real treat, Oreo cookies at auctions.
You don't have to have a rental unit to buy at default auctions. It sometimes helps to be part of the community in a number of ways not the least of which is having a convient place to put the stuff when you buy more than you can possibly move in a day. Managers have even let me borrow a unit for a few days because I was their customer or lent me an extra truck which is a courtsey they won't extend to strangers just attending the sale.
One of the things I most enjoy with storage unit auctions is all the surprises. In our area they cut the lock from the unit, let everyone look in for 5 or 10 seconds and then start the bidding. No touching the items nor looking into boxes. I'm like a kid at Christmas with all the boxes to open. Not very professional nor business like but I do have a lot of fun.
Occasional stories about trunks with bodies and boxes with money add a potential that far exceeds your usual garage sale.
I did lose some units to default during a difficult period but I was fortunate to be able to attend the auction and buy them back for just a fraction of the overdue rent. The manager was a little stern with me about paying in cash and moving things quickly.
God, I want to go to an auction. Maybe I could just stand in the back and watch. Anyone know of a New Years Eve auction within a couple of hundred miles of Washington, DC. Do you think my date will mind?
posted on December 31, 2000 09:49:34 AM new
I have a 10x10 heated and airconditioned room.
It does not have telephone available so I can not keep a internet connection there.
If you are disorganized and have a mess at home it will not be any better to have the same condition at a storeage area. You need to make some basic changes in how you work.
I buy new things by the case and take 6 or 10 at a time home to package and mail. So my use is probably more important for me than someone who has many unique items.
The expense was a worry for me but I have gotten so many things free at the dumpster in the storeage facility that I have actually made a profit above my $123.00/month fee.
The first week I was there I got over $600.00 from selling dumpster items.
I am only 2 miles away so it is pretty handy.
They have units availible with mini-offices attached and a small bathroom but they are $600.00 a month and that is a little steep for me. That would also give me water if I needed to clean up items.
posted on December 31, 2000 10:12:29 AM new
reston - You sound as bad as me about being addicted to storage auctions. When my DIL was in labor I stopped at an auction on the way to the hospitol. LOL
We have an auction coming up on the 4th that might be interesting. A guy has defaulted on six units. What could he have in those units. Who knows it could be great, but he'll probably pay right before the auction. You can bet there will be a lot of bidders there. I can't wait!
posted on December 31, 2000 03:57:38 PM new
littlenell- a rubber mallet of all things!! LOL!!
abacaxi- OK I can understand everything except the "sprayed by cats" part. Sprayed by cats???? yikes!!
reston ray: I can't wait to find some storage unit auctions in my area!!!!
trunks with bodies
bodies? as in dead bodies???? You were the proud owner of a couple corpses???? EWWWWWWW!!!!!!
did lose some units to default during a difficult period but I was fortunate to be able to attend the auction and buy them back for just a fraction of the overdue rent.
LOL!!! GOOD FOR YOU!!! nice job.
RR you live in the DC area? That's where my family is!! Where in DC are you?
gravid- the problem is more lack of space than it is disorganization. My boyfriend and I both have home based businesses and we share a tiny office. I think any serious ebay seller will tell you that half of one room is not enough space.
posted on December 31, 2000 05:26:12 PM new
CAgrrl -
"sprayed by cats" ... cats spray urine on items to mark their territory. It stinks, stains, and is impossible to get rid of on any porous material.
And yes, meth labs, trunks with corpses, and stolen propery are among the hazards of buying storage units.
posted on December 31, 2000 06:14:08 PM new
reston ray -
Me too! ::::Toasting you with apple cider or hot chocolate, nothing stronger::: Happy New Year
Rocker
posted on December 31, 2000 07:04:58 PM new
Yes - Well when they open the door if it smells bad don't ever, ever bid on it. I have never found a dead HUMAN but there is a whacko somewhere that probably never did figure out what happened to fido....didn't he ride in the truck with Dad one day when he went to the locker?
posted on January 1, 2001 05:19:59 PM new
abacaxi- OK I got that part, all I was wondering is how the cats get in in the first place?
I used to live on Ventura Blvd on the same block as 3 totally seedy motels. We were always hearing about the cops busting this meth lab or that meth lab in one or the other of those motels. Kinda scary!!! I didn't live there long- my car kept getting broken into, and most of my friends and nieghbors who'd lived on that block long enough were missing entire vehicles!! Yikes!!
hey- I just thought of one more hazard- are there ever UGLY characters who hunt you down to try to reclaim their defaulted stuff?? *shudder*
gravid, how horrible!! I think I will take to heart your "If it smells bad don't bid" advice.
)
Happy New Year
Rocker