If you’ve ever watched the popular A&E show Storage Wars and thought that you might like to see how a real self-storage auction works (whether you’re in it for the buying opportunity or just the thrill of being a spectator), there are a few things you should know in order to make your day at the self-storage auction a more rewarding experience.
First, it should be known that self-storage auctions aren’t really like those depicted on Storage Wars. Here’s a link to a great article on real self-storage auctions and how they differ from those depicted on cable TV.
Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that real self-storage auctions are either at one location (single self-storage facility) or at multiple locations (a number of self-storage auctions at facilities across a region). So, there may be a lot of walking (wear comfortable shoes). Also, if you’re going to make a day of it, you may want to pack yourself some lunch or snacks and a few bottles of water. Once the auctions get going, everything moves at a quick pace. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and action. Soon enough, your belly will be grumbling.
If you’re planning to bid on a self-storage unit that’s up for auction, you should have your payment plan made in advance. Self-storage auction payments are made in cash, money order, or cashier’s check. All payments are due at the conclusion of the sale.
Yes, you can look at the self-storage unit contents before bidding. No, you can’t enter the unit to do so. As with the self-storage auctions on cable TV, you don’t get to enter the self-storage unit up for auction and poke through the boxes to see what they contain. When the self-storage unit door goes up, you (and all the other bidders) can stand at the edge of the unit and see what you can see. By the way, you may want to bring a flashlight—those storage units can be a little dark from the outside.
Bring your own padlocks! If you’re the winning bidder, you must put your own padlock immediately on the unit. The self-storage facility is never responsible for lost or stolen items after the sale.
Bring your truck! If you bid on a self-storage unit at an auction, all the items in the unit must be removed from the premises within 48 hours of the sale day. If for some reason you need more time to arrange pickup and removal, you can always talk to the self-storage facility manager and come to an agreement, but it’s good self-storage auction etiquette to have your truck ready to move ASAP. The unit must be “broom clean” after you clear out all the contents. No items should remain in the self-storage unit—no matter how small.
Be kind. Return the personal items. If you’re the high bidder on a self-storage unit and you find highly-personal items that belonged to the original owner (wedding albums, personal letters, scrapbooks, family photos, marriage certificates, etc.) please return those items to the manager of the self-storage facility. These types of items aren’t typically worth anything to anyone but the previous owner. Do unto others…
At Storage ‘R’ Us, we typically hold self-storage auctions every couple of months. The auctions are early in the morning on a Saturday so that bidders have every opportunity to bid on self-storage unit auctions at each of our eight Oklahoma self storage locations in Moore, Duncan, Lawton, Newcastle, Norman, and Chickasha, Oklahoma. Interested in learning more? Visit the Storage ‘R’ Us Self Storage Auction page.
And if you’re looking for a self-storage solution for your own belongings, feel free to contact one of our eight Storage ‘R’ Us locations today, and see what a self-storage solution can do for you, your family, or your business! One of our self-storage experts will be happy to recommend a self-storage unit that affords you the kind of storage you require.
