Self-storage and Bankruptcy. Is There a Connection?

Published Saturday, May 29, 2010 @ 8:38 am

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In the last ten years, self-storage centers have infiltrated America faster than a bad singer on YouTube. From basic storage sheds with individual bays to climate-controlled multi-story complexes, we have become a nation obsessed with storage. Heck, you can even invest in a garage condo today.

Now, let’s juxtapose our need for storage with the general financial position of so many American families right now. There is really no more proof of our collective love of useless consumer products than the need to pay $100 month just to store it.

And if it’s not in a storage facility, it’s pushing the car out of the garage. Take a walk some evening and glance into some of your neighbors’ garages. Many of them will be floor to door opener in boxes, old bikes, broken furniture, unused plastic playhouses and a healthy collection of old electronics. You may also see a nice clean path that’s been blazed to the house entry. At least, that’s where we hope it leads.

There is little question that in the last number of years, our country has been filing bankruptcy because of what’s in our backyard sheds, garages and expensive storage facilities. We’re well aware that many of you have filed because of unemployment, medical hardships and crushing home debt. However, we do see a good number of folks who simply spent too much on pretty much nothing. Nevertheless, they deserve our help too, and that’s why we’re here.

A big part of your rebound from bankruptcy is learning how to avoid the same mistakes—and the desire to have the latest and greatest of everything is a big one. One way to help rid yourself of the ghost of all those “things” that led you to bankruptcy is to sell all the junk cluttering your life. Thankfully, there are a number of great ways to do it.

Your church is a terrific place to start unloading some of your unwanted financial baggage. The upcoming rummage sale or fundraiser is a great reason for you to clean out your garage.

Ebay can be helpful in selling things but can be cumbersome at times and requires more work than just a simple, outright sale.

Look into Craigslist.org, too. The site is narrowed down by category quite nicely and allows for direct communication. If you have some luck with a buyer, go meet them in a public place with your goods; don’t have them come to you. Use the parking lot of a local fast food restaurant to make the sale and be sure to tell someone where you’re going or bring a friend with you.

Lastly, never forget the old fashioned garage sale. Some people live and die by these weekend rituals and will be at your door before dawn. So be ready early.

Remember, the point isn’t to make money on these items, it’s to simply get them out of your life. If you focus on profit, you’ll find yourself too concerned with price and convince yourself that something is worth more than it is. Before you know it, you’ve shined it up again and stuck it back on the shelf.

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