Ever wondered what’s behind the four walls of a self-storage unit? As you’ll find out in this article, there really is no telling. Our shipping containers are the perfect blank canvas, offering everything you need to tailor a solution that meets your needs.
Whilst we’ve seen many of our customers get creative with their units, we’re yet to find anything as bizarre as the below. Keep reading to explore some of the weird and wonderful items found in storage units across the globe.
#1 Spotted: Storage Wars
If you’re a fan of the show ‘Storage Wars’, then you’ll likely be very familiar with the story of Dan Dotson – if you’re not, keep reading.
Back in 2018, Dotson auctioned off a storage unit to an unsuspecting buyer for a mere $500, and whilst this was an off-camera moment, it certainly made headlines.
There’s often a debate as to how accurate the item valuations shown on Storage Wars truly are, but in this case, there was zero doubt. Inside said unit was a safe, which, when broken open, revealed $7.5million in cold hard cash. After much speculation about who the money belonged to and whether or not the new owners should hang on to it, the unit’s original owners reached out. They settled on a reward of $1.2 million.
Yes, it’s a couple of million short, but a life-changing amount nonetheless, and we certainly wouldn’t be complaining.
#2 It’s Bond’s, James Bond’s
This next find is taking us from the small screen to the silver screen and involves some very familiar faces…
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, an iconic Bond film released in 1977, boasted the famous custom Lotus Esprit submarine – or some might call it a car lover’s dream. But it was all just CGI and clever camera angles, right?
Back in 1989 one lucky couple discovered the vehicle was very much a reality when they purchased an unseen storage unit for just $100. Inside lay Bond’s custom submarine in pristine condition. Forget 007 – this one-of-a-kind vehicle was snapped up for a cool $997,000 by none other than Elon Musk.
It’s one to tell the grandkids, for sure.
#3 A bittersweet symphony
This next find was music to the buyer’s ears as he discovered a Michael Jackson portrait valued at $20,000 in an abandoned unit he’d purchased for $200.
But the portrait in question wasn’t just any normal portrait…It was made entirely of jellybeans. Crafted by Peter Rocha, dubbed the ‘founding father of all jellybean artwork’, the portrait turned out to be pretty rare, with almost all of his works displayed in the JellyBelly Museum. However, despite its high valuation and rare status, the artwork proved to be a tricky sell and ultimately secured just $250 – but hey, it’s still a profit, right?
#4 Thank you, thank you very much
Elvis Presley’s death took the world by storm to become somewhat of a historic event. So when a stack of newspapers covering Elvis’ death on the very day he died were discovered in almost perfect condition, the unit’s new owner just couldn’t help falling in love.
The unsuspecting bidder was able to make an impressive £75,000 from his £600 unit, showing the value of investing in a protective environment to keep your possessions pristine (check out our unit features to see how we keep your belongings protected for years to come!)
#5 Smile for the camera(s)
…All 2,000 of them. A Massachusetts couple recently found an impressive collection of vintage cameras when they were asked to clear out an abandoned unit as a favour. And whilst they will be selling a lot of the collection, having a keen interest in photography themselves, they will be snapping up some of the gear for their personal collection.
What will you be keeping in your storage unit?
With sizes ranging from 5 – 20ft and a range of protective features included as standard, your items – whatever the monetary or sentimental value – will be in safe hands. Unlock a free instant estimate now to start your journey towards better self-storage.
Remember: it pays to look after your belongings – you never know what they’ll be worth in the future – so invest in your unit wisely.