There\u2019s something undeniably thrilling about the unknown, and few things embody that mystery more than an abandoned self-storage unit. When these units go unpaid, they\u2019re often auctioned off to the highest bidder, without giving them a chance to look inside. If you’ve ever seen the show Storage Wars, you know that sometimes all that’s inside is a pile of junk, but sometimes you strike gold. However, there are also a few instances where you might come across something crazy, creepy, or even downright valuable. Here are a few of the strangest and most valuable things found in storage units.<\/p>\n
You’d think that when you put stuff in storage, you’ll remember it, especially sentimental items<\/a> or things that could potentially make you some money. But, for whatever reason, that’s not always the case. Sometimes people store things, then completely forget and go on with their lives. Here are some of the weirdest and most wonderful items that have been found.<\/p>\n While this might not sound like one of the strangest things people have put in their storage unit, it was a whopper from 1967. As you may have guessed based on some popular videos online, the burger was not decomposed in any way.<\/p>\n Joe Jackson, Michael’s father, had been keeping a bunch of unreleased tracks (250 to be exact) for himself. They were found inside a storage unit and were technically not owned by anyone due to a gap in recording contracts.<\/p>\n One storage unit was found with a ton of old Elvis memorabilia, from rare collectibles to newspaper clippings. The entire collection ended up being worth about $90,000.<\/p>\n Apparently, after NASA’s space program was discontinued, someone transferred some equipment out of the facility and into a self-storage unit. Later, the NASA rocket and countdown clock were found by a very surprised buyer.<\/p>\n Beanie Babies used to be a big hit for kids, but they also carried a significant value when kept in good condition. Even just one (the Queen Elizabeth Beanie Baby) was going for up to $18,000. One storage unit buyer discovered a ton of pristine plush toys. This find was said to be worth thousands of dollars at the time.<\/p>\n In California, one of the unusual items found in a self-storage unit was a live alligator. But that’s not all. The alligator was reportedly there to guard a stash of marijuana and firearms, which were quickly seized by the police. Don’t worry, though; the alligator was relocated safely to a zoo.<\/p>\n While most storage units are mundane at best, some hide secrets that seem ripped straight from a horror film. These finds aren\u2019t just strange; they\u2019re unsettling, morbid, and sometimes downright terrifying. Here are some of the creepiest and most unforgettable things that have been found in storage.<\/p>\n This was found in a storage unit in Florida and was quickly taken into custody for proper handling and burial. The apparent story behind this grim find was that it was a previous renter’s grandfather\u2019s skull, who had been a war veteran, and the renter had brought it back from a tour abroad. The rest of the family had no idea that he had kept it as an heirloom.<\/p>\n This was found in an abandoned storage unit in Florida, whose previous owner was a collector of ancient Egyptian artifacts. There were quite a few, all of which were handled by authorities to ensure they remained intact due to their historical significance.<\/p>\n In 2007, a unit was purchased at a storage auction that had a pretty nice-looking barbecue smoker inside. But when the new owner opened the smoker, there was a human leg wrapped in tinfoil lying on top. The story’s not too sinister, though. It was the original owner\u2019s leg, which he had lost in a plane crash. He kept it as he eventually wanted to be buried with it, but simply forgot where he put it. There’s a whole documentary about it called Finders Keepers (spoiler alert: the new owner didn’t return the leg!).<\/p>\n This is probably one of the creepiest things discovered in a self-storage unit. The previous owner had been a medical examiner who would harvest body parts in funeral home autopsies, then store them in his unit. Tons of different body parts were found, from brains and hearts to tissue samples and more.<\/p>\n There was also a storage unit that was home to quite a few deadly snakes… along with live cockroaches. The two tenants were paying $150 per month, and that was all that was inside.<\/p>\n When you don’t open your newly acquired unit to an old collection of memorabilia or a skeleton, you might just get lucky. Although valuable self-storage unit<\/a> finds are rare, they can happen. Here are a few examples of when they did.<\/p>\n This keepsake was found somewhere in London. For such a valuable item, you’d think the owner would have remembered. However, it was left behind by the renter (a wealthy businessman) who forgot about it when his rental period expired.<\/p>\n Apparently, back in 2018, a man paid $500 for a storage unit and found a safe inside. While safes inside a storage unit are typically empty, this one was filled with $7.5 million in cash! He ended up negotiating a finder\u2019s fee, however, and returned most of it to the owners.<\/p>\n The car from the movie The Spy Who Loved Me was found in a storage unit in 1989, which was purchased for less than $100. It was one of the original submarine cars from the movie!<\/p>\n Self-storage units are the modern-day attics of society. They’re a great place to store things you don’t necessarily want to deal with, or that you don’t have room for. For some people, that includes some pretty strange things. Out of sight, out of mind, right?<\/p>\n Some people may try to hide illegal activity, others may have a psychological component involved, while others may just forget (such as the case of the barbeque leg!). Although many of the items on this list are prohibited from being stored in facilities<\/a>, some people find that it’s worth the risk.<\/p>\n When a storage unit is auctioned off, the contents legally become the property of the winning bidder. As long as the storage facility follows the correct legal process, which usually includes several attempts to contact the original renter, the auction is valid, and the new owner can do what they want with the items. But not everything is so simple.<\/p>\n In rare cases, the original owner can reclaim their belongings. However, this typically only occurs if they act quickly or challenge the auction in court. There are also some ethical considerations for some of the more shocking discoveries, which usually require law enforcement or the appropriate authorities. From here, they can determine what the best course of action is, especially if there are illegal items or things that could be tied to a crime.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one takeaway from these tales, it\u2019s this: your storage unit should be secure, reliable, and, ideally, free of snakes and severed limbs. To find self-storage you can rely on, partner with The Lock Up Self Storage today. Our temperature-controlled self-storage units<\/a> will help keep your belongings in great condition, regardless of how long you need to store them. Our flexible leasing options will keep you covered whether you need short-term or long-term storage. The Lock Up Self Storage facilities also have top-of-the-line security features like perimeter alarms, gated access codes, and 24\/7 CCTV. To learn more about our self-storage units at The Lock Up, call us today at 1-866-327-LOCK<\/a> or stop by one of our locations<\/a> for a tour.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There\u2019s something undeniably thrilling about the unknown, and few things embody that mystery more than an abandoned self-storage unit. When these units go unpaid, they\u2019re often auctioned off to the highest bidder, without giving them a chance to look inside. If you’ve ever seen the show Storage Wars, you know that sometimes all that’s inside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9225,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t1. Unopened Burger King Whopper<\/h3>\n
2. Unreleased Michael Jackson Music<\/h3>\n
3. Elvis Collectibles<\/h3>\n
4. NASA Rocket<\/h3>\n
5. Tons of Beanie Babies<\/h3>\n
6. A Live Alligator<\/h3>\n
Creepiest Discoveries in Self-Storage Units<\/h2>\n
7. A Human Skull<\/h3>\n
8. A Collection of Mummified Cats<\/h3>\n
9. A Human Leg<\/h3>\n
10. Harvested Body Parts<\/h3>\n
11. Deadly Snakes<\/h3>\n
The Most Valuable Finds in Storage Spaces<\/h2>\n
12. $2 Million Diamond Necklace<\/h3>\n
13. $7.5 Million Cash<\/h3>\n
14. A James Bond Car<\/h3>\n
Why So Many Oddities?<\/h2>\n
What Happens to These Items People Have Put in Self-Storage?<\/h2>\n
Want to Store Your Oddities?<\/h2>\n