Refurbishing merchandise and cleaning out storage units have one thing in common: OUCH!
Jenny Grumbles, one of the stars of Storage Wars: Texas, at work at her Uptown Country Home store, achieved a nice little scar on her forehead.
No stitches.
The scar was “glued.”
So what happened to Jenny in this nice little OUCH moment? Unclear, but she did state that maybe she should have gotten a desk job. Nah! She loves her work in upscaling furniture pieces.
When you refurbish furniture, a million things could go wrong.
When you clean out a storage unit, a lot of things could go wrong.
The dangers of cleaning out a storage unit are clear. Most people who store their merchandise usually stack, or should I say TOSS their merchandise precariously one item on top of another. Cram as many items into a small space and then forfeit on payment on the locker.
That’s where you come in. You, as the auction hunter, must then untangle the mess without having a piece of furniture hit you on the head.
Just ask Barry Weiss.
How many times did Barry have that TIMBER! moment as he removed items from a locker? He was slammed against a wall by a mattress. Had a microwave topple and tip over, barely missed his head. And the list goes on.
Now most auction hunters do not toss items out of a locker like Barry, who did that for pure entertainment (and yes, we were entertained). But if you wear a few pieces of protective gear whether your refurbish, DIY, or clean out storage units, it might will help to prevent that OUCH moment.
- Wear thick leather gloves or heavy duty protective gloves
- Wear a thick hat with brim
- Wear worker boots
- Wear long sleeve shirt
- Wear jeans or thick pants
While there are many regions with hot climates and you’d rather clean out a storage unit wearing shorts; just be sure your locker is not packed in such a way as things might topple and tip over you.
The long sleeves are to prevent scratches. Think of how many times you might have moved into a new apartment or home and you garnered scratches from carrying a boxes. Jeans to protect your legs; hat your head; boots your feet from both items falling and live rats/mice that might scamper inside your locker. Ew!
If you do not want to wear most of the protective gear, at least wear “gloves.”
There’s a saying – Handle Trash, Get a Rash.
Okay, I just made that up, but I have seen in my experience how handling trash can give a rash to certain people who are more susceptible to germs. You may like a room to be dusty, but do not underestimate how bacteria likes to collect as well.
Not every storage hunter has a partner or buddy or family member to help them unload merchandise. It’s up to you to protect yourself from that OUCH moment.
I think Jenny might invest in a new thick hat in the very near future.
Have you garnered a scar while refurbishing merchandise or cleaning out a storage unit?
Please leave your insightful opinion in the comment box below.