Most of the time, people use Phoenix self-storage to hold normal belongings. Trips to and from the unit are uneventful, and nothing of interest ever occurs. This is especially true now that facilities have gone high-tech, employing the use of digital surveillance and PIN pads for entry. However, from time to time, a story surfaces of some crazy event that’s happened at a facility. Not ours, of course! But we like to entertain you with the wacky happenings of other facilities. One Woman Lived in Her Unit for Several Months Becky Blanton spoke about her year of homelessness on Ted Talks. Her initial plan was to take a trip across the country in an effort to help process emotions following the death of her father. She rented a space to hold her belongings during her trip and set out on the road. After a short period of time, the freelance job she was using to support herself ended, and she found herself with no home and no income. Eventually, she headed back to her home state, and took up residence in the unit she rented to hold her belongings. Blanton stayed there for several months while she worked the night shift at a camping store and picked up odd jobs online that she could do during the day. Because facilities do not allow people to live in their rented units, Blanton attributes her “temporary home” to her ability to be invisible and to the willingness of staff to look the other way. Another Man Found $500,000 in a Unit For whatever reason, people sometimes abandon their units. Facilities usually give renters several months to try to get caught back up again and make every attempt to get in touch with the person. Sometimes, the contents of the spaces go up for auction, and the process has been made famous by shows like Storage Wars. One particular gentleman placed a bid on a unit, simply because he noticed a plastic container. Accustomed to cleaning out units, he thought the bin would make it easier to move the contents out. His laziness paid off. The man won the auction, and when he examined the bin, he discovered it was loaded with gold and silver bars, as well as rare coins. He walked away $500,000 richer. Stories like these are incredibly rare, but they do happen from time to time. Although you can’t live in one of our units, and it probably won’t get you $500,000, it might help make your life a little richer by helping you clear some clutter. If you’d like more info on our Phoenix self-storage options, drop us a line. US Storage Centers 4860 North 83rd Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85033 (866) 858-7031
