Some Stuff

Almost a decade ago I was evaluating investment opportunities and I considered several storage unit facilities. At least two companies passed all of the economic factors that I use to determine whether to purchase a stock and each of them had a very favorable valuation suggesting both short term capital gains and long term growth. For reasons that remain somewhat cloudy, I never actually pulled the trigger and I have never owned storage unit companies in my portfolio. (In the interest of full disclosure, I likely own some interest in these companies as part of at least one of the mutual funds that I hold as part of employer sponsored 401k plans.)

A travel with some regularity along a road that leads me past several storage unit locations. Once in a while I will reflect on that choice because at least one of the companies not only met my expectations but has vastly exceeded them. I remain committed to a philosophy that once and assessment has been made you either make the decision to buy or sell or you don't. But once that decision is made you do not go back and ask the what ifs. That type of investing will kill you and your ability to effectively work the market. Nevertheless, these regular sightings act as a reminder as to why I think I didn't invest.

This might make me an investment snob, but there just seemed to be something a little seedy and unsophisticated about investing in buildings where people store their excess stuff. Now there are times that storage units are a necessity. Friends and family members often move into the homes of relatives while a new home is being built or if there is a lag in closing dates between a sale of their existing home and the ultimate purchase of a new place. Storage units fill these gaps in time so that people have a safe place to keep their belongings before they move into their new home.

But I don't have to look at anyone else to know that I already have more stuff than I need. Because my wife has a fairly firm, "We will not move ever again" position, I hope that before I ever consider using a storage unit, I will exercise sound judgment and discard needless junk that already clutters my existence. I have never watched an episode of Hoarders, but what I hear from coworkers and relatives scares me enough to periodically shed the unnecessary stuff and keep the whole storage unit option at bay.

At the end of the day that may be why I didn't make the purchase. I really do like to own stock in products I buy made by companies that I support. I use critical analysis to help avoid emotional investing and maximize my chances for positive gains. While no model is perfect, so far my philosophy has served me well. I suppose it is better to own meaningful stocks instead of amassing stuff.