The human urge to acquire “stuff” is a common one we can all identify with. When that urge is channeled through the magnifying glass of the government, however, it can manifest in some truly colossal collections of “stuff”. Eventually though, newer, different or better stuff eventually supersedes the current “stuff” and, well, all that old stuff has to go somewhere. We’ve all seen military surplus retails; any town of sufficient size probably has one… bins of camoflague gear, paramilitary hiking/camping equipment and mountains of clothing and uniforms. All of it ready to be frugally adopted to the cause of personal preparedness. But what if you’re looking for an opportunity a bit further up the “chain of command” from the retail outlet. That’s where the government auction comes in. That’s where private organizations like Government Liquidation, LLC come into the picture. Just take a look at some of the great (and possibly amusing) goodies a quick tour of their stock came up with.

army_sleepingbag Extreme Cold Weather Sleeping Bags: Looking to outfit your ENTIRE scout troop or community hiking club? Less than $4 a piece is hard to beat.  [ Read More ]
door_hatch Marine Door Hatch: Ok, I could find SOMETHING to attach this too… shelter door? urban art project? mother-in-law suite? [ Read more ]
desalinator Hand-Operated Desalinators: These are those clever, reverse-osmosis survival devices for purifying salty/brackish water. I suspect these came from naval or air force survival kits. I’m not familiar with this particular model, but I know private ones START at a couple hundred dollars each. [ Read more ]
shipping_container Shipping Cargo Container: Ever seen those clever shipping cargo housing solutions that have been popping up everywhere? Want to give it a try yourself? [ Read more ]

And then there’s the BIG stuff… boats, trucks, heavy machinery. indusrial generators, etc. I guarantee this site will eat up hours of your web browsing time. Heck, you might even find yourself reaching for the plastic. I know I had to set mine card safely out of reach while writing this article.

A couple quick points:

  • These sales are GEOGRAPHIC, make sure what you’re looking for is reasonably close or accessible to your location
  • All this stuff is “as is” but it is often make available for inspection beforehand (check the individual listings).
  • Read listings closely; “lot” descriptions are accurate but sparse.
  • Most lots are LARGE (starting at $150), these liquidations are not for the light of heart, but even still, if you have friends or your own auction ambitions, you may find some opportunities here.
  • Extopian.com is not affiliated with Government Liquidation, LLC, nor was this article solicited in any way.  We’re just as obsessed with “stuff” as the next geek.