Real Answers for Life’s Money Challenges
We moved into my in-laws house about seven years ago.
At the time we agreed for them to store some things here.
Seven years later, its all still here and it wasnt just a few things.
Were at the point wed just like to toss it all, but we dont want to upset her.
His father is empathetic, but he just stays out of it mostly.
Im afraid if I start puttingthings up for sale on a social media site, shell find out.
My question is, is it fair for us to start selling and pitching these items?
Also, is it worth the stress and anxiety of going through everything?
We cant even move down there or store our own things.
That includes the property you dont like.
But I dont think that you gotta hang onto every piece of junk theyve left behind.
Not if its been lying around for seven years.
Not when were talking about 100 Christmas houses.
I have zero psychological training, but from my non-clinical perspective, this sounds like a hoarding situation.
Being surrounded by so much clutter isnt just bad for your mental health, its a serious safety hazard.
By getting rid of some of this stuff, youre making the property safer and also preserving its value.
Id avoid posting things for sale on social media.
This is just as much a practical matter as it is about being sensitive to your mother-in-laws feelings.
If you do suspect that something has resale value, Id err on the side of keeping it.
attempt to decide how much space youre willing to make for your in-laws belongings.
Then comes the long slog ofwhats making the cut.
Since your mother-in-law finds the topic distressing, your husband should talk to his father.
Tell him that this is a life-safety issue.
You brew coffee at home, you dont walk into Target and you refuse to order avocado toast.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
I dont think your mother-in-law is suddenly going to miss the scarf that hasnt seen daylight since 2002.
Tools are another safe bet since they dont typically carry strong emotional attachments.
Be a bit more cautious about paperwork.
Youre usually safe shredding financial records like tax returns after seven years.
But you should confirm with your father-in-law that those boxes of paperwork dont contain important documents like wills.
Im guessing, though, that your mother-in-law doesnt know what she has stored, as you suspect.
Use your discretion and tell her whatever would minimize her stress.
As things currently stand, the possessions youre storing arent adding value to anyones life.
The kindest thing to do is to start tossing.
Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.