Part 2: Your Home is Not a Storage Unit: Are You Storing Other People's Items in Your Home?

Are you storing other people’s items in your home?  People who don’t actually live there? 
… a grown child’s toys and memorabilia
… your brother’s furniture that doesn’t fit in his current home
… clothes or tools you borrowed from a friend
… items you inherited from deceased family members
… your great aunt’s furniture that you really don’t like
 
Working as a professional organizer, I find that many people do have other people’s belongings stored in their home.  The reasons are vast and varied.   (Link to Part 1: Your Home is Not a Storage Unit.)
 
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with having other people’s items in your home. But if you feel resentful about it, it may be time to take a closer look at why: 

 What is your motivation for keeping other people’s items?

Each person gets to choose what to do with the space in their home.  Are you doing this out of love?  Do you feel like you have a choice in the matter?  Are you happy to keep their items?  If so, then keep them confidently.
 
However, if you are feeling resentful, if you are keeping them because of a sense of guilt, if you feel like you were coerced to keep them, or if you wish you didn’t have to keep them, then these are all signs that you may need to dig deeper.  Spend some time reflecting and working through the situation.  Journal, talk with a friend, ponder... see if you can get to your “why” and “how you actually feel” about it.

If you would like some extra support during this process, I offer one-on-one organizing coaching.  Contact now to find out more.  -Laura

Continue Reading...

Blog Post Part 1: 
Your Home is Not a Storage Unit

Blog Post Part 3: 
Setting Boundaries with Non-Household Members