Old memorabilia, keep or not?

[Life4u]

Hi friends, I have been renting a storage unit since 2012. My husband (who has since passed) and I moved from VA to TX. I have pictures and what not in the unit, I don't want to lose. The unit is expensive, I didn't plan on renting it this long and it'straining me to keep it up..pay for monthly. I thought my son's would've helped me out in driving there to get what I was keeping and give away the rest. Boy was I wrong, they don't want to do it. I really want this to be the last month I pay this bill, I have no clue in how to go about doing it. I'm not able to drive myself that far and it is expensive to rent a vehicle, pay for gas, food and room and board. I just don't know what to do, my funds are limited but I just don't want to lose my things that can't be replaced. I did wait for our convention to pass before I made any moves in figuring this all out. Any ideas?

[bagwell1987]

Perhaps take a friend to share driving and a couple blankets and sleep at truck stops. Most truck stops have public showers too if you need it, and they're quite nice. And Just being me I would pack a nice cooler of food for the trip, it's easy to keep this on the cheap.

 

I would, my opinion, drive there and take out what you want then let the manager know it's free to go up for auction or else walk away and it will go up for auction anyway. You can salvage what you'd like to keep and then you won't have to hassle it anymore. Maybe get a small U-Haul trailer if you need to.

 

Oh man, I've been in this situation. 

Edited July 17, 2014 by bagwell1987

[Life4u]

Thank You, you have some good ideas, I have a friend to help drive but she just had an knee replacement. I wonder how much good she would be in driving? Yeah it has been suggested that, to let it go to auction. But I have talked with an employee of the storage company and was told I still may have to pay a remaining balance if they don't get a certain amount for the unit. And to tell the truth, we had very nice things in the unit. Things that were newly purchased but has grown old setting up in the unit. I am so stressed out about this.

[trottigy]

Do you know any one in VA where the unit is? Perhaps they might help empty it and distribute what's there. They may even send you back things? You could either mail a key or tell the combo or even just give permission to have a lock cut.

I am not much of one for keeping older stuff - just pictures and now that those can be converted electronically, I don't store that much any more.

[shali]

Too bad you couldn't get ahold of another witness in that area an arrange to have a garage sale (you could give them some of the proceeds for their trouble). That way you get rid of what you want to before you travel back home and it assures that the rental unit will be empty.

[bagwell1987]

All super duper good ideas. 

 

Jerry, I think along the same lines as you only I don't even do pictures. I have a couple pieces I love and am attached to but the rest is going in the BIG garage sale on Labor day. Well as much as the man will let me sell.