What do you do with their belongings?

[Kootiebear]

My daughter doesn't leave for Bootcamp until August of 2015, but we have started having discussions about what to do about my daughter's belongings once she leaves for Bootcamp.  My husband and I agreed we would wait until after the first of the year as time gets closer to ask our daughter to decide what she wants to do with her belongings.   She mentioned she would rent storage space and we told her she doesn't need to do that.  We are more than willing to store her stuff we just ask that she start to go through it and decide what she wants to keep and what she wants to throw away or give away.  Since she will be leaving and starting her adult life we cant leave the room as is.  I go through ups and downs on my emotions about this.  I know the next year will be a happy/sad time for all of us.

[Dennis]

Watch for the 18 gallon storage bins on sale for what she wants to keep, buy them as you go along, start now give her a couple few bins and mark her name on it, she will get the picture.

[Anti M]

I left sealed boxes with my parents; my nieces got into them and took a lot of my things I had been saving.  Not saying that will happen with you, but that may be why a storage locker with an auto payment may be desirable if there are family members or siblings around.  My nieces had moved in with my parents after I left, and they felt whatever was in the house was available to them.  I had to fight to hang onto my childhood rocking chair when a niece had a baby.  I don't know if that's a talk for your family to have, but maybe someone else reading this may find the idea useful.

She may want to sort things into long and short term bins.  Mementos and beloved toys would go into a long term bin, clothing and shoes she may need go into a short term bin.  I did find there were very few clothing items I wanted later, mostly sentimental things were what I wanted when I got my own home.  

[Kootiebear]

We don't anticipate anyone else moving in with us after our daughter leaves.  The only other person who will be at home will be her 14 year old sister.  We have always emphasized that you respect each other's rooms and belongings.  We never allowed the kids to go into each other's rooms without permission.  Even if something was left sitting out they were told not to touch it unless it belonged to them.

[judy r]

I guess boys are different I left my sons room alone until he came in on leave after about a year or so and decided what he wanted tossed boxed etc,  In fact still refer to it as his room and he has been in the service 26 yrs.

And married for the last 21 yrs

[BunkerQB]

I am with Judy. We "redid" one of the boys' rooms to make room for a larger guest bed. But the other room (our former sailor's) is still pretty much the way it was on the day he graduated from high school in 2002. Same posters, awards, trophies, desk, bookshelf. I am going to finally get rid of of some of his old clothes. We are replacing the fold-out bed with a full size one but that is all.

The boys (26 & 30) don't want us to change anything. Hahaha. :)

[J'sMom]

My son also leaved August 2015.  I haven't even thought of putting his stuff in boxes when he leaves.  I don't want him to think he can't come back.  Maybe we should down size some, but shouldn't we keep his clothes and his things from high school?

[Kootiebear]

We are not asking our daughter to get rid of her stuff.  Yes our home will always be home for her.  My husband and I simply don't see the point of leaving her room as is when she is moving out on her own when she goes into the Navy.  It isn't like college where she will be home for the holidays.  She goes from Bootcamp to her A School and then wherever she will be stationed.  Her contract is for 4 years active and 4 years reserve.  She is starting her life as all kids do and as we did ourselves when we were her age.

[Mie]

My stepson just left today.  We packed everything into bins (clothes, school / mementos, ski gear, etc...) and we are storing them in our garage until he needs or wants them.  When he was at his mom's house over the summer, we sold his car and his adolescent loft bed and are turned his old bedroom into a guest room.  When he came back from his mom's he still had his xbox and tv set up but he slept on the guest bed (which was much nicer than his old bed anyway).  So, essentially, we're storing his stuff for him until later on.  

[Barbie (Tommy's mom)]

Our son leaves in less than a month for GL.  I've waited as long as possible since he's my "baby" and his older sister still lives at home.  He's excited about his new adventure as an adult and has already gone through and gotten rid of anything he was throwing away or giving away to charity.  Next week the real fun begins...deciding what he wants sent to A school and what he wants us to store until his first duty station or later.

We've suggested making a list of what is in each bin and numbering the bins.  That way when he wants something sent, he can tell us what bin it's in.  As much as I'd love to keep his room the same indefinitely (smile) we will be transforming it into my husband's home office and a guest room.

My son is not sentimental so he wanted to get rid of everything...BUT Momma IS sentimental so I will keep some things for my memories and know he'll probably want to pass them down when he gets married.

Hang in there...

[portside]

My son and I have started packing up most of his gear in boxes or bins and labeling them completely. (He is leaving next month.) That way, When he asks for them, I can then identify his things easily and ship them to him. I'll store them at my home. 

I will not be in this house forever though, it's too big for me now that my last one is leaving, in fact, I may move across the country. But I'll take care of his things until he wants them and cart them along with me if need be. 

Good luck 

 

[amos]

My son packed two big plastic totes (18 gallon) with the items he really wanted and we are keeping them in our attic; he threw alot of stuff away, donated a box of odd/ends and clothing. He just graduated from HS so has not accumulated a lot, oh and we also have his VW van parked in the driveway!!

[girl64]

I wish i could fit all his stuff in 2 big plastic totes! haha! I can relate with the car thing. It's in my garage taking up space for who knows how long!