DEAR ABBY: While my sister was incarcerated, she was evicted from her residence. She asked me if I would pack her belongings and store them for her in my garage for a couple of weeks until she got out, which I did. Well, a couple of weeks turned into a couple of months.
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She's out now, living here and there, and looking for a job or a permanent place to stay. In the meantime, her belongings are still in my garage. It's taking up considerable space and starting to smell. I need to prep my house as I plan on selling it in the near future.
I constantly ask her about removing her belongings and what her plans are, but she doesn't seem concerned about them and no longer communicates with me. During our last conversation, I gave her two weeks to get a place to move them or I would dispose of them. She said she'd get back to me, but hasn't.
She doesn't seem to want to get a job or take responsibility for herself or her stuff. I feel she's being inconsiderate and selfish. I know she has some keepsake items in the boxes. I hate to dispose of them, but I cannot store her stuff much longer. What should I do? -- FRUSTRATED IN WISCONSIN
DEAR FRUSTRATED: Inform your sister that if her things are not out of your garage by a certain date that you will have them removed by a junk-removal service. It isn't free, but it will solve your problem about readying your property for sale.