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Elderly parents

Small care home room - storing furniture?

32 replies

ThunderFog · 03/06/2026 05:25

Looking for ideas - DER is in a nursing home, in a tiny room. He has some furniture - chairs,desk, pictures, ornaments, several bookcases full of books. As a quick solution, I put the things in storage.
No relatives have space for these - has anyone dealt with this situation and what did you do?
DER isn't able to make decisions about his things, and does ask where they are. Is it covered by property and finance POA? Could I dispose of things? They wouldn't fetch more than the cost of a month's storage.

OP posts:
SylvanMoon · 03/06/2026 07:21

Duvetdayneeded · 03/06/2026 06:59

If he’s never going home, why keep them? What the point? Be realistic.

If you've the POA and they're not in a care home just for respite, then I'd be getting rid of them. What's happening with the "home"? That should be determining what you do with the possessions inside it.

Duvetdayneeded · 03/06/2026 06:59

If he’s never going home, why keep them? What the point? Be realistic.

Yetone · 03/06/2026 06:57

It really does depend on if your relative can afford to pay for storage. If they have the money then they should be stored.

Yetone · 03/06/2026 06:42

My Aunt had her stuff in storage when she went into a care home. She could afford to pay for it.
Realistically she as she didn’t see her stuff again, it wasn’t a great idea to hang on to all of it but it was her money and her choice.
There was a lot of stuff.
Can you take photos of the items to show them.

stillhiding1990 · 03/06/2026 05:44

are they just in care home for respite? I wouldn’t be paying for storage for items that I don’t have a plan for

FruAashild · 03/06/2026 05:38

DER = dear elderly relative?

Has his house already been sold (or was it rented?) and that's why the furniture is in storage? Could you tell a white lie and just say it's at home when he asks or does he know 'home' doesn't exist anymore? He's not going to be going back so I think it's OK to dispose of it as long as you keep documentation so there's evidence. And make sure the whole family are on board with that and have a chance to say 'oh, I would like that thing'.

ShetlandishMum · 03/06/2026 05:27

Can DER pay for storage?