To feel too embarrassed to give back something we accidentally stole…

[NickD87]

You know how people leave things outside their houses sometimes for people to take?

Today, my husband came home with a Lloyd Looms washing basket. It’s quite nice and we need a new one. I asked him where he had got it and he said there was a house with lots of good things outside it. He brought this but said there were a few other bits we might want to look at.

I went back out and round the corner to this house, to realise that people were actually moving in to the property and the stuff was their ACTUAL stuff.

I find this hilarious and embarrassing in equal measure.

How do I go about returning this item without being weird? Or do I even? Should this be a lesson in leaving things in the street? (Jokes obvs, I should definitely return it).

There's only one solution here. You'll have to move house yourselves, and take your new washing basket with you.

Just go back and explain. I know people who had a commemorative stone (without a name on it) where their childs ashes were buried. Someone took it because it was a pretty stone and the family asked for it back on facebook and the local newspaper. The finder took it back immediately and everyone was so relieved. Misunderstandings happen, just take it back and explain.

You should give it back because it is their first exposure to your street on the first night in their new home. You don't want them to think they made a mistake moving there!

@Computersaysno123

Ffs yourself. Why have you singled me out when several other posters have also said it's DH's responsibility to sort his own mistake?

AND the patriarchy is insidious and I will challenge "wife work" wherever I see it and I won't apologise for that.

I can appreciate the humour in this as much as anyone else but can also say it's DH job to sort.

@Wheredoallthepensgo don't think I could quote all 3 of the pointless miserable ones at the same time but you know who you are 😂😂😂

I agree.

I don't understand why OP thinks she needs to take it back and there is a discussion around how SHE should return it.

Why isn't your husband taking it back, @NickD87 ?

Literally no need for wine or chocolates 🙄 either your or dh just go explain and return it. It'll be a funny story and that's that

Haha, that’s really funny. Just take it back and leave it. DH and I accidentally shoplifted £55 of shopping in Sainsbury’s. We went through the scanner thing and were in a huge rush. I used the wrong card and what I thought was a receipt came out and I stuffed it in my pocket and we dashed off. I looked at it when I got home to see how many Nectar points we had and it was a ‘declined’ slip 😳 We called customer services to see what to do and they told us that the transaction would have been cancelled so they couldn’t take any money. We avoided that store for ages.

@Computersaysno123

Calling women "miserable" because they don't want another woman to have to sort a man's mistakes? Sisterhood yay!

'So sorry, this is really embarrassing but DH didn't realise you were moving in and thought someone had left things outside for people to take' then make some joke about not being kelptomaniacs down at number X, honest.

*kleptomaniacs.

Not massive fans of kelp. 😂

@Wheredoallthepensgo I'm tapping out of this one. You really know how to bring the mood down ey. Bet you're fun at parties. Peace and love....

I just googled the brand you mentioned £180 for a laundry basket and he thought someone left it outside to take? If people are having a clear out it's usually quite obviously junk and is accompanied with a sign of either "for sale" or "free" unless its a clearly an old washing machine left for scrap. If I saw nice stuff outside a house I'd assume someone was moving in, not go over and help myself. You need to return it and apologise profusely. Does your husband do the same with bikes too? It's just such an odd thing to do, sorry.

*he needs to return it and apologise, not you.

You know how people leave things outside their houses sometimes for people to take?

No I really don’t.

Does this mean my car is fair game now?

I'd take it back with wine or chocolates; it will become legend. LOL.

I’m sure I saw this in a One Foot In The Grave Xmas Special… 😂

😂😂 it’s really common for houses to leave stuff outside where we live so I can see how this happened! It is normally books and children’s toys with a sign saying please help yourself. I’d love a Lloyd Loom washing basket though!

I would probably just knock and return it and explain but I can be brazen like that. If they are decent folk they will laugh and thank you. If they are asses about it you know not to bother in future!

Hopefully he's taken it back by now.

What a daft arse!

Too funny! A great way to meet new neighbours, when DH or maybe both of you return it, with a bottle of wine.

Did you leave your sense of humour outside?

Yeah, her invites to the Easily Amused Surrendered Wives Christmas parties always seem to get lost in the post.

I think your DH has been watching too many American movies where they have those yard sale things!!

I did this in Primark. Went in for one thing, came out with a ton of random crap. Also a jumper I picked up for dh dropped over my arm. Only noticed when I was back at the car at 7pm! I blame not using carrier bags any more