Adult son leaving for two years in Peace Corps. How to get him to pack up his stuff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is your son. Doesn't he have a room in your house?

Ugh, he's 24.

Really? I'm 44 and I have a room at my parents' house. Of course they use it for a guest room too, but the closet is still filled with childhood stuff and everyone refers to it as my room (and my brother's room is referred to as my brother's and has his stuff; it still has his twin bed).

That's pathetic.

Not really. Some families aren't anxious to get rid of the memorabilia of their lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is your son. Doesn't he have a room in your house?

Ugh, he's 24.

Really? I'm 44 and I have a room at my parents' house. Of course they use it for a guest room too, but the closet is still filled with childhood stuff and everyone refers to it as my room (and my brother's room is referred to as my brother's and has his stuff; it still has his twin bed).

That's pathetic.

Not really. Some families aren't anxious to get rid of the memorabilia of their lives.

So maybe this is cultural because I am Mexican American but my parents have always kept a room for me and my sister no matter where they moved. And they have moved a lot even when we left home at 18 for college because my dad was army. I even stored stuff in my room when I was like 30 and made a big move of my own. I just find this odd because a lot of Americans don't move like we did so I assume these people live in the same home they raised their kids in and they will probably die there because that is what Americans do. So it would make sense he has a room from his childhood.

[Anonymous]

I'm fine to keep some of his stuff in the room or even store it in the attic but he has a lot, including most of his school papers from high school. We have a huge bonus room and it's full to bursting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine to keep some of his stuff in the room or even store it in the attic but he has a lot, including most of his school papers from high school. We have a huge bonus room and it's full to bursting.

He may be doing it on purpose to piss you off because you prioritize his siblings children over him. I am not kidding. It may be something for you to think about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is your son. Doesn't he have a room in your house?

Ugh, he's 24.

Really? I'm 44 and I have a room at my parents' house. Of course they use it for a guest room too, but the closet is still filled with childhood stuff and everyone refers to it as my room (and my brother's room is referred to as my brother's and has his stuff; it still has his twin bed).

Dude, that is f'd up. Do your parents a favor and throw out whatever 40-year-old shit is taking up their closets.

[Anonymous]

I've never heard the term "bonus room". Odd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard the term "bonus room". Odd.

Really? That's odd. It's a common real estate term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard the term "bonus room". Odd.

Really? That's odd. It's a common real estate term.

what does it mean? extra sex in there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard the term "bonus room". Odd.

Really? That's odd. It's a common real estate term.

what does it mean? extra sex in there?

An extra room without a closet, so not a bedroom. Can be used as an office, playroom, exercise room, den, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine to keep some of his stuff in the room or even store it in the attic but he has a lot, including most of his school papers from high school. We have a huge bonus room and it's full to bursting.

He may be doing it on purpose to piss you off because you prioritize his siblings children over him. I am not kidding. It may be something for you to think about.

It's more likely that he hasn't gotten around to tackling this job. Sure you aren't projecting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It saddens me when parents don't seem to actually like their kids. Kindly explain what you want to do, but for god's sake store his stuff while he is gone. Not just "a trunk." It isn't like he has a place to put his shit while he is gone except your house.

+1

All this "if you don't get it done, we will throw it out," when he is two weeks from leaving the country for two years. Please.

Buy him some boxes, ask him to pack up as much as he can, tell him it will be there when he gets back and that you love him.

[Anonymous]

"I need you to pack up your stuff. There are boxes, markers, and packing tape over there. Either you do it yourself by X date, or the trash bags come out. Your choice."

[Anonymous]

This is such a cold thread.

Open a bottle of wine, grab him a beer, go in the room with a box and a trash bag. Go ever each item and say, keep, donate or toss.

How much fun would it be to see all his old stuff.

We do this every year at the end of the school year... keep or toss. for clothers, keep, donate or toss. Because of this I got the opportunity to see cool art work I never saw and read a paper or two that were pretty good. (nothing amazing, but gave me some insight)

He is not moving out he is going away for 2 years.... and good for him volunteering for the Peace Corp, giving 27 months of his life.

[Anonymous]

My parents moved while I was in the Peace Corps. I don't even remember what I had before I left, and certainly didn't miss anything that they got rid of while I was gone.

I'm assuming all of the true treasures of this man's childhood are already packed away somewhere from the move to college. So he's thrown his clothes, some books, and all of his pre-departure materials all over his mom's house.

Telling him to clean that stuff up, pack it up, or lose it seems totally reasonable. Particularly if this is someone who in three short months will be expected to function at site with essentially no oversight.

[Anonymous]

Just get him some boxes and ask him to box up his stuff. Have one marked "donate," so he can get rid of anything he doesn't want while he's doing it.