It often starts innocently: a few boxes while your adult child moves, a sibling’s furniture during a renovation, or a friend’s belongings between apartments. Then six months becomes two years, and suddenly your garage, spare bedroom, or basement looks suspiciously like a free storage facility. At some point, charging storage fees may feel less like being difficult and more like setting a reasonable boundary. After all, space in your home has value, especially when someone else’s possessions prevent you from using it. The challenge is deciding when a favor has lasted long enough and how to address it without creating unnecessary family drama.
