In our consumerist world, many of us have a lot of stuff. Too much stuff. More stuff than we know what to do with.

And if you Marie-Kondo’d during the pandemic, you’ll know of the value of getting rid of some of that stuff, but also how hard it can be.

To circumvent the feelings of guilt when getting rid of things, sometimes we might be tempted to hand them off to friends and loved ones rather than putting them in the trash or taking them to Goodwill.

This is sometimes a kind thing to do, but it can also lead to the problem just being passed on to others.

The woman in this story was happy to take items off her friend’s hands, but years later doesn’t know where they ended up.

Read on to find out what happened when the friend suddenly asked for those items back.

AITA when it’s years later and stuff is now wanted back?

Five or so years ago, my friend and I used to be really close, and she gave me a few things that she no longer wanted and she would probably throw away.

At the time I was like yeah I’ll take it, even though I knew I wouldn’t use half the stuff (I have slight hoarder tendencies).

She asked a while back for a necklace she had given me and I couldn’t remember where it was, and still don’t know.

But nevertheless I looked, and told her I didn’t know where it was.

But now this situation is starting to be a problem.

This morning I get a message from the friend, and she listed a few items saying she doesn’t know why she got rid of them, but they have sentimental value.

Now I’m in a panic since idk where half the stuff is. When she gave them to me there was no sentimental value mentioned, it was just stuff she was going to throw away.

Over the years I have moved, and stuff was placed in storage. I’m not entirely sure I have half the things she’s asking about.

Like I said it’s been over five years and I have bad memory.

Uh-oh. Read on to find out whether or not they found the items.

My husband is ****** because it seems like she’s been purposely starting things with me over the past few months – doing things that upset me. I don’t really show it but my husband sees it.

This wasn’t what I wanted to wake up to: not even a ‘hi, how are you’ before getting to the point.

I honestly have no interest in going to a storage unit in the middle of winter with a broken foot (which she knows about) to search for items that I don’t even think are there, in cold *** weather.

But now I feel like a bad person as a result.

AITA?

When we give items to other people, they become theirs to do whatever they want with. Whether that’s cherish them and put them on a shelf, lock them in a storage unit, or throw them in the trash.

To ask for them back is completely unacceptable, unless you’ve made clear in the beginning that the items were loaned, not given.

And since that wasn’t the case here, stressing this woman out by asking for the items back is totally wrong.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit thought about this.

This person thought she should be clear that she didn’t know where they were.

And others encouraged her to shut the conversation down, and certainly not put effort into trying to locate the items.

Meanwhile, this Redditor encouraged her to cut off the friendship entirely.

The way that her friend is treating her – as a glorified storage facility – is totally unfair, and completely unacceptable.

This wouldn’t be okay in any circumstances, but in the middle of winter, in the middle of the holiday season, when the woman has a broken foot?

Suddenly guilt-tripping her with the items’ apparent sentimental value, and pushing her to find them is totally unfair.

It’s a diabolical way to treat a friend.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.