Long story....but I need to tell it.

I recently de-cluttered in a BIG way. I moved from a 12-room house to a 5-room "Grandma's House" near my daughter & her family. Prior to moving, I invited family members to get their stuff that was stored at my house, and I offered items to friends and family that really wanted them. Then we had 3 yard sales, donated 2 U-Haul trucks full of items to Goodwill, donated 30 boxes of books to a small library that needed them, and made a few private sales on-line.

Well, that should have taken care of the 30 years worth of household goods that I no longer wanted in my new house, which was already nicely furnished and move-in ready. All I needed was my toothbrush, clothes, and a few family treasures I wanted to keep.

However, I also have a large collection of valuable vintage items that I had to put in storage. I rented a climate-controlled unit and paid for the $3,000 maximum allowed insurance offered by the company (Public Storage). I packed everything in new boxes, some of them purchased from the office at that facility.

I recently went to the unit with my daughter and her husband to get some items and we discovered...TERMITES! Several items were completely destroyed and some were seriously de-valued due to the damage. The insects were coming from a broken seam in the concrete floor and eating through a collection of toys from the 1950s, many still in their original boxes, (which were also destroyed).

I have a loss of nearly $4,000 and filed a claim with their insurance company, not expecting to get the full amount. But I was shocked when they told me I was only covered for $250 vermin/insect damage, with a $100 deductible! (read fine print). My homeowner's insurance does not cover this at all.

Well, I guess I have really de-cluttered now. And I have learned a valuable lesson.

If you want to keep your stuff, make sure you have room for it and don't trust anyone else to take care of it....Especially not PUBLIC STORAGE!

Or just let the bugs have it. :-p