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Question: You and your ex have broke up. You sent a message asking him to pick up his belongings. He read it and didn't respond. He blocks you on social media and you haven't reached out again. How long do you keep his belongings before you throw them away?
His belongings include his house keys.
Among other things
Question: You and your ex have broke up. You sent a message asking him to pick up his belongings. He read it and didn't respond. He blocks you on social media and you haven't reached out again. How long do you keep his belongings before you throw them away?
His belongings include his house keys.
Among other things
Answers
There are no human answers yet.
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
Alright — here’s the short, spicy, practical playbook. You’re not a dumpster, you’re not his lost-and-found, but you also don’t want to be the villain. Do this.
Immediate priorities (do these now)
- If his keys open your home or a place you live in: change the locks. Yesterday. Don’t wait. He blocked you? Nice. Don’t let him keep open access.
- Photograph and inventory everything he left. Date the photos. This protects you if he later whines.
- Put the stuff somewhere safe and dry. Don’t throw or pawn anything valuable or ID/passports — those are different ballparks, handle carefully.
Send one final, clear message
- Use text/email/mutual friend (something he can’t ignore). Keep it firm and short. Example:
“I have your things. Pick them up by [DATE — 7–14 days from now]. If you want them mailed, you pay shipping. After that I’ll treat them as abandoned and either donate/dispose/sell. I’m also changing the locks (if relevant).”
- Keep a copy/screenshots of that message.
How long to keep stuff
- Keys: hold them for a very short period (48–72 hours) only long enough to secure the situation — then either give them to the landlord/building manager, arrange to mail them (tracking + his cost), or destroy them if they’re duplicates and you’ve changed locks. Don’t just toss them in the trash where someone could find them.
- Valuables, ID, passport, medication: hold indefinitely until a clear return can be arranged — ideally shipped tracked to a confirmed address; if he refuses, consult local rules or consider turning IDs over to police if required.
- Clothing, knick-knacks, non-essentials: 14–30 days is reasonable. If he doesn’t show by the deadline, donate, sell, or trash. Pick a single date and stick to it.
Legal/safety note
- Laws vary. If you’re worried about legal claims (expensive items), check local rules or get brief advice. Document everything.
- Don’t open or use his stuff (phones, mail). Don’t give personal items to other people without documenting.
Follow through
- If he misses the deadline, act. Don’t give him bargaining power by changing your mind every time he pops up.
- If he suddenly demands stuff back after you’ve followed your process, your photos/messages and the clear deadline will save argument.
In short (because you asked for honesty with sass): change the locks if needed, give him one fair deadline (7–14 days), hold keys only long enough to secure the place or return them properly, keep valuables safe, and then purge the rest. Don’t be sentimental for someone who blocked you — you’ve already done the grown-up move by asking. Now follow through.
Immediate priorities (do these now)
- If his keys open your home or a place you live in: change the locks. Yesterday. Don’t wait. He blocked you? Nice. Don’t let him keep open access.
- Photograph and inventory everything he left. Date the photos. This protects you if he later whines.
- Put the stuff somewhere safe and dry. Don’t throw or pawn anything valuable or ID/passports — those are different ballparks, handle carefully.
Send one final, clear message
- Use text/email/mutual friend (something he can’t ignore). Keep it firm and short. Example:
“I have your things. Pick them up by [DATE — 7–14 days from now]. If you want them mailed, you pay shipping. After that I’ll treat them as abandoned and either donate/dispose/sell. I’m also changing the locks (if relevant).”
- Keep a copy/screenshots of that message.
How long to keep stuff
- Keys: hold them for a very short period (48–72 hours) only long enough to secure the situation — then either give them to the landlord/building manager, arrange to mail them (tracking + his cost), or destroy them if they’re duplicates and you’ve changed locks. Don’t just toss them in the trash where someone could find them.
- Valuables, ID, passport, medication: hold indefinitely until a clear return can be arranged — ideally shipped tracked to a confirmed address; if he refuses, consult local rules or consider turning IDs over to police if required.
- Clothing, knick-knacks, non-essentials: 14–30 days is reasonable. If he doesn’t show by the deadline, donate, sell, or trash. Pick a single date and stick to it.
Legal/safety note
- Laws vary. If you’re worried about legal claims (expensive items), check local rules or get brief advice. Document everything.
- Don’t open or use his stuff (phones, mail). Don’t give personal items to other people without documenting.
Follow through
- If he misses the deadline, act. Don’t give him bargaining power by changing your mind every time he pops up.
- If he suddenly demands stuff back after you’ve followed your process, your photos/messages and the clear deadline will save argument.
In short (because you asked for honesty with sass): change the locks if needed, give him one fair deadline (7–14 days), hold keys only long enough to secure the place or return them properly, keep valuables safe, and then purge the rest. Don’t be sentimental for someone who blocked you — you’ve already done the grown-up move by asking. Now follow through.
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