'I haven’t heard a thank you': 23-year-old woman pays $360 to save older sister’s storage unit from auction, after learning it holds dining set their grandparents promised to her, restricting older sister's access until she refunds her, sparking tension

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Oct 20, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

Sisters are infamously known for growing up fighting over clothing, makeup, boys…pretty much anything that could be classified as 'mine.' The thing is, oftentimes it doesn't seem to be something that all sisters grow out of. Because when sisters utter, with a false smile, what's mine is yours, what they actually mean is, I want it, but only if it belongs to her…

Now, these two siblings are in a similar situation. However, this younger sister may have a valid reason for demanding keep-safe regarding what belongs to her financially irresponsible older sister.

When this 35-year-old sister can no longer afford to pay for her storage unit, she learns that all her belongings inside will be auctioned off within a matter of days…When her younger sister gets hold of the news, she realizes the dining set promised to her by her grandparents is in the storage unit, and she decides to buy the unit for $360. In addition, helping her sister get back what was rightfully hers. So she purchased the unit and agreed with her sister that its ownership would change to her name…All seemed reasonable as this younger sister came to the rescue…that was until she told her 35-year-old sister that she was not allowed to access anything within the unit until she reimbursed her the full $360…Sparking raging tension between the sisters! 

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  • But this 23-year-old knew of her sister's irresponsible spending habits, and if she never put her foot down and insisted that she paid her back, she knew that she would never see the money again…The thing is, many people believe that as family, she should have done her this ‘one’ favor for her during a time of need…Her argument: Her older sister seemed to have ‘needed’ that Burberry bag much more than she needed the $360…So once she pays her back, then she can have access to the unit!

  • 01
    Two women talking outside a storage unit
    via vientocuatrostock

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    AITA For buying my sisters storage unit

    So my older sister (35F) told me that a while back I could have my grandparents old dinning set, and I (23F) was planning to move it into my storage unit.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 03
    I had texted her the other day about how I need a good time to come get that stuff out and want to move it.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 04
    My sister had started the conversation with "oh I'm too busy this month, I can't meet up with you." I told her no big deal, that I would need a heads up of when to get the dinning set out of it and when to meet up.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 05
    My sister finally tells me that she has been 4 months behind on the payments and can't get access right now.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 06
    What makes it worse is that she said in 3 days they were going to auction it off and she didn't know what to do.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 07
    My sister's stuff that was sentimental for her was going to be gone and I felt bad.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 08
    She then brought up that she couldn't ask either of our parents cause they basically cut her off financially which is understandable.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 09
    Anyway, my sister was going on a rant about how no one can help her and decided to step in.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 10
    I had offered to pay off the storage unit but I would need it in my name.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 11
    The payment was $360, and I wasn't about to not hand over a bunch of money and not at least have some ownership of this storage unit.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 12
    Opened storage unit
    via gettysignature

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 13
    She agreed and I also went ahead and paid for next month to be on the safe side.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 14
    I then sent her a message regarding what I need to happen. First I need my sister to pay me back all my money before she is allowed access to her unit, second she has to have cleaned out 10 days before the end of the next month.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 15
    I found these terms reasonable and told her them. I haven't heard a thank you from my sister and only that I was a shitty person to tell her that she can't have access till she pays me back.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 16
    Am I the asshole? Update/clarification My sister has a long history of lack of responsibility with her financial actions.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 17
    She splurges on shopping and recently got a fixer upper house which is rent own. She currently lives with my dad, rent free, and her new house is a hour away.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 18
    Her only major bills are; car, car insurance and phone. I love my sister but with all her recent actions and her getting mad that non of us have time or resources to help her fix up her new house, she has alienated us.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 19
    I'm putting myself through college at the moment and saving for a house with my boyfriend, I don't have that much money to help my older sister out with stuff like this.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 20
    This discussion was over a couple of days and she was ok with my terms of the deal before she signed over the storage unit.
    via JellyAlarming8503
  • 21
    Budget_Meaning1410 Without you, she'd be out a unit and all of the things in it would be gone. Once she's paid you back, you can talk about letting her use YOUR unit. NTA.
    via Budget_Meaning1410
  • 22
    Clubhouse9 You're not willing to give your sister $360 and collect the dining set you're after? I think I would pay the $360, take the dining set, and let your sister keep her stuff and the unit with no expectation of payback.
    via Clubhouse9
  • 23
    Antique tea set
    via gettyimages

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 24
    lilperform NTA. You saved her stuff from being auctioned and set fair conditions to protect your money. She should be grateful, not calling you names. You're not a bank, you're being responsible after bailing her out tho!!!!!
    via lilperform
  • 25
    Dropstone Ted NTA. Your sister should be thankful you saved her sentimental stuff. Instead she's complaining that she sees your generosity as insufficient. People like that need to experience consequences for their behavior and you're giving her a softer landing than she deserves. Stay the course.
    via Dropstone
  • 26
    moonhrafn NTA: It is totally reasonable for you to withhold access to the storage unit till she pays you back what you're owed. The fact that she is saucy about it is all the proof you need that she was planning to stiff you.
    via moonhrafn
  • 27
    AmazonSeller2016 While your terms are indeed reasonable, YTA for not disclosing the terms before you took possession of her storage unit
    via AmazonSeller2016

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Tags

family drama sibilings shopping sisters older-sister help out storage-unit askreddit parenting dining set finances pay back ownership memebase family grandparents Reddit auction
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