When my roommate Milly suddenly moved out to stay with her boyfriend, I thought she’d let me know her plans—or at least pay her share of the rent. But weeks passed with no communication. I paid both halves of the rent for two months, texted her multiple times, and even reached out to her mom. Still, nothing. Eventually, I sent one final message: if I didn’t hear back by July 1st, I’d assume she had moved out for good.
After the deadline passed, I packed up Milly’s things with help from friends. We donated basic items, stored what seemed personal, and informed the landlord. Since she was off the lease and hadn’t paid, he approved a lock change. I figured that was the end of it—until Milly returned days later, furious that she couldn’t get in and demanding her belongings back.
She was especially upset about a box she claimed contained her grandmother’s wedding dress, which had been mistakenly donated. While I felt bad, I reminded her that she had ghosted me for months and never labeled the box or asked for anything back. I had warned her, documented everything, and even her own mother had acknowledged the situation.
Milly threatened legal action but eventually realized she had no case. She left angry, and I finally felt a sense of closure. It wasn’t the way I wanted things to go, but I had done what I could to be fair. If there’s a lesson here, it’s this: communication and responsibility matter—especially when you share a living space.