Dear Ms. Demeanor,

The storage lockers in my buidling are more like storage shelves, deep and stacked three high.

There are some that look like they haven't been cleaned out since BEFORE the building was built.

The children who slept in a few of the forgotten cribs are probably grandparents by now.

Shouldn't there be a rule about keeping these spaces tidy?

Signed,

Dee Clutter

Dear Dee,

As long as others' items are safely stored and not encroaching on your space, I don't think you have a crib leg to stand on here.

You can offer to help your neighbors clean out their shelves, donate their old furniture, etc. but you cannot control what they keep down there (unless it's something potentially toxic, flammable etc, like paint thinner) any more than you can dictate their decorating choices.

Store safely, 

Ms. Demeanor

Ms. Demeanor is channeled by a longtime Manhattan vertical dweller and real-estate voyeur who writes under the pen name Jamie Lauren Sutton. She is here to commiserate, calm and correct. Please email your quandaries to [email protected] and put "Dear Ms. Demeanor" in the subject line.

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