My mother and stepfather are moving home and have decided that I can have some furniture that they will no longer need. Its quite good quality and it will save me buying it for myself so I appreciate it. However, at the same time as saying that that's what my mother had decided to do - she also told me that she 'might have' one of my desks because I have two and also told me that really my sister would like a chest of drawers that I have back that she gave me a while back.

The thing is that I am on benefits and both her and my sister are much better off. But also, I really noticed that my mother didn't ask me what I would like but instead told me what she would do and what my sister would like.

Because I am in a weaker financial position and grateful for the furniture, I felt that I was being really manipulated and my boundaries crossed and that I couldn't speak up for myself.

Has anyone experienced something like this or is able to offer any advice about how to broach the subject with her?

Basically I would like to keep the chest of drawers - I don't really want to give it back to my sister as I am using it. I appreciated her giving it to me but somehow it just doesn't feel right to me to have to give it back once it was given because she's changed her mind (I've had it for about a year). I would also prefer to keep the desks as I like having one for each bedroom. I'm just afraid that when my mother and stepfather and sister come round to help move the furniture, that I will not be able to stand up for myself and end up giving away what I really want to keep.

This has been an issue in a way from childhood - with my mother taking my things and giving them away to charity very frequently or keeping them for herself, but it hasn't happened for a while.