How much belongings can you bring into supportive housing?

Hi. Is anyone in supportive housing, particularly in NYC (USA)? I understand they have furnished rooms, but still I'd like to ask how much of my personal belongings/stuff can I bring with me upon moving in?

Thank you. Stay safe

I never resided or even visited NYC, but when I used to live in program-like places, I would place most of my belongings in storage and only bring the bare necessities.

Why?

1. In my many different living situations, I've had so many of my things stolen that it was cheaper for me to just rent a storage facility off-site.

2. In some of my situations of homelessness or otherwise, I sold items from my storage facility and downsized later. I replaced some replaceable items and only kept sentimental items and emergency-bagged items in case the program didn't work out. The extra money from my storage sale (through Craigslist or otherwise) went toward my savings or my being able to have money to self-care (such as getting your hair done or going out to eat - since many programs like that don't feed you well or provide enough nutritious vitamins in the foods they do offer you).

3. You can store non-perishable food items in storage, so long as they remain unopened. When you do open them, you take them with you. If you have a chair in your storage facility, you can sit, relax, take a breath from the program periodically, drink a beverage and eat a snack. This helped keep me sane when I spent about 6 months in one program.

4. If the program doesn't work out, you won't have much to pack when you are forced to leave or when you choose to leave. Also, if they don't return your items, or if your items get stolen, you'll have backup items in your storage.

5. If you have important documents and want to protect your identity, keep those items in an off-site storage facility. Make both hard copies and digital copies, and if you can, place them inside locked and fireproof boxes (you can purchase those at hardware stores or even at Target). Again, you don't want to bring them with you to a risky shelter or program because you don't want to also be a victim of identity theft. I've experienced theft when living in such places, and I've had to deal with identity theft on top of all that. It was not fun, and I wound up prematurely leaving the program after making my many complaints against them.

6. You'd have less to clean up in a program. Programs often come with mandatory chores and other obligatory activities that you have to fulfill each and every day. You want to focus on what the program offers. You don't want to be focused on the things you have and trying to keep them safe. You may want to bring a favorite blanket or a non-sentimental stuffy - both of which can be replaced. But you don't want to bring sentimental items that aren't replaceable because those are likely to get stolen in such places, unfortunately.

7. You want to focus on the program and not your stuff, especially if the stuff you have is a hinderance to your positive change. For instance, if you are in a drug rehab program, you don't want reminders or triggers of times you used to party or use drugs. You can store stuff in your storage facility to revisit during or after your program, which you can ritualistically sell or throw away as you grow into your new you. You can use your off-site storage as a place of holding on to some things until you are ready to let them go. It's also safely off-site, so that no one steals those things from you, which is a trigger for relapse and many other things. And when I mean stuff, I'm talking non-paraphernalia items like an outfit or blanket or dishes you had that reminded you of your past negative habits or a past ex who was toxic.

Hope this helps you make a decision.

If you can't afford an off-site storage space, try asking a friend with a garage or see about mailing your stuff to a trusted family member or friend outside of your area or state. That way, they can keep your items safe and mail those items back to you - one at a time, if need be - should you graduate from the program or have to prematurely leave the program, etc.

I've never been in supportive housing, but I move pretty often. I find that keeping my stuff to a minimum makes the moving faster and easier.