Bit disgruntled and feeling ever so slightly vicious....

It seems to be the way of the world!

Grumble away, Katek!
It does seem to take so much longer when we are older and less fit, but I do think he is being a bit mean not to offer a couple of hours help - being younger and fitter he could move some furniture for you. Perhaps he just doesn't think and you need to ask outright.

We need to get on wuth decorating - in fact refurbishing - downstaurs but I couldn't face all the packing up. The local furniture and carpet shop will come and pack it all up and move furniture but I haven't enquired about the cost.
Mañana mañana

I suppose it does depend on how really busy your SIL is, is it genuine or an excuse?Either way, if you have helped them, then you deserve a bit of help too, and they should realise we are getting older and are not as strong.I would do as Marmight has suggested the next time they ask you, tell them about your health problems.

If your S-i-L is too busy to help perhaps he could pay for a local handyman to come in to do the heavy lifting for a day or two. I don't know your financial position but to tell you to hire someone at £100 a day isn't exactly helpful! I am now thinking of getting someone in to do some heavy work for me - brother in law now suffers with heart problems so I won't ask him!

Son-in-law sounds really horrible, and I would let him know just how I feel about his comments. It's a poor show if he can't give you an hour or two here and there, especially after you have helped them out so much in the past.

I agree that you would be better off getting someone to do the moving. John Lewis charged us £30 per room to move furniture. Was so worth it. Let the kids know that this will leave you slightly short of funds so, come birthdays, they shouldn't expect much from you.

Growl away, katek!

The mother of a friend of mine contacted her two sons who had left stuff with her over the years when she decided that she wanted it cleared out. She just gave them an ultimatum. Remove anything of yours that you want to keep by such and such a date or it goes to the dump. They knew she meant it.

I thought the thread title was the title of a book
tegan I have suffered from dumping ground syndrome in the past. At one point our garage was full of SiL's brother's furniture (don't ask).
I have reduced the amount of junk over the years to one cupboard in one of the spare bedrooms. Periodically I fill a cardboard box with stuff and present it to the offending DC with the words 'This is yours. Please take it home when you go.'
I have hit the buffers though with DS. He now lives permanently in the U.S. and cannot get any more stuff into his baggage. Nor can we, when we visit him.
Basically I am too soft. I know they haven't got room for the stuff in their houses, so I'm not forceful enough. And if they say they don't want it anyway, if it's something with even a smidgen of sentimental value I can't bring myself to chuck it out

Katek I'm sorry I realise my ramblings will not have been the least bit helpful. I actually think if you can afford it, you should pay someone to do the heavy moving etc. in view of your and your DH's health.

I'm having new carpets down in a week or so, so I'm moving stuff out of a couple of rooms. My house is the dumping ground for the whole family and I'm sitting here just not knowing what to do with everything; no one has the time to come round and go through it all with me. Katek, it's only when you refurbish a room that you realise how much stuff you have in it. I'm going to sleep hamster like in the middle of all the chaos in the hope that some of it might have sorted itself out when I wake up. [I mean, why have I got so many dvd's and, having got them, why are there so many that I haven't got round to watching].

I agree it would be nice for your son-in-law to give you some assistance - particularly as you have been supportive in the past - but if it is true that he is very busy, he may not have the time or energy to help.

I don't know what your financial situation is - or if your son-in-law is aware of it - but if you are reasonably comfortably off, his suggestion that you get someone in to help seems to me to make sense.

However, if you would find it too costly to pay someone to help - and your son in law is likely to be aware of that - I would think it rather inconsiderate of him not offering at least a few hours help over a couple of weekends.

Katek - sounds like the basis of a good book!

Seriously, I'm not sure what comment/advice to give. My first reaction was to lay in to him, verbally, but I think it's probably better to grin and bear it in order to keep relations on an even keel and 'this too will pass'. Just don't be too available in future to answer cries of help and do mention your medical conditions as the reason for being unable to oblige.