Lost My Stuff
Ok, I need some advice but I am also venting.
I have pretty much lost everything I own, for like the 7th or 8th time, due to unstable living situations (trying to get away from pretty nasty parents, unable to work for the most part).
But this time it's bad. All my stuff got packed up on me and when I came back I was unable to find it and my ex was unable/unwilling to help me find it. I've since moved several thousands of miles away and I don't have any of my notebooks, journals. art, etc. that are basically my life because I sure don't have anything else to show for being alive.
The problem is I don't even know what I do have and what I don't because I took some of it to my parents' house, which meant having it all rifled through, unpacked, rearranged, and put away by them wherever they wanted it, immediately (well, they waited until I was asleep, since they always sneak around when they do this to me) -- before I was even emotionally ready to deal with it (executive dysfunction makes rearranging your whole life rather difficult at the best of times) so I actually don't know what is where, what is "lost" and what isn't.
I have made many unsuccessful attempts at having either my parents or my ex look for something and send it to me. Basically they just refuse. I've been thinking about trying to get my ex to give my stuff to my parents to take home.
Should I even bother to get one person who doesn't respect me or my things to dig up my things and get them ready for someone else who doesn't respect me or my things to take them back to their house and pick through them and stick them in the basement to rot?
My dad has already thrown away pencil drawings that I worked on for years, and a novel I wrote when I was in my teens (only copy). I know he did some rearranging of my things (OCPD) already since I moved. Every day I think "I need that notebook" or "I would refer to that book if I had it" or "Didn't I have some drawings of.."
I could give you examples of how they refuse to help me and what is at work there, but the point is, they won't. Not sure I can live with this.
I know the feeling, I have been through this before back when I left my ex... that day I left, we had nothing but our clothes we were wearing and most stuff I never got back or has now taken a few years of asking my ex for things back, etc.
I'm sorry to hear that your family and ex refuse to help you and that you've lost most of your belongings. Unfortunately, you're stuck between either moving on without your old stuff, or trying to work it out with your family/ex so they will send you your things.
Depending on how important your things are to you, you might try patching up your relationship with them in general. At least enough so they'd be willing to put everything they think might be yours in a box and send it to you. Offer to pay them back for the postage and make it as easy for them as possible to find, pack and mail it. Give it a last ditch effort, and if it fails, be ready to part emotionally with the things you've lost.
Thanks everyone. Just to clarify, it's not that we're having an argument, and I have spoken to everyone many times, but they are not cooperating because of certain quirks. It's just how things are. There is some passive aggression, among other things, in the mix. They all speak very nicely to me, but if you watch their actions, they tell a different story. This is how it has always been.
I don't trust my ex with money so didn't know what to do about shipping costs, but maybe I could offer it to my parents to help. That is a good idea.
Serenity, I see you know what I am talking about to the extreme. It's a rough situation, especially when you don't have much control over your life, to be without stuff.
And comfort objects. And I am a packrat with many. 
Hopefully I won't be going home for a long time. Alaska is nicer than Wisconsin, anyhow!
Yeah it was really rough, it took two years just to get most of the pictures of the boys back from him. And other stuff, even lost full bedroom furniture sets my parents bought them and all... my computer with my resume and kids pics on it. Was hard to adjust to having to get everything again when having no job, getting on welfare and now trying to get myself off of it.
Thanks. It's not easy, they are very discouraging and all. Even though I have a bit of a job, they take 70% of what I earn leaving me with only 30% of what I make technically...doesn't give you much incentive to get off of the system.
I know how hard it is to lose your things. It's happened to me more times than I'd care to remember. If there is a way for you to coax your parents into helping get at least some of your things out to you, I'd go for it. I'm 38 yrs old and I wish I had so many of my childhood keepsakes around to share with my children and boyfriend. All of my pictures of me throughout my school years, pictures of my parents, art projects that I made, notes...all gone. The furniture and house supplies don't mean anything...they can all get replaced, but those parts of you that are on paper...those really leave a lasting hurt. Granted, you'll live just fine without them, but try to get them if you can.
I grew up in Wisconsin...lost most of those keepsakes in Oshkosh as a matter of fact. I'm no longer there either...in St. Louis now.
Hope it all works out for you hon...best of luck! 
I can relate to this. I had journals of stuff written and my parents went through them and read them and got rid of whatever I said that they didn't like so I lost so much of my writing. It sucks. I have created a lot more now and have started art projects and stuff. I'm not getting any help with employment so I have nothing better to do these days. It's hard being unemployed too because you have too much unstructured time to think about these things. Hope it all works for the best.
Squirrel
I'm really sorry to hear about this. It sounds like you really don't have any other choice but to ask one of these individuals for their help.
Is there any way you can plan a trip back home to retrieve your belongings?