DaveNJ41:
Man, I sure hate that you're not sleeping well. My sleep is crap, too. But, it seems that's one of the many commonalities among most of us.
As for your dilemma, I certainly understand about
not being able to swing storing all the stuff AND buying new items. Many of us have already spent so much money.
So, how about
trying SELL as much stuff as you can, then using the proceeds to fund your new purchases?
I don't know anything about
HERTSMI and ERMI testing. Did they have the ability to test your mattress and couch specifically? Or, just the general apartment?
Obviously, you wouldn't want to sell (or, even donate) an item that's confirmed to have mold. None of us would want that done to us or our kids. But, if something was confirmed to be contaminated, then you could scrap it. If unsure, then you could try to donate/sell the items with a disclaimer that your apartment was tested and found to be safe.
If selling, look for a furniture consignment store that accepts used mattresses. According to the Federal Trade Commission: "...in most parts of the country, used mattresses can be resold as long as they meet certain labeling and processing requirements." [
source]
Funny enough, when I searched Google to see if consignment stores would accept used mattresses, the first search result was a consignment store in NEW JERSEY! (A good sign?)
/www.berksfurnituremattress.com/consignment.htmlMy second choice would be classified ads. My last choice would be craigslist. But, do what you can. ANY money is better than NO money.
Best of luck, my friend.
The Dude