Following fires, floods or other catastrophic events, homeowners are often left with significant damage to their physical property, but often, it’s the threat to cherished memories that causes greatest concern. When photo albums, family heirlooms or other sentimental items become waterlogged or smoke-damaged, homeowners risk losing truly irreplaceable treasures. Yet one Aurora, Illinois family saw their precious memories preserved even against the ravages of fire and soot thanks to the team at 1-800-Packouts of Northern Illinois, a leading contents restoration team.

The story began in February 2024 when a laundry room fire broke out in the home of a local, elderly couple. Both the husband and wife made it out safely, but their physical property was significantly damaged. Working in conjunction with their insurance company, the couple enlisted the expertise of 1-800-Packouts of Northern Illinois, who helped quickly recover and deodorize an emergency supply of clothing. The 1-800-Packouts team also removed 14 vaults of possessions for safe storage and cleaning — vaults that contained a lifetime of accrued memories.

“The homeowners we work with have just experienced catastrophic events, usually resulting in significant property damage, and often, they are unsure whether their clothing and other assets will ever be fit for use again,” said Phil Corvino, owner of 1-800-Packouts of Northern Illinois. “But while these more practical items can be replaced, some things — like family photo albums — are truly priceless. Those are the items that draw our particular concern, and our empathy.”

The Aurora couple’s hardship continued when one of their daughters suddenly died. Due to the house fire, they lacked easy access to favorite photos and memorabilia, but the 1-800-Packouts team expedited their cleanup work to ensure the family had the items they desired for display at the funeral.

“The family was grieving and requested some items for use at the memorial service, and we were committed to honoring this request,” Corvino said. “Our crews worked tirelessly to pull items from the daughter’s childhood bedroom, along with all family photos from the home — relying on our advanced inventory management system to ensure we got all the requested items.”

By the end of the year, the couple’s home had been rebuilt, and they said the emotional support of 1-800-Packouts was invaluable.

“We received such kind words from the family, who were grateful for our efficiency and expertise, but more than that, for our willingness to just be there for them during a time of need,” Corvino said.

To learn more about 1-800-Packouts, visit https://www.1800packouts.com/northernillinois or call (630) 686-5553.

About 1-800-Packouts

1-800-Packouts, the leader in property contents restoration, delivers expert inventory management, packing, cleaning, and climate-controlled storage services for homes and businesses during stressful times. Trusted by property owners and the largest insurance carriers to secure and protect valuable possessions when disasters happen, 1-800-Packouts is expanding rapidly to meet the growing demand for contents restoration services across North America. For more information, visit https://www.1800packouts.com.