A Guide to Estate Cleanouts: What to Expect

Clearing out a home after a loved one passes is one of the hardest jobs there is, and it usually lands on people at the worst possible time. If you are facing one, here is what to expect and how to make it a little easier.

Start by securing the important things. Before any hauling, go through and set aside anything with real or sentimental value: documents, jewelry, photos, heirlooms, and family keepsakes. It helps to do this with family so nothing gets lost in the shuffle. Take your time on this part.

Decide what to keep, donate, or sell. Once the keepers are out, the rest usually falls into donate, sell, or remove. You do not have to sort every last item yourself. A good crew will separate what can be donated as they work.

Then the cleanout itself. This is the physical, heavy part: furniture, appliances, clothing, and everything else, inside and out, cleared no matter the size of the home. This is where a professional crew earns its keep, so you are not carrying a couch down the hall during an already hard week.

How to choose who does it. Look for a company that is insured, that will donate and recycle rather than just dump, and that treats the job with some care and patience. This is not a normal haul-off, and it should not be treated like one.

How we handle it. We clear the whole home at any size, we work with respect and without rushing you, and we donate and recycle as much as we can. You set aside what matters, and we take care of the rest.