Handling the cleanout of a loved one’s estate is a two-pronged challenge. On the one hand, the process is often emotionally taxing; in addition to grieving, you are tasked with facing the person’s memory head-on, sorting through memories and shared objects. On the other hand, the process is logistically complex. Decluttering, organizing and managing the contents of an estate takes immense mental and physical effort.
If the responsibilities of estate cleanout fall on you, take a proactive and measured approach. Read the points below to learn how you can facilitate the process in a straightforward, pragmatic fashion.
Connect with Professional Estate Cleanout Services
The first point to note is that you do not have to shoulder the burden alone. There are professional organizations specializing in just this sort of complex cleanout. If you’re tasked with cleaning out a loved one’s estate, consider professional assistance from an estate cleanout service.
A quality estate cleanout service will help with most or all of the points outlined below: decluttering, organizing, managing the sale of items and the disposal/donation of others, and generally acting as a mitigating presence throughout the challenging experience.
Give Yourself Time and Opportunities to Grieve
This is an emotional time, undoubtedly. Although you may try to face the logistical side of the project with strength and resilience, you may encounter times when feelings well to the surface – times when you aren’t sure you can complete the task.
All of this is normal. It’s yet another reason to consider assistance from an estate cleanout service or a community of loved ones – ideally both. Leaning on compassionate help during the process allows you to take the necessary time to grieve. It’s all part of the “mental-emotional balance” you must strike in trying times. If you need further support, consult this list of grief and loss resources from the CHPCA.
Locate and Secure Important Documents
With a helping hand and considerate mental-emotional balance, you’re ready to face the task at hand. To start, locate and secure important documents. You don’t want essential paperwork getting lost in the shuffle, so it’s wise to collate these items in a safe place before you start decluttering in earnest. These items may include:
- Life insurance policy paperwork
- Real estate titles and deeds
- RRSP or 401K records
- Recent bank statements and tax returns
- Debt paperwork and receipts
- A last will and testament
These documents are necessary in the settlement process before you begin the cleanout.
Working with Loved Ones, Secure and/or Digitize Memorabilia
Financial documents and valuable assets aren’t the only important items in a home. Estates often contain precious, emotionally valuable items that should be treated with as much care and respect. Together with family and loved ones, secure these items for safekeeping.
If you or mutual loved ones cannot physically assume these items, consider digitizing them. Scan and upload photos onto a secure hard drive or cloud folder. And take pictures of significant items to preserve their memory. A compassionate estate cleanout service can help facilitate this task.
Declutter and Sort Items by “Sell,” “Donate,” and “Discard”
Here, we reach the bulk of the estate cleanout process – manually decluttering and sorting through the contents of the home. It is the most time-consuming and effortful part of the experience. It’s also where a quality estate cleanout service shines.
Moving room to room (sometimes box to box), you will organize items according to their “final destination.” Working together with professionals and loved ones, you will confer about the sale, donation and disposal of all the estate’s items. It is simply too large a task for one person to manage alone, especially if the estate is untidy or voluminous. But, with some help and personal effort, you will make your way through it – you’ve got this.
Consider Professional Appraisal for Valuable Items
Valuable items bound for sale may need some special attention. You don’t necessarily want to sell items for less than their worth, simply in the name of expediency. Consider consulting with professional appraisers to determine the value of any antiques and valuable furniture items. Professional appraisers may also help you restore and refinish items before selling. If you need help finding appraisers, talk to your estate cleanout experts; they should be able to recommend someone trustworthy.
It’s a tough experience, but you will make it through. Hopefully the tips above help to underscore the value of help and self-wellness during the estate cleanout process.
