Going through the belongings of a loved one can be something quite hard and emotional. The number of things you have to go through, and the memories each of them bring up, can turn things into a source of stress. The emotional weight combined with the logistics can make it seem impossible to know where to start. If you don’t know how to handle a house cleanout without stress dominating the whole experience, turning it into an ordeal, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll learn some amazing tips for stress-free estate cleanups in this blog.
1. Start with a Plan
Think before you start cleaning, make a plan. Set a timeline and strategy on how you plan on taking the task. Break things down into small tasks that will be easier to manage, such as sorting things by room. Going from room to room will be an easier (and faster) way to categorize the items that need to be put up for auction.
2. Sort and Categorize
The first step in every cleanout is sorting the belongings. Use the three-box method to neatly label everything. One box for items to keep, one for items to donate or sell, and one for things to discard. It’s basically the same thing you do when you move to a new house and pack everything up nicely in cardboard boxes.
3. Assess Valuables
Assess the worth of anything valuable, if you find something of worth. You can hire a professional appraiser to do the job for you, as you make sure you do not overlook anything of value. That’s because you never know what treasures the estate owner left lying around that are actually worth a fortune, such as a forgotten work by Emily Carr sold for about $50 in a garage sale; it fetched 290k CAD at auction in Toronto!
4. Donate or Recycle
You can donate items that are in good condition but cannot be sold. There are a lot of charities all over Canada that accept household items to help local and international causes. Donating can also bring you closure in knowing that these items will go to those who need them the most. You can look into recycling programs to dispose of any items no longer usable.
5. Consider a Junk Removal Service
Hiring a junk removal service can help a lot if the estate has a large number of unwanted items. These companies will come to your property, and sort through all these items carefully to haul away everything you do not want.
Make sure to research a reliable service with good reviews to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Ask your auction service, as many auction houses have the resources to handle all aspects of an estate clearout.
6. Prepare for the Property Sale
You also need to ensure that the estate home is decluttered and set properly to prepare in case the property is for sale. You can ask a professional real estate agent for advice on how to properly set the home to maximize its value. That’s how you can prepare the estate for a streamlined, stress-free cleanout process.