1. Don't rush
Unless a tenancy is ending, there's rarely a legal deadline to clear a property. Take time to grieve, gather the family and agree a plan. If the home is rented, speak to the landlord early — most will give a reasonable extension.
2. Find the paperwork first
Before anything leaves the house, search for the will, bank statements, insurance policies, pension letters, property deeds, share certificates and anything from HMRC. Look in drawers, under mattresses, in coat pockets and books — we find important documents in surprising places. A good clearance company will set aside all personal papers for you, but it's best to do a first pass yourself.
3. Decide what family will keep
Walk through room by room with family. Use coloured stickers or tape: one colour per person, plus one for "value" and one for "donate". Photos, letters and small keepsakes take up little space and matter most later.
4. Get items of value assessed
Furniture, jewellery, watches, tools, collectables and art may be worth more than you'd think. With our value realisation service, items we sell are offset against the clearance cost — often covering a large share of the bill.
5. Choose a licensed clearance company
Always check the company is a registered waste carrier (ours is CBDU 6584033). If an unlicensed collector fly-tips the contents, the estate can be fined. Ask for a waste transfer note, a fixed price in writing, and what happens to items that can be reused.
6. Let them do the heavy lifting
You don't need to be there on the day. Many executors give us key-holder access; we send before-and-after photos and the paperwork by email.