Clearing out the clutter from your home is challenging. It's always tricky to get rid of things that you believe you might need at some point down the road or that have exceptional sentimental value.
But then, when you're requested to clear out another person’s personal possession, it's distressing, particularly if it's a deceased close friend or loved one. How do you rid a home of items that don't belong to you, carry memories no one wants to let go of, that you'd prefer to leave exactly where they are?
In the same way that you have to move forward from the loss of the person, you have to come to terms with many “to dos” that are fraught with deadlines, and one of those is the deceased estate clean up, but you don't need to handle it alone.
In fact, friends a little removed from the situation can be beneficial in helping you tackle the difficult task. They can pack items you find challenging to go through and, in the process, make the sensitive circumstances somewhat less stressful.
Consider a few suggestions for managing an estate clear out after losing a close family member or friend.
Can A Rubbish Removal Service Make A Deceased Estate Cleanup Easier
With a deceased estate clear out, many items will be tough to part with, but some, like broken appliances or worn and torn furnishings, will need to be hauled away. Fortunately, some rubbish removal companies specialize in handling deceased estate clean ups as part of their services.
Your only task is to prepare the items in bins and keep them in a single location so the team can easily load the articles and haul them away to the appropriate facility, including the recycling centers.
What are some tips for working your way through your loved one's personal belongings? Let's go through just a few simple guidelines.
- Who do the items belong to now that the person is deceased
While you might have been assigned the task of clearing out the estate, who is the executor of the will, and has the will been read? Are you aware to whom any of these items might be assigned?
If so, a first step might be to establish separate bins for the heirs' belongings and ensure these are accounted for before enlisting the services of a rubbish removal team's services, donating items to a charity, or tossing things into the curbside bins.
The will reading is relatively soon after the funeral services, and estate clear-out can be as long as a month following, so you should have the information you need. If there are any doubts, contact the legal counsel.
- Anything not assigned by the will should be gone through with all family present
Personal belongings that would include private photos, jewelry, a favorite sweater, or anything sentimental that you or another family member wants to keep that wasn't designated in the will should be removed by the person who wants it before the clean up.
This will ensure nothing gets damaged or turns up missing. There's no doubt there will be items you'll find with the clear-out as well, but an initial pass-through will allow family members to gather the things they cherish.
Valuables the family prefers to sell should also be removed from the estate with a tag and stored elsewhere to keep it secure until you determine how to handle a sale. Click for details on how to clean out a loved one's house.
- Local charities will come and do a walk-through
It's suggested that local charities will follow estate clear-outs and will send representatives to these homes with their van or truck to pass through the house and let the family know what in the house can be used for individuals who participate in their charities with a need.
Often, it's comforting to know that someone in need will be able to re-purpose items that might have otherwise ended up as waste. This is ideal if you're not concerned with getting cash for the items.
Some people, however, prefer to hold an auction at the estate or put things up on an auction site to sell the belongings instead of donating them. A reason for doing this is to assist with rubbish removal costs, legal fees, and other expenses not just related to the estate but the loss as well.
- A storage bin might be a necessity
If you're under tight deadlines for the clean up and the decisions are just too overwhelming to make under this sort of pressure, you do have options to take you out of this distressing situation. A storage bin or locker is an alternative to making immediate decisions you're unprepared for.
These are relatively affordable and convenient and vary in size depending on how much you have. The option allows you to then go through gradually as you feel able and make the decisions at your own pace. The primary motivating factor will be the monthly rental installment.
Again, it's affordable, but do you want to continue to pay that for a lengthy period of time, or do you want to move forward sooner rather than later?
- When all is said and done . . .
Now that everything is separated and the bins are ready for the rubbish removal team to load and haul away, the house is ready to be cleaned and secured. It's wise for a family that has gone through a terrible loss plus the distress of an estate clean up to consider a professional to come in and handle the final cleaning.
The home will be sold, so it needs to be immaculate, which takes a great deal of work, and by this point, you have exhausted your stamina. Taking a few weeks to get everything scrubbed and spotless is probably not in the cards for you, especially if you have a job, family, and life of your own.
Not to mention the fact that you haven't fully dealt with grief with all the “to-do's” and deadlines, and none of the realities of the situation have been able to settle in entirely.
Maybe there's a little frustration that the individual didn't stay better on top of their waste management or keep track of their clutter, but a genuine sadness that this person is gone from your life. Let yourself finally feel those feelings and enjoy a toast between you and your lost loved one.
Final Thought
Some rubbish removal companies throughout Sydney specialize in handling deceased estate clean ups.
These teams understand the distress the individuals preparing items for removal are under and address the circumstances with the utmost sensitivity. They aim to make the process seamless, fast, and simple with no hassles.
The people doing the clear-out appreciate removal specialists because they take virtually anything, including worn furnishings, broken appliances, and garden waste; plus, the team specialists will haul not only to the waste management facility but drop off the recycling to those centers as well.
It saves considerable time, effort, and stress for the person already dealing with complex decisions. Rubbish removal companies are the ideal accompaniment when someone needs to work through a deceased estate clean up.
