Estate Clearing with the Help of a Professional

The loss of a loved one can be an emotional and challenging time. There’s added stress if you’re responsible for clearing out the home and getting it ready to put on the market. Clearing the estate can help provide closure during the grieving process, but it can also be a massive undertaking to sort through possessions, find important paperwork, and shut down the house.

You don’t have to shoulder the responsibility on your own. You can start the process and then bring in a professional organizer who specializes in estate clearing to help. Here are a few things you can do on your own.

• Make an initial sweep through the house and box up keepsakes and family photos.
• Locate files with important papers like death certificates, social security cards, and car titles.
• Identify collectibles that could be sold.
• Keep an eye out for money, cashier’s checks, and bond certificates.
• Throw away expired food.

When you’re ready for a fresh set of eyes, bring in an estate clearing expert. Our organization skills and attention to detail can help you find items you might have overlooked and clear the remaining contents in the home. Even after you complete a thorough sweep of the house, a professional can help find missing paperwork and additional valuables. My team has uncovered thousands of dollars in places family members thought they searched, and unearthed important documents stored away in unusual places. Professional organizers can also help shred old documents, remove unwanted items like hazardous waste, dispose of trash and arrange for items to be donated.

Even after you complete a thorough sweep of the house, a professional can help find missing paperwork and additional valuables.

If you’re in the middle of this process and concerned about the amount of work left to do, make a list of items you’re looking for, contact a professional organizer and discuss the scope of the project.

If you’re in a position to plan ahead, initiate conversations with family members. For example, you could talk to your parents about having an estate sale and clearing items when they downsize or move into assisted living. If you don’t want to be responsible for clearing the house or if family dynamics are challenging, hiring a professional can help you maintain relationships.

Estate clearing is an exhausting process that feels even more draining when you’re dealing with the death of a loved one, paperwork, closing down the house and getting it ready for sale. Give yourself the peace of mind that comes with knowing nothing has been overlooked and every detail has been handled with care. Allow yourself to mourn, remember, transition and move forward with the help of a professional organizer.

I specialize in estate clearing. I can help you through the process. Send an email to me at linda@unclutterednw.com and let’s talk about what’s on your mind.