For families clearing the home of someone they have lost
Clearing a Family Home After a Bereavement
A step by step approach to one of the hardest clearances, written with care.
Clearing the home of someone who has died is unlike any other clearance. It is practical work, often under time pressure from a sale or a tenancy, carried out at a time when the family least wants to make decisions about belongings.
This guide does not try to hurry anyone. It sets out an order that many families find helpful, so the important things are kept safe, everyone has their say and the physical clearance can be handled by others once the decisions are made.
If you are searching for a probate house clearance, this is the guide for you. A probate clearance is simply clearing the home of someone who has died while the estate is being settled, and the same calm order applies.
There is rarely a need to rush
Unless there is a tenancy ending or a sale already agreed, most families have more time than it feels. Before anything leaves the house, check who is dealing with the estate and whether anything needs to be valued or kept for legal reasons. Nothing should be cleared until the person handling the estate agrees.
Secure the important things first
Before sorting belongings, gather anything that must not be lost. Paperwork is the obvious one, but people are often surprised by where it turns up: in coat pockets, books, kitchen drawers and old handbags.
- Wills, deeds and bank or pension paperwork
- Keys, including sheds, garages and cars
- Photographs, letters and family documents
- Jewellery and small valuables
Give the family a fair chance to choose
Disagreements over belongings can cause lasting hurt. A simple, fair process helps. Invite family members to walk through the home, each noting what they would like to keep, and agree a date after which unclaimed items will be cleared. Where two people want the same thing, a calm conversation is far easier before the clearance than after.
For people who cannot visit, photographs of rooms and items let them take part from a distance.
Separate keep, give and clear
Once the family has chosen, what remains usually falls into three groups: items going to family, items that could go to charity or be sold, and items that need clearing. Marking these clearly, with coloured stickers or a written list per room, means anyone helping knows exactly what to do.
Items going to family members in other places may need moving too. PHX Services carries out furniture moves and removals, so a relative's chosen pieces can be delivered as part of the same plan.
Let someone else do the heavy work
The physical clearance of lofts, garages, sheds and full rooms is heavy, dusty and emotionally draining when it is your own family's home. Once the decisions are made, a house clearance crew can carry it out, leaving the family free to deal with everything else.
PHX Services provides house and garage clearances. Tell us what is staying, what is going to family and what is to be cleared, and we can work around items that are not to be touched.
Preparing the house for what comes next
An empty house often looks tired once furniture has gone. If it is being sold or let, a coat of paint, a tidy garden and a cleaned driveway can make a real difference to how it presents. PHX Services offers painting and decorating, garden maintenance and pressure washing, so the house can be prepared without the family having to organise several different trades.
Services mentioned in this guide
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Frequently asked questions
When should we start clearing the house?+
Only once the person dealing with the estate agrees. Unless there is a sale or tenancy deadline, there is usually time to take it steadily.
Can you work around items the family is keeping?+
Yes. Tell us clearly what stays and what is to be cleared, and we will work around anything that is not to be touched.
Can items be delivered to family members?+
Yes. PHX Services carries out furniture moves and removals, so chosen items can be delivered to relatives.
What should we look for before anything is cleared?+
Paperwork, keys, photographs, letters and small valuables. Check pockets, books and drawers, where documents are often found.
Can you help prepare the house for sale afterwards?+
PHX Services offers painting and decorating, garden maintenance and pressure washing, which can help an empty house present well.
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