Quick answer: don’t rush, and don’t throw anything away on the first day. Find the important papers first, let family choose keepsakes, then sell the few things worth selling and donate the rest. After a death, check with the executor before anything is sold or given away.
1. Take your time, and don’t do it alone
Unless the home has to be empty by a set date, there’s no need to rush. Short sessions of two or three hours are easier than whole days. If you can, bring someone with you, even just for company. If the home is rented, ask the landlord or housing provider how long you have.
2. Check who can make decisions
After a death, the belongings are part of the estate. The executor named in the will (or an administrator if there’s no will) is responsible for them, and decides how they’re dealt with. Agree with the executor before anything is sold, given away or thrown away, and keep a note of what’s sold and for how much, because the money belongs to the estate. Rules differ between states, so if anything is valuable or there’s disagreement in the family, the executor should get legal advice.
After a move into aged care, the belongings still belong to your loved one. Involve them as much as you can. If they can no longer decide, someone with an enduring power of attorney for financial matters can act for them.
3. Find the important papers first
Before you sort anything else, look for the will, bank statements, superannuation and insurance letters, property papers, passports, Medicare and pension cards, and spare keys. Check pockets, handbags, drawers and between the pages of books. Put everything in one “papers” box.
If the home will be empty, tell the home and contents insurer, because empty homes often need different cover.
4. Stop the post and tell the right people
- The Australian Death Notification Service is free and lets you tell many organisations, such as banks and utilities, in one go. The death needs to be registered first.
- Australia Post offers the executor or administrator up to 12 months of free mail redirection. Apply in person at a Post Office, with ID and proof you can act for the estate.
5. Let family and friends choose first
Before anything is sold or donated, invite family and close friends to choose keepsakes. The will comes first for anything it mentions. For everything else, taking turns to choose one item at a time is a fair way to share things out. Take photos of things nobody can keep.
6. Sort room by room
Start with the easier rooms, such as the bathroom, kitchen or garage, and leave bedrooms, photos and letters until you’re ready. Sort everything into five piles:
Use the free declutter list to jot down what’s worth selling and roughly how much it might raise. It’s saved in your browser on one device, so use “Download as spreadsheet” to share it with the rest of the family.
7. Sell the things worth selling
Most of what’s in a home sells for very little, so focus on the few things worth the effort: furniture in good condition, jewellery and watches, tech, tools, bikes, collectables and designer items. Search eBay and tick Sold items to see what things actually sell for.
- Use the calculator to see where you’d keep the most, and the guides for furniture, phones, designer bags and books, DVDs and games.
- Get valuable items valued. For jewellery, antiques, art or a collection, ask a local auction house. Some will sell a whole home’s contents for you.
- Don’t say in a listing that the owner has died or the house is empty. It can attract thieves. Arrange pick-ups when someone is there with you.
- Watch for scams. See how to spot selling scams.
8. Donate what’s left
Clothes, books, homeware and furniture in good condition can go to an op shop, and some charities pick up furniture for free. The where to donate guide covers phones, glasses, books and bedding too.
9. Clear the rest
When everything wanted has gone, clear what’s left yourself with trips to the tip and a council bulky waste collection, or pay a deceased estate clearance firm.
- Get two or three quotes, and ask what will be sold, donated or recycled rather than sent to landfill.
- Do a last check of drawers, cupboards, the roof space, the shed and under the beds before anyone comes.
Things that need special care
- Medicines: take them back to a pharmacy, which disposes of them free.
- Phones, tablets and computers: save the photos and check for important accounts before anything is wiped. The phones page shows how.
- Photos, letters and diaries: there’s no need to decide now. Box them up and come back to them later.
- Equipment on loan: return mobility aids, hospital beds and hearing aids to the service that lent them.
- Firearms: don’t move them. Contact the police, who will advise you.
Look after yourself
It’s normal to feel guilty about letting things go, or to find one ordinary object unexpectedly hard. Keeping a few things that matter is enough.
If you’d like to talk to someone, GriefLine (now part of SANE Australia) is on 1300 845 745, and Lifeline is on 13 11 14, any time. For help with a move into aged care, My Aged Care is on 1800 200 422.
Questions people ask
Can I sell their things before probate?
Check with the executor first. The executor is responsible for the estate and decides how its belongings are dealt with. Keep a record of anything sold and for how much, because the money belongs to the estate.
How do I redirect a loved one’s mail?
Australia Post offers the executor or administrator up to 12 months of free mail redirection. Apply in person at a Post Office with ID and proof that you can act for the estate.
How do I tell banks and other organisations about a death?
The Australian Death Notification Service is free and lets you notify many organisations at once, once the death is registered.
What’s usually worth selling from a house clearance?
Furniture in good condition, jewellery and watches, tech, tools, bikes, collectables and designer items. Most everyday clothes, books and homeware sell for very little, so donating them saves time.
What should I do with their medicines?
Take them back to a pharmacy, which will dispose of them free. Don’t put them in the bin or down the toilet.