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. If the home is rented, ask the landlord 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 (sometimes called the personal representative, or the administrator if there’s no will) is responsible for them. 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. Probate rules differ from state to state, and smaller estates can often use a simpler process, so if anything is valuable, the executor should get legal advice.
After a move into care, the belongings still belong to your loved one. Involve them as much as you can. If they can no longer decide, someone with a durable power of attorney can act for them.
3. Find the important papers first
Before you sort anything else, look for the will, bank and investment statements, retirement and insurance papers, tax returns, property deeds, car titles, Social Security and Medicare cards, passports and spare keys. Check pockets, purses, drawers and between the pages of books. Put everything in one “papers” box.
If the home will be empty, tell the home insurer, because empty homes often need different cover.
4. Redirect the mail and tell the right people
- Mail: the executor can ask the Post Office to forward the person’s mail, with proof that they’re the executor. Keep it going for a year so you catch tax forms and statements.
- Social Security: the funeral home usually tells the Social Security Administration. If not, call 1-800-772-1213.
- Credit bureaus: ask Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to flag the record as deceased, which helps prevent identity theft.
- USA.gov’s what to do when someone dies page lists the other people and agencies to tell.
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, jewelry and watches, tech, tools, bikes, collectibles 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.
- Consider an estate sale company. For a full house, an estate sale company can price everything and run a sale in the home, usually for a share of the takings. Ask for references and a written contract.
- Get valuable items appraised. For jewelry, antiques, art or a collection, ask a local auction house or a certified appraiser.
- Don’t say in a listing that the owner has died or the house is empty. It can attract thieves. Arrange pickups when someone is there with you.
- Watch for scams. See how to spot selling scams.
8. Donate what’s left
Clothes, books and household goods in good condition can go to a thrift store, and Habitat for Humanity ReStores and The Salvation Army pick up furniture for free in many areas. Ask for receipts: if the estate itemizes deductions, donations may count. See where to donate.
9. Clear the rest
When everything wanted has gone, clear what’s left yourself with trips to the dump and a bulky trash pickup, or pay a junk removal company.
- Get two or three quotes, and ask what will be donated or recycled rather than sent to landfill.
- Do a last check of drawers, closets, the attic, the garage and under the beds before anyone comes.
Things that need special care
- Medicines: use a drug take-back kiosk at a pharmacy, or a DEA Take Back Day. Don’t put them in the trash or flush them unless the label says to.
- 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 wheelchairs, hospital beds and oxygen equipment to the hospice or supplier that provided them.
- Firearms: don’t sell or give them away until you’ve checked your state’s laws. A licensed gun dealer or your local police can advise.
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.
Many hospices run free grief support groups that anyone in the community can join, even if your loved one wasn’t in their care. To find support near you, call 2-1-1 or visit 211.org. If you’re struggling to cope, you can call or text 988 at any time.