Tips for Cleaning Out a Large Estate
The loss of a loved one is already an extremely difficult time, even more so if you’re in charge of making sure all their affairs are in order. One of the more time-consuming tasks that you’ll need to do is to clean out their estate. If they had a large house, this task could take a long time to finish. To help you get through the process as quickly as possible, we’ve come up with a few tips for cleaning out a large estate.
Enlist Some Help
Depending on your situation, you may find that the estate cleanup rests completely on your shoulders. However, this shouldn’t deter you from asking for help. Estate cleanup jobs are big projects that will take multiple days and possibly some heavy lifting. If you can’t find family or friends to help you with the larger stuff, consider hiring a service that will alleviate some of the burden.
Find the Important Files
Whether you need to find the will, financial documents, investment papers, or land deeds, this should be your first task upon starting the clean-out process. You don’t want these crucial files to end up in the trash, so make sure you search for them before you begin in earnest.
Separate Out What You Want To Keep
To help dwindle down the number of things you need to throw away, find the items that you want to keep before you deal with the rest. You’ll be glad you have these keepsakes, and you don’t want them to find their way into the garbage if they mean something to you.
Plan for Lots of Garbage
Their home will likely include old furniture, unimportant files and papers, and outdated appliances, as well as some actual trash. You’re going to be throwing a lot away, so make sure you’re ready for it. Call a dumpster rental and ask the right questions to make sure that you can throw away everything you need to in a convenient way.
Have a Time Limit
If you don’t have a specific deadline, try to set a reasonable one for yourself. It can be easy to feel bogged down in everything that you’re doing, but don’t let it take over your life. A stricter deadline will keep you moving when there is still a lot to do.
Donate Things in Good Condition
If you don’t like the idea of simply throwing everything away, remember that there are other options for things like old clothing and furniture. Donating these items may be the perfect way to give them another life and save yourself from the guilt of trashing something that once belonged to someone you care about.
These tips for cleaning out a large estate will keep you on track and get you through the process quickly and easily.
