Estate Cleanout  – The whole process can seem overwhelming…

Perhaps your last remaining parent has died, leaving you with his or her estate. Or maybe you’re looking to downsize and sell off much of your estate to live simply in retirement. Other times, there are divorces, deaths, bankruptcy and other major lifestyle changes to blame. Whatever the case may be for you, the whole process can seem overwhelming.

One way to lessen the burden on your family is to hire a professional estate cleanout company. They can make your job just a little bit easier. Such companies can get rid of appliances, furniture, household goods and just plain old junk so it’s out of your way and you don’t have to pay to transport it or store it.

Estate Cleanout – Here are a few tips to ensuring your estate cleanout goes smoothly.

  1. Work with others, not against them. In the event a parent has died, often times the siblings begin to fight over who gets what. This can add stress to an already stressful situation. To prevent this, ask each sibling to write down what they would like to claim from the estate. Go over the list in detail with all siblings and try to make an amicable agreement. Sometimes this simply doesn’t work and you end up fighting, so in this event you may want to hire a lawyer or outside mediator for assistance.
  2. Don’t get rid of photos and other memorabilia. First off, photos and trinkets often don’t have much resale value; the real value is in the memories they hold. Even in the case of a divorce when you are in the thick of things and want to erase that part of your life, there will come a time when you will cherish those photos and items, especially if children were involved in that union. Envision these keepsakes for your children and their children who may never have a chance to meet, say, your mom or dad who has passed.
  3. Don’t rush. Too often people are in a state of grief when they clean out an estate. Pay attention to details and take the time to look through everything, from pockets to high shelves to the smallest containers in the back of a closet. Many people – particularly older adults and senior citizens – squirrel away money and hide it in unusual places.
  4. Keep all financial documents. This may sound like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people, in their haste or grief, throw out old papers because they don’t have the time or interest to save and organize them. Sometimes you may not even know if a particular document is important or not. Err on the side of caution and keep them. Important documents can include 401(k) records, tax returns, receipts for filing taxes, stock certificates, deeds, bank statements, life insurance documents and wills.
  5. Donate clothing or sell it online. Like photos, clothing doesn’t have much resale value unless it’s actually vintage (prior to 1960). However, if you have a lot of clothing in great condition, or even with the tags on, sell them online or to a consignment shop for extra cash. Donating clothing is another option that you can use as a tax write-off.
  6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You likely have a great emotional attachment to the home you’re cleaning out. It can be tough to look at the job critically, and that’s why you need an outside party to help motivate you. Call a professional estate cleanout company like Got Trash? for assistance. We’ll haul away all your junk, trash and debris for one affordable price.