Cleaning out a parent's house: a step-by-step checklist

Clearing out a parent's house is one of the hardest jobs a family takes on. It's physical work, it's full of decisions, and it often comes at a time of grief or upheaval. A checklist won't make it easy, but it can make it manageable: you'll know what comes first, what can wait, and what you can hand to someone else.

Print this page and work through it at your own pace. Not every step applies to every family.

Before you start

Take a breath. Unless there's a hard deadline, nothing has to happen this week. Many families find it helps to do a first walk-through together, agree on how decisions will be made, and then split the work.

• Agree who has the authority to make decisions (usually the executor or personal representative, or your parent if they're moving rather than passed away)
• Set a target date for the house to be empty, and work backwards from it
• Decide how the family will share keepsakes fairly (taking turns, drawing lots, or a shared list)
• Make sure the house is secure: locks, lights on timers, mail held or forwarded

Step 1: Find and protect the important papers

Do this before anything leaves the house. Papers turn up in unexpected places: freezers, books, coat pockets, the backs of drawers.

• Will, trust documents, and any letter of instruction
• Deeds, titles (house, vehicles, boats, land) and mortgage papers
• Life insurance policies and annuity statements
• Bank, retirement and investment statements
• Recent tax returns
• Safe deposit box keys and the bank's name
• Birth, marriage and military discharge records
• Medical and prescription records, if needed for insurance or benefits
• Passwords, phones and computers (keep them charged and safe)
• Keep all of it together in one box that goes home with the person handling the estate

Step 2: Secure valuables and keepsakes

• Cash, coins and jewelry (check boxes, drawers, pockets and hiding spots)
• Firearms (store safely, and ask a professional about legal transfer where you live)
• Prescription medications (dispose of safely; many pharmacies take them back)
• Family photos, letters, recipes, home movies and heirlooms
• Anything family members have asked for
• Take photos of the rooms before anything moves, for the family's records

Step 3: Take care of the house and the accounts

• Tell the homeowner's insurance company the house is empty or unoccupied; some policies change
• Keep utilities on while you're working (heat, water, power), and plan when to transfer or close them
• Forward mail to whoever is handling the estate
• Cancel or pause newspapers, deliveries, subscriptions and services
• Arrange lawn care or snow removal so the house doesn't look empty
• Check for anything rented or leased (medical equipment, cable boxes, propane tanks) and return it

Step 4: Decide what the family keeps

Keep this step separate from selling. Families often regret rushing it, and an estate sale company works best once the keepers are out.

• Each family member lists what they'd like to keep
• Settle any overlaps before the sale company starts pricing
• Move kept items out, or into one closed room marked "Not for sale"
• Arrange shipping or a moving truck for large items going out of town
• Remember that everyday items (a mixing bowl, a toolbox) can mean as much as valuables

Step 5: Don't throw things away yet

It's tempting to start filling a dumpster. Wait until a company has looked. Old tools, vintage clothing, costume jewelry, records, holiday decorations and kitchenware often sell, and a company can tell you what's worth selling.

• Don't discard, donate or sell anything of possible value before a walkthrough
• Do throw out spoiled food, trash and anything clearly hazardous
• Set aside personal papers to shred rather than putting them in the trash

Step 6: Get help selling what's left

• Get two or three quotes from estate sale or auction companies (see what estate sale companies charge)
• Decide between an estate sale, an online auction, a cleanout, or a combination (see estate sale vs. online auction vs. cleanout)
• Get a written agreement: commission, fees, dates, payment, and what happens to leftovers
• Ask about specialists for vehicles, firearms, fine art or large collections
• Agree whether the family will stay away during the sale

Step 7: After the sale

• Confirm what happens to unsold items: donation, buyout, or cleanout
• Collect donation receipts for the estate's records
• Get the settlement statement and payment, and keep both with the estate's papers
• Do a final walk-through: closets, attic, basement, garage, sheds, crawl spaces
• Clean the house or arrange cleaning, as needed for a sale or a landlord

Step 8: Hand over the house

• Take final meter readings and transfer or close utilities
• Update the insurance company
• Collect every key, garage remote and code
• Hand the keys to the realtor, buyer, landlord or next owner

Looking after yourselves

A house holds a lifetime. It's normal for this to take longer than you planned, and for some days to be harder than others. Take breaks, eat, and let people help. If you're far away or short on time, an estate sale company can take on most of the physical work once the family has kept what it wants.

Get help from local companies

When you're ready, tell us about the house and we'll share it with up to 3 local estate sale and auction companies so you can compare. It's free for families, with no obligation. You can also find companies by state and city, or read how estate sales work, start to finish.