7 Tips For Estate Cleanout And Estate Cleanout Services

There are times in life when people find themselves having to deal with the estate of a loved one. This is usually a hard time for these folks and taking care of those belongings can be a stressful chore.

 There are usually one of four unfortunate events in life that serve to support the property, or estate, liquidation business. Typically, there is a decision to downsize due to a major lifestyle change, a divorce, perhaps crippling debt, or the death of a parent or other family member. And it is one of these events that often require estate cleanout services.

It’s been estimated that the population in the U.S. is rapidly aging with approximately 10,000 Americans turning 65 each day. What this means for many families is that there are large numbers of people either downsizing their lifestyle or are passing away.

Estate Cleanout Services Can Make the Task Go Smoother

While the surviving family often must dispose of their loved one’s belongings, there are many others who simply need help cleaning out their own property. People often find themselves having to liquidate their assets as part of a divorce settlement and need to dispose of property as a result. Others are simply moving to take on a new job and must quickly get rid of household property.

For many people, especially single adults or older adults, the need to clean out furniture, appliances, household goods and other items can be a challenge. Considering that the average home in the U.S. is about 2,500 square feet, it is easy to picture the volume of furniture and personal belongings that can be found there.

This can be especially problematic when removing and cleaning out the property of a recently deceased loved one. In many cases, these elderly parents or grandparents have acquired years’ worth of belongings. These means that there are probably large quantities of goods and property filling up the house and possibly the garage and other storage areas. For the family tasked with taking care of the estate, the chore of separating and cleaning out all of this can be overwhelming.

Tips for Estate Sales and Property Clean Up

There are approximately 14,000 estate liquidators in the U.S. When an estate sale is required, an estate liquidator is usually brought in. The American Society of Estate Liquidators members must meet specific education, or experience, requirements and are subject to a code of ethics. Unfortunately, it’s also been estimated that most liquidators have no formal training and that anyone can set themselves up as an estate seller in most states.

When people need to conduct an estate sale, there are some ‘best practices’ that can smooth the process. Here are some tips for managing a potentially stressful endeavor:

Be Comprehensive. Be careful to look through everything in the home. This would include behind and under furniture, the pockets of clothing, every drawer and shelf, and all containers. It is quite common for people tend to place things in unlikely places or forget that something of valuable wa put in a coat pocket or the back of a desk drawer, for example.

Secure financial documents. Find any wills, trusts and related documents and place them in a secure location. Other documents can include life insurance policies, real estate deeds and titles, recent bank statements, tax returns, stock certificates and receipts. Financial and legal documents may be needed later for filing income tax returns, etc.

Share items with family members. One of the potentially problematic aspects of an estate cleanout for a deceased relative is deciding “who gets what?” Having everyone involved create a list of what they would like to have or keep can be a great approach. Unfortunately, it can be necessary to involve outside mediators or legal help otherwise.

Keep photos and related items. These are often items that are of little value to those outside the family. In other words, they probably can’t be sold. However, they are irreplaceable, and you may regret throwing them out. Grandchildren and others may find these as physical and tangible links to family members they may never have had to privilege to meet.

Find an estate appraiser. If the estate has a large amount of upscale furniture, antiques or jewelry it can be worthwhile to hire an estate appraiser. Have an accredited professional give you an estimate for each item. These professionals typically charge an hourly fee to and the cost will depend on factors such as location and the type of appraisal.

One more tip is to consider getting help. Estate cleanout work can be overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. There are tasks that are simply monotonous and lengthy, like sorting through paperwork. Some tasks such as cleaning, moving furniture and possibly hauling items and debris require physical exertion.

This is where the services of a professional estate cleanout service such as Junk King can be invaluable.

Using Junk King for your Estate Cleanup Services Needs

When you need help with an estate clean up, you want a firm that will be punctual, patient, and respectful while treating you with care. Junk King is that firm. With years of experience in helping our customers with estate cleanouts, we understand that when a loved one passes away you don’t want to be worried about cleaning up their apartment or house.

Whether you are handling an estate sale, are downsizing, or dealing with the daunting and formidable task of clearing a deceased relatives’ home, we can help you through it. Our estate cleanout services are used by landlords, attorneys, banks and homeowners who need to dispose of unneeded and unwanted items, or the junk and clutter that can prevent or slow down the process of handing over an estate.

Whenever possible, we will donate as many items as we help families transport items that belong to departed family members.

Our team specializes in large debris removal and furniture hauling and we can be on location in mere minutes, so call us today! Our crew is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion.

One of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle a much of the material we pick-up. This is proof of our commitment to be an eco-friendly removal service. If you have questions about what we do or what we believe, give us a call at 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).