Updated 7/15/22

Throughout the San Diego area, there are people who find themselves suddenly dealing with the estate of a loved one that has recently passed away. And this is understandably a difficult time for these folks as taking care of a house and all those belongings can be a stressful chore.

This is why many opt for having an estate sale.

There are usually just a few unfortunate events in life that result in estate liquidation. Typically, this is done to downsize as part of a major lifestyle change, because of a divorce, sometimes crippling debt, or, more often than not, because of the death of a parent or other family member.

And it is one of these events that often require estate cleanout services.

The population in the United States is rapidly aging and It’s been estimated that approximately 10,000 Americans turn 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.

And San Diego will have a population of 1.484 million by the 1st July of 2021, according to Population USA and the U.S. Census Bureau. And of that almost one and half million, at least 12 percent, or more than 178,000 residents will be age 65 and older. 

With the average life expectancy of males being about 76 years and women living to be 81 on average, it’s safe to assume that there are likely to be hundreds of estate cleanouts needed every year.

The Necessity of Estate Cleanouts in the San Diego Downtown Area

It is an often unfortunate reality of life and death that estate cleanouts become a necessity in the San Diego Downtown area. However, the reasons do not always involve personal pain and loss. 

A common scenario across the United States, especially among older Baby Boomers involves having to . This can range from simply discarding of “excess” personal belongings and household items to completely disposing of almost everything and relocating to a much smaller home. 

And the process of dispensing with unwanted furniture, clothing, and other household goods can be a bit overwhelming.

Once the items that have some value have been gifted or sold, and whatever can be donated has been removed, these homes often still have large quantities of “stuff” that needs to be taken out of the home and gotten rid of somehow. An estate cleanout is often in order for these situations despite the fact that the current owners and residents are still quite alive and well.

Of course, there are the occasional divorce settlement issues wherein neither party wants whatever is left in the home and a mutual agreement is made to simply dispose of it all. An estate cleanout then becomes a necessity in those situations. 

Then there are the not-so-frequent but often exciting scenarios where a bread-winner in a family has been offered a lucrative position overseas and must relocate quickly to take the job. Oftentimes in those cases, the family may decide to dispense with most of their furnishings and not-so-valuable belongings since paying for long-term storage may be quite costly. 

This is a time when an estate cleanout becomes a cause for celebration!

Some Estate Cleanouts Come After Downsizing

There is a movement underway in America and it involves minimizing one’s lifestyle. Unlike the forced action of downsizing due to economic strain, this new type of minimalist movement often results in individuals and couples either downsizing to a smaller home or, at the very least, drastically reducing the amount of personal belongings and furnishings in their current home.

It is more than merely ‘decluttering’ although it does involve that exercise. Oftentimes, it means offloading years’ worth of accumulated things and adjusting a simpler, more minimalist lifestyle. 

And all that junk has to be gotten rid of. In fact, for some people it actually requires an estate cleanout.

For most people who engage in a major decluttering and downsizing effort, some of the biggest consequences – aside from more space and more time to enjoy life – are all the piles of junk and unwanted debris they need to have hauled away.

While it may seem easy enough to take care of, if your piles are excessively large, or some of your junk items are excessively large, you’re going to need some expert help with that.

Of course, if you have a large truck and some help, then you’ve probably got it covered, assuming that you know what junk can go where. (Hint: probably not the landfill)  However, it’s far more likely that you’re going to need someone with the proper equipment, the right experience, and the expert know-how to properly take care of your estate cleanout.

Junk Removal Services Can Make Estate Cleanouts Go Smoother

While surviving family members must often dispose of a deceased loved one’s unwanted belongings, estate cleanouts can be needed for many others who simply need help cleaning out their own property.

Some adults reach an age where they no longer have children at home and choose to drastically downsize their living spaces as well as their lifestyles. And often people find that they must liquidate their assets as part of a divorce settlement and need to dispose of property as a result. And still others are simply relocating to take on a new job and must quickly get rid of household property.

However, for many people, especially single and older adults, cleaning out furniture, appliances, boxes of household goods, and other items can be challenging. And when you consider that the average home in the United States is almost 2,500 square feet in size, the volume of furniture and personal belongings can be overwhelming.

This can be especially so when it comes to the property of elderly relatives who have recently passed away. In many cases, these older parents or grandparents have acquired many years’ worth of belongings. In other words, there can be large amounts of property filling up the house and possibly the garage and other storage areas.

Again, for the family tasked with taking care of their loved one’s belongings, the chore of an estate cleanout can be overwhelming.

That’s when the services of a professional junk removal firm like Junk King San Diego Downtown can make all the difference in the world.

Tips for Preparing for an Estate Cleanout

Whether family members plan to have an estate sale or simply dispose of the furnishings and other items left behind, there are still things that should be taken care of beforehand. Not everything should be gotten rid of, for example, and there are probably many things that family members would like to have.

Here are some ‘best practices’ that can smooth a potentially stressful process: 

• Secure financial documents. Any wills, trusts, and related documents should be placed in a secure location. Because financial and legal documents may be needed later you should secure documents such as:
  • life insurance policies
  • real estate deeds and titles
  • recent bank statements
  • tax returns
  • stock certificates
  • receipts
• Share items with family members. One of the aspects of an estate cleanout is having to decide “Who gets what?” Having each family member create a list of what they would like to keep can be a great approach. 
• Keep photos and related items. While they can’t be sold, they are irreplaceable, and you may regret throwing them out. Grandchildren and others may see them as tangible links to family members.
• Be Comprehensive. Be careful to look through everything in the home. For example, behind and under furniture, in the pockets of clothing, in every drawer and shelf, and in all containers.
• Hire an estate appraiser. If there is a great deal of upscale furniture, antiques, or jewelry an accredited professional can give you an estimate for each item. It may help determine whether an estate sale would be beneficial.

One more tip is to consider getting expert help with cleaning up.

As we’ve noted already, the work of an estate cleanout can be overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. There are some tasks that are simply monotonous, like sorting through paperwork, while other tasks such as hauling furniture and other large items require intense physical exertion.

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

5 Reasons Why Landlords and Realtors Trust Junk King for Their Real Estate Junk Removal

As a landlord, real estate professional, or property manager, you are usually responsible for every aspect of the property you oversee and manage. Consequently, you must be particularly careful when allowing third-party vendors and individuals access to your property. 

Having trust in whom you are delegating tasks is paramount in your position. 

Here are five reasons why landlords and others trust Junk King to carry out real estate junk removal:

1. Our crew is highly trained and professional. Junk removal and junk hauling is our specialty and is what we are expert at. Our collective experience and knowledge of junk hauling and of real estate junk removal in particular means that not only do we “know what we’re doing” but that we do it efficiently and effectively.
2. Our company is fully insured and bonded. While a specific license for conducting junk removal is not required in California nor in the City of San Diego, we are fully licensed to operate as a junk removal business in the city. In addition, we are part of a nation-wide franchise in most all of the states.
3. We are locally owned and operated by San Diego residents and have an established reputation for exceptional customer service and reliability. Junk King San Diego Downtown is proud to be the Number One rated junk removal company in the industry. And our customers reflect this through numbers of impeccable reviews and consistently positive customer service feedback.
4. Our pricing is both fair and transparent. Unlike some other junk removal firms out there, we never add in extra charges nor surprise clients with “hidden” fees. We always provide free estimates before we start working and we only charge clients based on the volume of junk we take – never by weight nor simply with a flat fee. 
5. San Diego area landlords and real estate professionals are particularly concerned about maintaining green and eco-friendly practices in their businesses and work. Which is why they trust all their junk removal and real estate cleanout needs with Junk King. Our company was the first “green” junk removal operation in the nation, and we continue to pursue green, eco-friendly junk disposal practices. 

5 Questions to Ask When Looking for an Estate Cleanout Company

As a family member, homeowner, real estate professional, or a property manager, finding and choosing the best estate cleanout company can be a bit daunting. 

The fact is that there are several firms and individuals out there promoting themselves as “estate cleanout” professionals who do not actually specialize in that service. Much like auctioneers and estate sale companies, no specific state license is required to conduct business as an estate cleanout company.

Which means that just about anyone with a truck can bill themselves as such yet not truly understand the work or the business of estate cleanouts.

Here are five questions you should ask before hiring an estate cleanout company:

1. “How many years have you been in business, and do you have commercial references?” Any company you choose to do business with should be established, experienced, and able to provide at least three or four reliable references.
2. “What type of equipment and trucks do you use for estate cleanouts?” A solo operator with an old pickup truck is often not going to be able to efficiently carry out the work required for hauling substantial amounts of junk, rubbish, and debris from a property. 
3. “How quickly can you complete an estate cleanout job?” As a property manager or landlord, the longer your property is being prepared, the longer it will be before you can sell or lease it again. And nothing much can be done until the property is cleaned out, including repairs or upgrades.
4. “What do you do with the materials and junk you remove from the property?” In San Diego Country there are few landfills available for disposing of junk and rubbish. And the far more appropriate alternative for junk removal is to donate, repurpose, or recycle as much as possible. 
5. “How competitive is your pricing and how do you charge for your services?” Unfortunately, it is often the case that a fee given up front is often only part of the total amount that ends up being invoiced. Asking about added fees, additional charges, and checking comparable rates is critical.

Real Estate Junk Removal in Chula Vista and Beyond

Of course, estate cleanouts are simply one type of real estate junk removal that is required in San Diego and nearby communities such as Chula Vista and others. 

Property managers routinely require real estate cleanouts and subsequent junk removal from both commercial and residential properties. In part, this is due to the fact that businesses accumulate junk and excess equipment that, in many cases, are left behind when a firm relocates or suffers a closure.

Residential rental properties can include single-family homes, condominiums, duplexes, and various types of apartment complexes and multifamily buildings.

Property managers themselves rarely have the time or resources to effectively carry out full-sized estate cleanouts, complete home cleanouts, or commercial property cleanouts. These major types of real estate junk removal and property cleanouts require time and personnel that many property management firms don’t possess.

Which is why Junk King San Diego Downtown specializes in estate cleanouts and real estate junk removal.

From foreclosure cleanouts to estate cleanouts to large-scale commercial property cleanouts, Junk King has both the equipment and highly trained staff to carry out real estate junk removal on almost any scale in Downtown San Diego, Chula Vista, and beyond. 

The Number One Estate Cleanout Service for Downtown San Diego

If you’re taking on an estate cleanout, you probably already know that getting rid of all the “junk” items is going to be a huge task. And it’s quite likely that there are heavy items that need to be hauled out of the home and it’s important that the house doesn’t get damaged in the process.

That’s because the house is often going to be sold and one critical task before selling the home is making sure that it’s clean and repaired before being shown to prospective buyers. And, if you’re a real estate professional taking care of a typical estate cleanout, it also means making sure that all the previous owners’ belongings have been removed.

Estate cleanouts can take place for a variety of reasons, but they are almost always both physically and emotionally difficult for family members as well as for real estate professionals tasked with the cleanout. However, the stress can be relieved significantly by hiring outside help.

And a professional estate clean out service such as Junk King San Diego Downtown can be a great choice, especially when it comes to removing the furniture and other large items.

Because we are a professional firm, Junk King will ensure that the property is left safe and clean, which is especially important if the property was vacated suddenly with large amounts of junk left behind.

Our professional and insured junk disposal team will show up at the home and we call 15 to 30 minutes before we arrive on site. Once there, we’ll give you a free quote based on how much room the items take up in our truck.

All you need to do is point and we haul your junk items into our junk removal trucks, with no hidden fees.

It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

You can make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).