Estate cleanout checklist: a step-by-step guide for families

Short answer: secure the house and find the paperwork first. Then let family choose keepsakes, sell or donate what has value, and bring in a crew to clear the rest in a day or two. Take it in that order and nothing important ends up in a trailer by mistake.

Clearing a loved one's home is hard. There's no right speed. This checklist is here to make the steps clear, not to rush you.

Step 1: Secure the home

• Lock up and change the locks if there are spare keys you can't account for.
• Keep utilities on until the cleanout is done. Crews need light, and the fridge needs power until it's emptied.
• Forward the mail and stop newspapers and deliveries.
• Check that the homeowner's insurance stays active on a vacant house.

Step 2: Confirm who's in charge

• Find out who has the authority to clear and sell the home. In Texas this is often the executor or administrator appointed by the probate court.
• If the estate is in probate, ask the estate's attorney before anything is sold or given away.
• Agree as a family on one point of contact for vendors.

Step 3: Find important papers and valuables

Search every room before anything is thrown away. People keep papers and cash in unexpected places.

• Documents: will, deeds, car titles, bank and retirement statements, insurance policies, tax returns, birth and marriage certificates, military records.
• Valuables: jewelry, coins, cash, firearms, collectibles.
• Hiding spots: books, coat pockets, freezer, under drawers, mattresses, the garage and the attic.
• Photos and letters: set them aside for the family.

Step 4: Share keepsakes

• Give each family member time to walk through, in person or by video.
• Use colored tape or stickers for who gets what.
• Set a date when unclaimed items move to the next step.
• Arrange shipping or pickup for anything going out of town.

Step 5: Sell, then donate

• Get an appraisal for anything that might be valuable: art, jewelry, antiques, firearms, collections.
• Decide on an estate sale. A good sale can cover the cleanout cost. Ask what the company does with unsold items.
• Donate usable clothing, furniture and household goods. Keep receipts for the estate's records.

Step 6: Separate what needs special handling

• Medicines: pharmacy take-back or a drug take-back event.
• Paint, chemicals, pesticides, propane, pool chemicals: household hazardous waste drop-off. See items haulers won't take.
• Firearms and ammunition: follow the attorney's or a licensed dealer's advice.
• Vehicles: need the title transferred, not hauled.

Step 7: The final cleanout

• Book a crew for everything that's left: furniture, mattresses, boxes, garage, attic, sheds and yard.
• Walk through with the crew lead and mark anything that stays.
• A full house usually takes one or two days. See our estate cleanout cost guide for prices.
• Ask for photos of the empty house if you can't be there.

Step 8: Get the house ready

• Clean, then do any repairs needed to sell or rent it.
• Cancel utilities after the last vendor is done.
• Hand off to the realtor or the new owner.

We can help

PickUp Haulers clears estates across Pflugerville, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Austin and Lakeway. We donate and recycle first, and we work with families who live out of town. Call or text (512) 861-7732 when you're ready.