Tips for Cleaning Out Your Loved One’s Home
When a loved one dies, it’s a stressful time for everyone. In the midst of trying to grieve your loss, there are some more practical things that have to be taken care of too. One of those is the process of cleaning out your loved one’s home. The task of sorting through someone’s entire life is daunting, but there are a few things that can help make it easier!
Locate Financial Documents
Before doing anything else in the home, look for financial documents. This may include things like life insurance documents, mortgage documents, car loans, and more. These documents may be difficult to get duplicated and it’s important to know what outstanding debts were left behind, as well as having what you need to sell certain items and sign them over to the buyer.
Set Aside Personal Items
Once you’ve got the financial documents in order, take some time to set aside the most sentimental personal items. These items will be things that meant a lot to your deceased family member and will help you keep their memory alive. Designate a box or tote for these items and clearly mark it to ensure it isn’t accidentally tossed or sold.
Secure the Home
There’s no way of knowing exactly who had a key to get into the home of your loved one, so it’s best to change the locks and ensure the home is secure. You should also go around to double-check that all windows are locked and if the garage has a passcode lock, change the passcode. The only people who need access to the home are you and the realtor if the home is being sold.
Transfer the Mail
A commonly forgotten part of cleaning out a home is transferring the mail to a new address. Clean out the mailbox of any recent mail and then place a forward request to your address or a PO box. You may want to continue checking the mailbox at their old residence for a few days until the transfer request is processed.
Eliminate the Remaining Junk
Once you’re done going through the home and taking the items you want to remember your family member by or may need to get their finances in order, it’s time to get rid of the junk left behind. The easiest way to clean out a home to prepare it for sale is by hiring a junk removal service and renting a dumpster or dumpster alternative. The team at All Day Junk Removal are experts in home cleanouts. Give us a call today at 978-927-5732 to schedule your cleanout and take something off your to-do list!
