8 Tips for a Stress-Free Property Clearing Experience
Cleaning out a house after a death? Planning to sell your property? Moving to a new home? You need to carry out an extensive clearing of property. From removing your things to preparing the premises for sale, dealing with property clear-out can be a tough task. You have to make snap decisions about what to keep, toss, sell, give away, or donate to charities.
If you go through this process, these tips will help you out in making quick and wise decisions for an easy property clearing experience:
1. Evaluate and determine the magnitude of your project
The assessment usually starts with the size of the house you will be clearing. This involves some basic volumetric equations. Some research has shown that it takes 0.8 to 1.5 man-hours per cubic yard of material to complete a house clearing.
The more sorting and cleaning that needs to be done, the longer the process is going to take. If you underestimate the amount of work that goes into your house cleanout, the project can drag on for several months or even years.
Consider this task seriously and you will be able to determine how long the clearing will take. When you know how much time the job will cost you, you’ll be able to set a schedule for each specific task, saving you time and effort in the long run.
2. Give meaning to the term “success”
What does house clearing mean to you? What is your endgame? Are you doing this for a very valuable purpose? You need to empty your house as quick as you can before you kick your habit of indecisiveness. The sooner you clean your house and put it on the market, the lower the total cost of carrying the property will be.
You should begin by determining what’s realistic and practical in terms of delivering the man-hours necessary to finish the project.
If your priority is to maximise the value of your properties and belongings, you need to start with it right away. This step will consume most of your time because you will have to sell items individually so you can get the best price. If there are valuable antiques and memorabilia, you’ll want to find the best market for them.
In determining your net return, you will have to factor in your extra time. It will increase the carrying costs for your house.
3. Sort personal belongings
While this step of the process may be emotional, conducting a comprehensive house inventory is very important. Sorting belongings into different categories hastens the process. Identify which items to keep, donate, sell, or throw away.
Think through the logistics of getting everything to where it’s supposed to be placed. If your family squabbles about distribution, set disputed items aside until the sorting is finished and emotions have toned down.
You can try taking turns by each choosing an item. Then, consider trading a couple of items for a treasure you desire. Sentiments aside, secure the real valuables, such as art, antiques, and jewellery, and get them appraised to determine their actual value.
4. Locate and secure all key financial documents
Before throwing any papers away, scan through and keep your parents’ will, trust and insurance policies and statements, real estate deeds and titles, stock certificates, bank statements, tax returns, and receipts. These may be crucial in filing the following year’s income tax return.
When you’ve put aside important documents, talk to your attorney about transferring assets to named beneficiaries.
5. Continue paying the bills
In the event of a loved one’s death, don’t just quickly terminate services. There are some things that need to be continued, such as paying the homeowner’s insurance programs. You should also keep turning utilities on and notify services providers like garden and home maintenance companies where to send invoices.
If the service provider has a reverse mortgage, inform the mortgage company immediately and request for time to settle the estate before they attempt and decide to foreclose the house.
6. Divide physical labor
Property cleanout is a pretty massive job that you will need an extra hand. Don’t be afraid of asking help from close family members, friends, or your loved one’s aide. Perhaps you should assign someone whom you can trust to manage specific portions of the project.
When you need major repairs before the house goes through an inspection, you might call in the help of contractors. While the repairs take place, you may work around other items on your list.
If there are any members of your family who are willing to assist you with some of the tasks, they can be very helpful. They can go through boxes or clean out closets. You can also assign specific tasks based on your plan for the items. For instance, your brother manages the contractors while your sister takes care of all the donations.
7. Remove the rubbish
Some things are not worth keeping. No matter how much an item means to you, or how memories can be very sentimental, lots of the stuff you’ll be sorting through are not valuable. That explains the fact that even the most pristine houses yield truckloads of trash they have to deal with.
It’s true that not all families don’t want dumpsters parked in front of their houses through the duration of the clean-out, but every waste-generating family will likely need one. A licensed and reliable company, such as Deceased Estate Sydney, will be responsible for hauling your stuff away.
8. Hire a reliable property clearing service
Property clearing can be an emotionally and physically draining task. Hiring a professional cleaning service provider, like Deceased Estate Sydney, that knows the ins and outs of the industry, will make things easier and lighter. With the knowledge and experience they have, you can quickly and efficiently get the job done and make a positive difference in the way your property will look.
If you are thinking of carrying out a property clearing project on your own, take into account all the useful tips provided. Considering these pointers will help you finish the task in no time. But if you need assistance, Deceased Estate Sydney can always lend you a hand.
