When someone dies, their things remain, and we usually link them with our love for the person that owned them. Therefore, cleaning a house after a death is not only difficult, but also painful.
It is difficult because you need to know what you can’t throw away. It is painful because it is hard seeing the simple things that have been there for years while the person was alive. How should we approach a house cleaning after a death?
First Things First, Make a List of What You Want to Keep
We all have some things that we feel especially attached to. It can be a photo, something we shared with the person who is gone, or just anything. Sometimes, the individual forms relationships in a very weird way. If it is special, don’t feel bad for keeping it.
It is a good idea to make a list. But if there are other heirs, do not take things of value.
You Need to Know What Is Yours
Once you know what you want and if there are other heirs, the best thing to do is to clarify what is yours and what is theirs. As a principle, only do the cleaning of things that will be yours according to the will.
Set Objectives
People accumulate many things, and cleaning a house can be overwhelming. If that is the case, the best approach is to set realistic objectives such as: clean the hall on Friday, the main bedroom on Saturday, and so on.
Set a Limit for Useless Things to Keep
For some, keeping everything is tempting. Only you can decide what to keep and what not to keep. However, it is a good idea to set your own limits. For example, think about how many photos you have room for in your own house. Maybe the ones that exceed that number can be removed.
It is also a good idea to ask for help. Having someone more objective with you while cleaning will help you manage the suffering and make better decisions.
Always keep in mind that hoarding is a psychological issue. Each time you throw away something, you are keeping your mind healthy.
You Can Ask Your Real Estate Agent
If you are thinking about selling the property, you can ask your real estate agent to make a visit to the property. The agent’s professional eye can give you some advice about what furniture you should keep and what to remove.
Keep Documents and Certificates, Just in Case
Documents such as bank statements, utility bills, tax forms, even invoices, since they are useful when they contain a manufacturer’s guarantee, are all good to keep.
Yes, You Can Sell Things, But Do You Have Time?
We all have friends who say that they receive a huge amount of money selling things online. However, selling online is not so profitable in reality. You have to spend time taking photos
and writing descriptions before selling items, and people are not willing to pay much, so be realistic. Only really good products or those that are considered to be collectibles are good to sell online.
Something Valuable? Get an Appraisal
If you find something that may be valuable, do not let your doubts lead you to make bad decisions. Get an appraisal by an expert and remove the chance of throwing away something that is worth a good amount of money.