Before You Start: The First Visit
Visit the property within a few days of death. Don't clear anything yet. Just assess.
- Walk through every room and take photos
- Open cabinets and drawers (for now, just to understand scale)
- Note any obvious hazards (water damage, electrical, structural)
- Identify areas with significant items (jewellery, documents, collectibles)
- Assess the volume (200m² with moderate contents vs. 500m² packed with decades of items)
- Check for hazardous materials (asbestos, lead paint, hoarding)
- Photograph the property's condition (your baseline documentation)
This first visit tells you what you're dealing with. A 150m² house with moderate contents clears in 10 days. A 500m² property packed floor-to-ceiling takes 30+ days. That difference changes everything about how you plan the work.
Phase 1: Document Recovery (Week 1-2)
Before anything gets removed, search systematically for critical documents. They hide in unexpected places and end up in skip bins if you're not careful.
Where to search:
- Desks, filing cabinets, kitchen drawers
- Bedside tables, wardrobes
- Under mattresses, behind pictures
- Safes or lockboxes
- Garage shelves, garden sheds
- Safety deposit boxes at banks
- Car glove boxes
What to look for:
- Wills (and check for multiple versions)
- Property deeds and titles
- Financial records (bank statements, investment accounts, loan documents)
- Insurance policies (life, home, car, income protection, burial)
- Superannuation documents and statements
- Tax records and ATO correspondence
- Marriage certificates, divorce papers, relationship agreements
- Medical records and healthcare directives
- Business documents or loan agreements
Document recovery process:
- Take photos of documents before moving them
- Keep a log of what you find and where
- Store found documents in a safe location (fireproof safe if possible)
- Make copies, keep originals with your probate file
- Don't discard anything until you've verified it's not needed
If this feels like a big job, read document recovery in deceased estates for a detailed search strategy.
Phase 2: Sort by Category (Week 2-3)
Once documents are secured, sort everything else into categories:
Category 1: Valuables
- Jewellery, watches, coins, stamps
- Art, antiques, collectibles
- High-end furniture or designer pieces
- These get flagged for separate valuation or safe storage
Category 2: Sellable
- Furniture in good condition
- Electronics in working order
- Books, vinyl, collectibles with resale value
- Set these aside for eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or local auctioneers
Category 3: Donate
- Clothes, household goods, toys
- Items in good condition but not valuable enough to sell
- Contact local charities (Salvos, Red Cross, St. Vincent de Paul)
- Many will pick up large quantities
Category 4: Recycle
- Cardboard, paper, plastics
- Metals that can be salvaged
- Contact local councils for recycling options
Category 5: Dispose
- Genuine rubbish and waste
- Broken items, worn-out furniture
- Hazardous materials (paint, chemicals, asbestos)
- Arrange waste disposal appropriately
Don't try to sort perfectly. Good enough is good enough. "Might be valuable" goes in valuables. "Could donate" goes in donate. Actual rubbish goes in dispose.
Phase 3: Valuation and Documentation (Week 3-4)
For items flagged as valuable, get valuations before disposal.
- Jewellery: photograph and get a professional appraisal ($150-$400)
- Furniture or antiques: contact local dealers for informal valuations or eBay research
- Collectibles: contact specialists (coin dealers, book experts, art dealers)
- Document everything with photos and valuations
- Keep records with your probate file
This step is critical. Valuables that get disposed without appraisal can't be recovered. Executors get sued for negligence when valuable items are thrown out.
Phase 4: Coordinate Removals (Week 4-5)
Now the physical removal happens. Depending on scale:
Small property (150m²):
- Arrange a tip run or two with a removalist
- 2-3 days of removal work
- 1-2 shipping containers if needed
Standard property (300m²):
- Multiple removalists or one company with multiple trips
- 5-7 days of active removal
- 4-8 shipping containers
Large property or acreage:
- Professional removal company with equipment
- 10-14 days of removal
- 12+ shipping containers (as in the 475m² anchor case study)
Coordinate:
- Get quotes from 2-3 removalists
- Schedule access and parking for containers
- Ensure daily site supervision (things can go missing)
- Confirm what goes where (tip, donation, eBay staging, storage)
- Keep a daily log of what's removed
Phase 5: Manage Trades and Repairs (Concurrent with Removals)
While removal is happening, coordinate any necessary trades:
Essential (do immediately):
- Electrical hazards fixed
- Roof leaks sealed
- Structural issues stabilised
- Gas or plumbing hazards addressed
Nice to have (schedule but not critical):
- Carpet cleaning or removal
- Painting
- Landscaping
- Deep cleaning
Get quotes before authorising work. You're trying to preserve value for sale or distribution, not upgrade the property.
Phase 6: Final Clean and Handover (Week 5-6)
Once removal is complete:
- Deep clean the property (or hire cleaners)
- Photograph the empty property
- Do a final walkthrough with beneficiaries (if applicable)
- Verify nothing's been missed
- Arrange keys and access transfer
- Document the handover (photos, condition report)
Hazardous Materials: What Needs Professional Handling
Some items require licensed removal:
Asbestos:
- Often found in insulation, floor tiles, roof cement, gaskets
- Legally requires licensed asbestos removal
- Don't touch it. Get a professional assessment first
- Cost: $2,000-$8,000+ depending on scope
Lead paint:
- Homes built before 1990 often have lead paint
- Test if concerned; removal is straightforward but regulated
- Cost: $500-$2,000
Biohazards:
- Bloodborne pathogens (if death occurred in the home)
- Requires specialised cleaning
- Cost: $1,000-$3,000+
Hoarding situations:
- Properties with extreme volume or contamination
- Professional remediation needed
- Cost: $5,000-$20,000+ depending on severity
If you're unsure what's in the property, get a professional assessment. It's cheaper than removing hazardous material improperly.
Timeline Expectations
Small property (150m²), moderate contents: 10-14 days Standard property (300m²), accumulated items: 14-21 days Large property (500m²+), extensive contents: 21-30 days Acreage with multiple buildings: 30-45 days
These timelines assume systematic clearing with document recovery. Rushing increases the risk of valuable items being missed or disposed.
When to Bring in Professional Help
You don't have to do this alone. Consider professional support for:
- Complex document recovery (extreme volume, hazardous conditions)
- Large properties or acreage
- Properties with hazardous materials
- Estates with valuable contents needing careful handling
- Timeline pressure (you need the property cleared in 2 weeks)
- Distance (you can't visit regularly)
Professional clearing costs more upfront but prevents costly mistakes. Valuables aren't lost. Documents are recovered systematically. Disposal is proper. Timeline is met.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep items I want for myself?
Not without permission from beneficiaries or probate. As executor, you're a trustee. You can't take items for yourself. If you want something, make an offer to the beneficiaries or set aside a personal gift if the will allows.
What if I find cash in the house?
Report it. It's part of the estate. Document where you found it, photograph it, and include it in the asset accounting.
What do I do with sentimental items no one wants?
Donate them or dispose them respectfully. Photograph sentimental items before disposal (gives beneficiaries peace of mind that it was respectfully handled). Some people appreciate knowing items went to the Salvos rather than landfill.
How do I handle disagreements about what to keep or dispose?
Document your decisions and get beneficiary input in writing. If they disagree, ask for their instructions in writing. If there's serious conflict, your solicitor can advise on how to proceed.
What if I find something valuable I didn't expect?
Add it to the valuation list, get it appraised, and include it in the asset distribution. This is exactly why document recovery and systematic searching matter.
Bottom Line
Clearing a deceased estate house is a project with a clear start, middle, and end. Done systematically, it protects valuables, recovers critical documents, and delivers vacant possession on time. Done haphazardly, valuable items are lost and documents end up in landfill.
The key steps: recover documents first, sort by category, get valuables appraised, coordinate removals professionally, manage trades, then clean and handover. Most properties take 2-4 weeks depending on size and contents.
If the project's overwhelming, professional clearing support takes it off your plate entirely. I manage deceased estate clearance and handle document recovery, valuation coordination, removal management, and final handover. You focus on the legal and financial side. The companion piece on valuing deceased estate contents covers when and how the appraisal step matters, and deceased estate cleanout cost in Sydney sets realistic expectations on budget.
If this sounds relevant, I'm happy to talk it through. Phone 0428 613 163 or email info@aegispropertyconsultants.com.au.
