Clearing out and decluttering an estate

by | Mar 23, 2018 | Declutter tips, Estate Clearing, Tips

Clearing out and decluttering an estate can be a costly exercise especially if the process is not well organised and planned out in advance.

Here’s 8 of our key tips to help you manage clearing out and decluttering an estate in a cost effective way.

Locate the key financial documents first

Estate Clearing

Estate Clearing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The aim is to make your solicitor’s job easier and ensure you don’t have to replace missing documents.  You may need to find the latest Will, recent bank statements, life insurance policy, Certificate of Title//property deeds, share certificates, tax returns  etc.– all the documents that a solicitor will need to complete the estate administration.

Keep in mind that it’s expensive to replace documents. Currently the fee for replacing a lost Certificate of Title is $189.10, plus an “indemnity contribution” (similar to insurance). This is based on the value of the land and the circumstances under which the paper Certificate of Title was lost or destroyed. Costs could range from $100 to $600, so it’s worth finding these documents as soon as possible, before the declutter and cull starts. Plus, there could be additional legal costs associated with the replacement process.

Keep an eye out for hidden cash

Money hidden inside old shoe boxes or jars still exists. I cannot begin to tell you how much cash we have found when clearing out estates over the years. Be meticulous. Check every pile of paper and inside jacket pockets and boxes.

I often find that the older the client the more money is found. We once found over $5765 in “hidden” cash which had been stored in various/random places throughout the house. Without attention to detail it could have easily been thrown out, but instead it remained with the estate.So when clearing out and decluttering an estate be on the look out.

Organise valuations

Clearing out and decluttering an estate

Clearing out and decluttering an estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To the untrained eye it’s often hard to determine if a piece of art work is an original or not. You may find yourself asking: is Mums old crystal worth something or not. Organise to have furniture, jewellery, crockery and artworks valued by an expert. Or utilise our estate clearing services and we can help manage the process for you.

Start the cull/declutter process early

Depending on the size of the estate it can easily take a number of days/weeks to declutter and clear.  So start the process early. If you need some tips on decluttering, this blog  might help.

Find cost effective ways to dispose of goods when clearing out an estate

Rubbish removal is one of the biggest expenses in clearing out an estate. Properly managed though, this fee can be reduced down substantially.

We use a 4 step process to rubbish removal, with each step designed to reduce down the actual amount of goods that ultimately need to go into paid rubbish removal. So my big tip here is to think about the process of disposing of goods well in advance. Plus, try and make use of your free council rubbish pick up, if available.

Look at what items can be sold

You can use Gumtree or eBay to sell goods that you don’t want to keep or distribute to family members.  However, just be realistic about the resale value. It does take time to take the photos, measure up items, write the description and list them along with more time manage all the enquires that you will receive.

Do a project plan

Clearing out and decluttering an estate is a big job. However, if you map out a project plan, listing key dates and tasks to be completed, along with a budget, it helps to manage the process. So set some time aside at the beginning of the clear out.

Get professional help

Decluttering an estate is an emotionally draining process, especially if family members are involved, because of the emotional attachment to items. Plus, people often don’t know where to start because they are just so overwhelmed by the sheer size of the job.

Plus, with family and work commitments, often the family doesn’t have a spare four weeks to spend decluttering and clearing an estate. Or there may not be any family at all to assist with this process. This is where a professional organiser who specialises in estate clearing can be a good strategy, both in terms of emotional support and practical experience.

If you would like to discuss how we can help with your estate clearance, please contact Natalie Morey on Ph: 9421 1070 or 0419 754 784.

 

 

Declutter and prepare your home for sale

by | Aug 16, 2016 | Declutter tips

There is a lot to do when you declutter and prepare your home for sale. So I have broken the tasks you need to declutter and organise down into 4 manageable parts (1) the outside, (2), the inside declutter (3) furniture placement, and (4) on the day.

A little bit of planning, organising and decluttering your home for sale can have a big impact on the bottom line. Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression when people come to view your home so you want it to be the right one. Plus, as you know house hunters will often do a “drive by” of properties before they attend open for inspections, so first impressions counts.

Declutter and prepare your home for sale – Start with the outside

Preparing your house for sale

Preparing your house for sale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image credit: http://www.realestate.com.au/

Prepare a maintenance and declutter list and write down everything that needs to be done in the front garden. Do you need to address any of the following:?

  • Gardening – either a tidy up or removing and replanting
  • Lawn mowing
  • Roll up any hoses and place tools out of site
  • Painting including the front fence, house and front door
  • Fix up or replace the mail box
  • Fix the front fence/gate
  • Wash down the outside of the house
  • Wash the windows
  • Wipe down or paint any outdoor furniture
  • Place some pot plants around the garden/patio/front entrance (my tip is to plant full-size, bright annuals that will provide immediate colour)
  • Replace the front door knocker, knob or other hardware if it looks worn out
  • Clean up any clutter, debris, toys and gardening gear from the side of the house (remember people will poke around everywhere so there is no hiding anything).
  • Purchase a new door mat.

How’s the view

  • Take the time to think about the best attributes of your garden by standing inside your home and seeing what buyers will see when they are standing inside your house. What do you see from the window above the kitchen sink or the biggest window in your living room?
  • Do you need to think about creating an outside focal point to draw buyers’ attention to the landscaping? For example, by planting bright flowers in the garden will help draw the eye of outside. Or, if the view is not that great, do you  need to consider putting up a screen, hedging or plants?
  • Are bushes overgrown and blocking out light from coming into the home?

Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so you want it to be the right one. Writing down your maintenance and declutter requirements helps you to get organised and stay organised when you are decluttering and preparing your home for sale.

Also, you will then identify that some tasks will need to be done before others, so a little bit of pre planning will save you time and ensure everything will happen when it’s meant to. For example, you will want to paint before you wash the windows.

It’s also worth considering that in the spring time, you might need to book a more regular gardening service or make sure the lawns are mowed more often.

If you find that the process to declutter and prepare your home for sale is too hard or overwhelming then contact The Lifestylers Group. We can help declutter and get your home ready for sale. Click here to contact us.