How to Plan an Estate Cleanout When You Live Out of Town

How do you plan an estate cleanout when the home is hundreds of miles away and you can only visit once, or maybe not at all?

More and more families are in this situation. Children and grandchildren often live far from the family home, and work, budgets and other responsibilities make long trips difficult. The good news is that much of a cleanout can be planned and managed from a distance with a bit of preparation.

Start with a photo inventory

Photos are your most useful tool when you cannot be there. If you can visit once, or if a neighbor, friend or relative nearby can help, try to capture the whole property.

Aim for:

• A wide photo of every room from the doorway
• Closets, cabinets and drawers opened
• The garage, attic, basement, crawl space and any outbuildings
• Close-ups of furniture, artwork or items that might have value
• The driveway, front steps and any stairs inside

A short video walk-through is also helpful. Narrate as you go, noting anything that should be kept or handled with care. Store everything in a shared online folder so relatives and providers can see it.

Decide what to set aside

Before anyone starts clearing the home, decide which items the family wants to keep. This is easier to do with photos in front of you.

Common things to set aside include:

• Important documents, such as wills, deeds, titles, tax records and insurance papers
• Photographs, letters and family records
• Jewelry, watches and small heirlooms
• Items specific relatives have asked for

If you cannot collect them yourself, ask a reliable local friend or relative to gather them, or ask the cleanout company whether they can box and ship items for an agreed price. Label everything clearly, in photos and in writing.

Request remote estimates

Many cleanout companies can prepare an estimate from photos or a live video call. When you contact them, share the same information with each:

• The address
• The size and type of property
• Your photos or video
• Any items that need special handling
• Stairs, access issues or parking limits
• Your deadline

Ask each company whether their estimate might change once they see the home in person, and how they would handle that. Get every estimate in writing.

Plan property access

Someone will need to let the crew in. There are a few common options:

• A nearby relative, friend or neighbor meets the crew
• A realtor or property manager provides access
• A lockbox with a code you share only with the company
• A smart lock you can control from your phone

Whichever you choose, confirm the date and time in writing and let neighbors know work is happening if you can. Check that utilities such as electricity and water are on if the crew will need them.

Stay in touch during the job

Ask the company how they will keep you updated. Many are happy to text photos at the start, in the middle and at the end of the work. Agree on who to call if a question comes up, such as finding a box of papers or an item you did not expect.

It helps to name one family member as the main contact so the crew is not getting different instructions from different relatives.

Confirm the work is complete

Before you make the final payment, make sure the job is done the way you agreed.

You can:

• Ask for photos of every room, closet and outbuilding after the work is finished
• Request a live video walk-through
• Ask a local contact or realtor to check the property
• Compare the finished photos with your original inventory

Confirm that items you set aside were left in place or shipped, that donation receipts were collected if you asked for them and that the home was swept or cleaned as agreed.

A practical example

A brother and sister living on opposite coasts need to clear their parents' house. On a single weekend visit, the sister takes photos of every room and collects the family documents and photo albums. Back home, they send the photos to three cleanout companies and get written estimates. A neighbor lets the chosen crew in. The company texts updates during the two-day job and sends a video walk-through at the end. The siblings compare it to their original photos, confirm everything looks right and pay the balance.

It takes coordination, but it works.

Keep reading

• How to Find an Estate Cleanout Company Near You
• 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Estate Cleanout Company

Find providers where the home is

Browse estate professionals by state on Estate Pro Directory to find companies that serve the area where the property is located.