Estate cleanout: the cost and the process

Estate cleanouts sometimes referred to as estate cleanups, include sorting property, organizing contents, and hauling the items of an estate away. Often times an estate cleanout occurs when someone wants to downsize, declutter or when a loved one passes away. When most people find themselves in the position where they need to do a cleanout, they are often overwhelmed and don't know where to begin. 

We created this article to help individuals understand the estate cleanout process and the costs associated if they decide to hire a professional. 

Breaking Down the Estate Cleanout Process Step by Step

Depending on the size of the estate and the owner’s belongings, a cleanout can be a laborious process. It’s a process that can be done by the homeowner or manager of the estate, but often times it is more efficient to hire the process out to a junk removal, cleaning or cleanout company. 

Pre-planning checklist:

• Locate and review all key documents including any will, trusts or related documents. 

• If other family members are involved, contact them to determine who wants what, and schedule a time for the cleanout

• Contact a professional cleanout company or dumpster to ensure availability for the scheduled time.

• Contact any additional friends or family members to help if necessary

Waiting until the last minute to plan for the cleanout can cause franticness and frustration. You don’t want everyone to show up just to find out you don’t have a dumpster. You also do not want to attempt to organize and sort through belongings after the cleanout process has commenced. When it comes time to start the cleanout process you want to have everything in order so you can begin and get through efficiently. 

Here’s the estate cleanout process:

Step 1) Sort through the contents of the estate 

Step 2) Organize the contents by items to keep, items to sell, items to donate and items to trash. 

Step 3) Take boxes to their designated spots. Load the donation boxes in a truck, throw the junk in a dumpster, and make sure all the valuable boxes have not been accidentally taken. 

Step 4) Haul it all away.

The process itself is pretty simple, but the job can take quite a bit of time. If you’re short on time, energy, manpower or just want the job done quickly and efficiently then it’s best to hire someone to do the cleanout. 

When to Hire a Professional 

The estate cleanout process can be handled by nearly anyone willing to put in the effort. However, there are times when it makes more sense to hire an expert rather than take on the job by yourself. Whether one hires the work out or attempts to handle the cleanout job themself depends on the individual and their specific needs. 

There are quite a few reasons why someone would hire a professional estate cleanout company:

• They are short on time and need to get the job done quickly

• The conditions of the estate or unsafe for nonprofessionals

• They are not physically capable of doing the job

• The estate job is too large or there’s not enough manpower to get the job done

• It makes more financial sense to hire out

Most people find that it just makes more sense to hire a professional. Between the physical exertion, the time and energy it requires, and not having the right tools to do things efficiently, many people find that it makes things much simpler by hiring someone to do the job for them. however, it is important to note that not all professionals are the same. 

When it comes to an estate of someone you care about, it’s important to hire an estate cleanout professional instead of a junk removal company. 

Junk removal is a great service, but sometimes the workers don’t have the expertise and presence of mind to do the job well. Oftentimes, junk removal companies come in and clear out boxes as quickly as they can without respecting the estate or environment they are in. With an estate cleanout specialist, you can expect a different level of service.

What to Expect from an Estate Cleanout Company

 If you’ve had a bad experience with movers or junk removal companies and you’re worried you will have a similarly negative experience, don’t worry. Professionals who specialize in estate cleanouts compared to the average junker, will provide a higher quality level of service. There is a special level of service that goes into being an estate cleanout company instead of a junk removal company and estate cleanout professionals understand that the expectations for them are much higher.

Here is what you can expect from a cleanout company: 

• They will help to sort and organize

• They are trained to keep an eye out for valuable belongings and will stop to check with the estate manager if it seems as though something in the trash pile should be saved.

• They donate and recycle items instead of junking every box. 

• In some cases they will buy items from the estate to sell which helps mitigate the cleanout costs for the estate

The most important thing you can expect from an estate cleanout company is that they understand what their customers are going through. Sometimes it is tough to downsize, move out or cleanout the property of a deceased loved one. A professional understands the environment and respects the needs of the individuals involved. 

The Costs of Hiring an Estate Cleanout Professional

At Sanford and Son, we’ve done estate cleanouts for over 20 years, so we understand that service is crucial, but we understand that price is a huge factor. Many are hesitant to even reach out to a professional because they don’t think they will be able to afford it but once they do call they realize the pricing is not as bad as they thought.  

Let’s discuss price and a few ways to save money on your project. 

The Cost

Hiring a cleanout company can cost anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousand depending on the size of the job. Most jobs fall on the lower end unless it is an entire estate cleanout or a hoarders estate. The cost really depends on the number of days to complete the job and the amount of manpower needed. A job that requires one person to load boxes into their truck for half a day is going to cost less than a job that requires a whole team to clear a house, barn and yard over the course of several days. 

The best way is to know for sure is to call and have a professional come out to give you an estimate. 

Money-Saving Tips

When it comes to cleaning out an estate, there are quite a few ways you can save when hiring the job out to a professional.

• Do as much as you can in advance. If a cleanout crew needs to sort, organize and wade through a maze of clutter in order to do their job, the job is going to take longer than if everything is packed up and ready to simply be hauled away.

• Ask if they are willing to buy any of the larger items. Some estate cleanout companies will buy items to sell on the estate’s behalf allowing the estate owner to recoup some of the expenses. Know that not everyone does this and it is up to the companies discretion. 

• Hire a locally-owned and operated estate cleanout company. Most people think the big national brands will offer the lowest prices but the truth is, they have much higher overhead costs they need to clear and often will over-estimate the job to ensure they earn a certain margin of profit just in case the job goes over. Local companies will give a more realistic estimate and won’t mind if they’ve underestimated the job slightly. 

It’s also important for homeowners and estate managers to count the costs. It may be cheaper to do the job oneself, but when you consider the time spent, time off work, travel time and hotel costs, the money saved ends up costing more than simply hiring a professional.

Don’t Let Estate Cleanouts Overwhelm You

The cleanout process is not always easy physically or mentally. When you start, especially if you are staring at a mountain of stuff, it can feel as though the job is too big. Even once you’ve begun it can be exhausting work and can really take its toll especially when dealing with a loved one’s loss.

But still, don’t let it overwhelm you. 

There are a couple of things that can help one get through a cleanout:

1. Get organized. 

2. Ask for help.

An organized job is an efficient job. And when it comes to cleanouts, the more help the better. Ask friends and family to help or know that companies like Sanford and Son are available as well.