In brief: Work in stages: secure the will and valuables, get anything potentially valuable appraised before you part with it, let family choose, donate the good furniture to a family, then sell or clear the rest. You do not have to do it all yourself; estate-clearance services can run the whole job, and Furniture Bank commonly handles the donation part. Take the valuables step seriously, because things get discarded that should have been appraised.
Where to begin
Clearing a parent’s home, especially after a death, is a large and emotional task, and the way to make it manageable is to work in order rather than all at once. The single most important rule comes first: do not throw anything away until the valuables have been identified. Estates routinely lose real money because a piece was sent to the curb before anyone realised what it was. If you are the executor, you also have a duty to the estate and to the other beneficiaries to handle its contents responsibly, which is another reason to slow down at the start. Working in clear stages protects you as much as it protects the value in the home.The stages, in order
| Stage | What you do | Who helps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Secure and document | Locate the will, secure valuables and papers, photograph rooms before anything moves | Executor, family |
| 2. Identify the valuable | Have antiques, art, or jewellery appraised before deciding anything | Appraiser or estate service |
| 3. Let family choose | Distribute the pieces relatives want, in keeping with the will | Family |
| 4. Donate the good pieces | Send usable furniture no one is keeping to a family | Furniture Bank |
| 5. Sell or clear the rest | Sell valuables, then clear what remains | Estate sale or clearance service |
