Home clearing can be a very overwhelming task that most people don’t know where to start. So here are some of Compassionate Home Clearing’s top tips to help you and make this difficult task a little less difficult!
- Start with the Essentials: Knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Begin by looking for all valuable items and documents and put them in a safe place to avoid misplacing them
- PPE: Prioritise using Personal Protective Equipment, this is an emotional time but remember your physical health. AIm to have gloves, a P2 mask and if possible an air purifier to protect yourself from mould and dust
- Goal Setting: Set your goals early. This will help you when making decisions during the clearing process. Goals could include timeframes, number of items donated, number of items sold, avoiding landfill
- Self Care: Be prepared for the emotions and memories both good and bad will come flooding back. Clearing a loved one’s home can be an emotional rollercoaster. Take regular breaks and be kind to yourself
- Hidden Treasures: If you are planning to sell items to antique dealers or second-hand shops, get them to come through the house early. It can be surprising as to what they want to buy
- Organisation: Create a space in the house so you have room to categorise all items. Have areas for keeping, donating, recycling and waste.
- Be Realistic: If you’re selling items, just remember that what someone paid for it back then probably isn’t what it’s worth now. Unfortunately, most things just aren’t worth as much anymore
- Community Pages: If you are wanting to donate items, research if your local area has any community facebook pages that you can join. Items can then be donated directly to individuals as well as using charity op shops
- Think Outside the Box: If you have exhausted all other options and items need to go into landfill, prior to booking a skip bin or taking items to the tip, contact your local council to see if they do a free hard waste collection.
- Communication & Organisation: If you have been designated the role of clearing the home on behalf of someone else, remember the importance of communications surrounding key decisions and progress. Photograph and keep a log of what has been sold or donated.
Good luck and happy home clearing/decluttering!
