Clearing a house or apartment to get it ready to sell is never an easy task especially if it’s a much-loved former family home. 

It isn’t just the scale of furniture and belongings that may need to be sorted through, it’s the memories they contain that can slow the process and make it hard to know where to begin.

In my 35 years as an agent, I’ve handled the sale of many homes that have been in the same family for generations.

Here are seven tips to help get you underway:

1. Start small. According to our latest client survey, more than half of downsizers have owned their home for over 20 years. If you are clearing a house that has been lived in for decades, the prospect may seem overwhelming. The important thing is to make a start somewhere, even if it’s just a single drawer. One thing leads to another.
2. Important paperwork. Search out any important documents such as deeds, planning permissions and policies, and put them, clearly labeled, in a safe place straight away.
3. Rope in a friend. It can be incredibly useful to have the support of someone who isn’t as emotionally attached to the property as you may be. So, if you have a friend or another member of the family who is willing to pitch in, take advantage of the offer.
4. Take notes. If you are able to get everyone together it’s an idea to go from room to room as a family, with each person stating which items they would like to keep. Make a note, and anything that isn’t claimed can be cleared.
5. Preserve your memories. Our survey also shows that it’s the simple things like photos, books and pictures that really make a house feel like home, so you’ll want to hang on to your favourites if you are moving somewhere new. But if everything you come across seems full of meaning, it may be helpful to consider whose memories you are preserving. Are they yours, or those of generations gone by? You could set aside a box for any curios and go through it later when the more mundane work is done and you have more time to reflect.
6. Be realistic about what can be donated or sold. Do your research: some items may have monetary value (paintings, LPs, wine, furniture), or perhaps they can be donated. Be realistic though, much may be destined for the local recycling centre.
7. Attics, sheds and gardens. All these can contain treasures, make sure you don’t leave them out. Plants can be evocative reminders of loved ones and past times, so remember to take cuttings and seeds for your future enjoyment and, potentially, to pass on.

While sometimes distressing, ultimately clearing a house can prove to be an emotional decluttering too, leaving a much clearer view of the people who once lived and loved there.

Further information

Contact Caroline Bell