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When you lose a close family member, it's obviously the start of a difficult time. The grief itself is hard enough to cope with, but if you're even partly responsible for sorting out the practical side of things, it's a lot of extra stress on top.
One of the things people often find toughest is clearing out the home of the deceased person. It's not something that usually needs to be done immediately, but if the person lived alone, it will have to be sorted fairly soon. Here are some tips to help you make the process just that little bit easier.
Give yourself plenty of time
House clearance is not a job that should be rushed. It's likely to make you feel emotional, and trying to speed through it will only make things worse. It's a good idea to set yourself a goal for finishing on a certain date, but be prepared to take a bit longer if you need to. That way, you'll have something to aim for, but you won't be setting yourself up for more upset if you don't quite make it on time.
Get some support
Because it's likely to be a bit upsetting, it's best if you have someone with you while you go through the house and sort all the items there. Even if it's someone who can't do much to help, or even if you'd rather do it yourself, having someone to talk to and keep you calm is a good idea. Choose somebody you're close enough to that you can tell them how you're feeling, and who will be strong enough to give you emotional support when you need it.
Have a plan
Instead of just tackling each room randomly, set a plan so you can work through everything methodically. If one of the rooms is likely to make you more sentimental, it might be best to do it first. Start each room by sorting things according to whether they'll be sold, donated or thrown away, and then get rid of the rubbish before you do anything else.
Make use of professionals
Even if you do a lot of the work yourself, it's a good idea to contact a deceased estates clearance company. They can be really helpful in dealing with the items you'd like to sell or donate.
If there are antiques or other valuables in the home, make sure you get a company that specialises in items of value so you get someone who understands what things are worth.
Share15 August 2018
