Looking for some advice … i’d assume there must be a few on here who have had to deal with a similar situation so thought it worth a shot…..

My Nanna has just gone into a care home. She will not be returning home so we (me and my family ) have a house that needs clearing.

Where to start?! I guess there’s a lot of worthless gear suitable for charity shops, some old gear that could be worth money plus personal items to keep etc

Is it a case of MTFU, get in there and just get on with it??!!

Is it a case of MTFU, get in there and just get on with it??!!

Sadly, yes. Unless, of course, you know of certain key things which need to be found/transferred. A good bet is to ask the family of their positive memories of the house (Note, not to ask them what they wanted!)

Just beware of folk out to make a fast buck if you get ” House clearance specialists” in.

Recently had to clear out my mums house, me and my sister went through everything sorting out the more personal stuff we wanted to keep and the reasonable stuff for the charity shop. Then we got an auctioneer in to clear the rest of the house, they auctioned off the stuff that would sell and dumped the rubbish. A lot of the furniture (beds/settee etc) just got thrown away because it wasn’t flame retardant.

Ask people if there’s anything they want before it goes to charity shop/ auction house. It can be a really long few weeks trawling charity shops to try to find the one thing you really didn’t want to lose 🙁

Having done something the same for my folks place, 99% of the stuff is worth nothing – and the other 1% is worth keeping.

Two choices really, do it yourself or get a house clearance company in – but if you take the 2nd option at least take anything you (and the family) want first.

My Mum’s house is full of expensive paintings (including an etching by Turner) and she has obsessively documented everything ready for the day she shuffles off. The problem is going to be that although she and Dad paid a lot for the stuff, most of it isn’t collectable and we’re going to have a nightmare getting rid of it – I know because she’s already given me some Victorian and Georgian glassware (nothing special, very common items) and it ended up going on Ebay for £12 and a lot of effort on my part. Can’t wait!

This was a tough process for me. I had always been promised my Gran’s singer sewing machine it had fascinated me since being a toddler and I have loads if memories of her using it, the serial number started with my grandfathers initials so it reminded me of him too. It was known to be mine but my cousins spiteful wife nabbed it to piss me off, now it sits in her lounge with the cats climbing it and her brat kids playing with it the box has been thrown away and parts lost. I tried to get it back but it was twisted into me being the aggressor.

My point here is ask family members what they have been promised/would like and put post it notes or something.

Ha ha! Just disposing of my Mum’s cosy cottage in Wiltshire is going to be a nightmare; my brother and I will want the lolly but our sister wants to rent it out. She will have to buy us out.

Just been through this with my mums house. Stressful time but at the same time it’s a good process to go through. You just need to take it one room at a time. Different for you though as the person who owned the place is still alive.

We took masses to the charity shop and they came to pick up the bigger bits of furniture. Finally finished yesterday after painting the whole place. It’s a good feeling to get it done but be prepared for a lot if work.

Sorry to hear that, I was a bit luckier as dad is still ok and he was with me when I went through mums stuff, he didn’t want anything atall (which upset me – but then he spent about 60 years with her and I supect he’s lonely as hell), becuase my mum was a ‘giving person’, nurse and 15 years at Sue Ryder and RNLI work so a lot went to her peferred charities, I got a couple of small things I wanted and some stuff went to mums closest friends. Is it possible to get guidance from your nan ?

Maybe not the case in your circumstances (and my parents were in a small town and dad is still around) but if giving stuff to charity shops you might want to make it clear that you don’t want the stuff given out locally as your/nans friends/etc might see it.

Make sure your nan has all the bits she wants (and ask around all family members as they might remember things she doesn’t)

If relevant check the house insurance policy – it will likely have non occupancy clauses (not insured if empty for > 30 days etc) so you may have to deal with that.

Sorry to raise this but do you need to consider getting power of attorney, (*Scotland based info) the famiy solicitor told me it was easier(and cheaper) to do when the person is able to consent (otherwise it goes via courts) so in my case this is all in place – you don’t need to use it. This will let somebody manage affairs/money etc and bear in mind that even a simple will can lock up stuff for X months (7 in my case).

And yes it is pretty much mtfu I’m afraid, I’m lucky in that I can store stuff but when push comes to shove it’s keep/ebay/free ad yellow papers,preloved,gumtree, charity and skip/tip.

Stox, it’s a miserable position to be in. From my experience of doing my dad’s and grandad’s house, don’t get a house clearance company. You have to sort through everything for them in order to identify stuff you want to keep which sort of defeats the point. I think HCC’s rely on people not wanting to do that as they will keep anything they find of value for themselves.

Get a skip. Be ruthless. Clothes and books to the charity shops. Furniture on Gumtree or the skip. Maybe put things on the front garden with a sign saying free to takeaway. You really do need to check everything. Is that an old pot of poo pourri or a hideaway for a family heirloom gold watch? That really did happen to me.

Sorting through stuff yourself can also be a way of “letting go”

Hope that helps.

I think HCC’s rely on people not wanting to do that as they will keep anything they find of value for themselves.

Er, that’s why you don’t have to pay them – ‘cos every-so-often they make some money…

It depends on you having the time. I did and shifted 10 horseboxes (as in something the size of a Luton van) full down to the tip and out of that I reckon there is a couple of hundred’s worth of value.

For example, due to H&S and the like clearance places don’t even want dining-room chairs if they’ve any material on them.

Having just done this at my Uncle’s house I would suggest that you take a lot of care when sorting, we uncovered a huge amount of family history and some really amazing things from my Grandpa’s WWI service.

As others have said, second hand furniture is worth buttons, so we gave ours to his neighbours and friends who wanted things,

It’s a tough job to do, but yep, MTFU and crack on.