Bereavement Clearance Checklist

This checklist is for families clearing the home of someone who has died. There is no deadline on most of it and no need to do it all at once. Work through what applies to you, in any order, at your own pace. Tick items off as you go (your ticks are saved on this device), print it, or save it as a PDF.

This is general information, not legal advice. If you are the executor, speak to the solicitor handling the estate before disposing of anything of value.

1. First Steps

• Make sure the property is locked and secure, and know who has keys.
• Empty the fridge and freezer and take out bins.
• Contact the home insurer to check cover for an empty or unattended property.
• If the home was rented, contact the landlord or housing authority and ask about any deadline for returning the keys.
• Arrange post redirection (see the An Post page).
• Check the position on probate with the solicitor handling the estate (see clearing a house before probate).

2. Agree as a Family

• Decide who is making decisions, and who the main contact will be.
• Agree a time for everyone who wants to to walk through the house before anything is moved.
• Agree how keepsakes will be shared.
• Include relatives who live abroad by video call or shared photographs.

3. Find and Set Aside

• Will and legal papers, house deeds.
• Insurance, pension, bank, savings, credit union and tax papers.
• Passports, birth and marriage certificates, medical cards.
• Jewellery, watches, coins, medals, cash, and small valuables in drawers, pockets and tins.
• Photographs, letters, diaries and albums.
• Phones, tablets and computers (keep safe, do not wipe).
• Keys for sheds, garages, safes and any storage unit.
• Check the attic, garage, shed and any storage unit, as they are the places most often forgotten.

4. Sort in Rounds

• Walk through the house first without moving anything.
• Photograph the main items and rooms.
• Keepsakes: family members choose what matters to them.
• Useful items in good condition: furniture, linen, kitchenware, clothing for family, friends or charity.
• A "not yet" box for anything nobody can decide on.
• Everything else is left for the clearance team.

5. Arranging the Clearance

• Take photos or a short video of every room, and the attic, garage and shed.
• Get a free quote. A quote is not a booking.
• Ask for the company's waste collection permit number and proof of insurance.
• Ask whether items can be set aside for the family to look through.
• Tell them if donation matters to you.
• Choose a date that suits the family, and any solicitor or landlord deadline.
• Decide whether you want to be there, or to arrange access and leave them to it.

6. After the Clearance

• Walk through the property and check it has been left tidy.
• Check you have all the keys.
• Pass the keys to the executor, the solicitor, the landlord or the estate agent as needed.
• Record what was done and when for the executor or solicitor.

More Help

• Clearing a loved one's home: a guide for families
• Executor's checklist, with a free downloadable asset inventory
• Our bereavement clearance service

When You Are Ready

There is no rush to book. If it would help to have a quote so you know where you stand, send photos on WhatsApp or use the form below.