Complete House Clearance Guide

House clearing can be an overwhelming task, whether you're clearing out your own home or that of a loved one. It involves sorting through and disposing of all the possessions in a home, which can be a daunting task. However, with a little bit of planning and organisation, the process can be made much more manageable. In this guide, we'll take you through the steps of house clearance, and provide you with some top tips and advice. 

Work Out How Much Time you Need

First plan ahead, you need to estimate how long the house clearance will take. You need to do this so you can plan when you intend to carry out the house clearance. A good rule of thumb is to allow half a day for two people to clear one room. Always give yourself more time to stop any stress that may occur. Obviously the more people helping or the smaller the room, the less time it will take. So call up a family member and a few friends for a more efficient house clearance. 

Decide What items You Want to Keep

Now comes the hard bit, deciding what you want and what you don't want. Go through the items you have removed from the rooms and be honest with yourself, "will I use or need this in the next 6 months", "does this item hold sentimental value" if the answer is no it is time to get rid of it. Be brutal in this process, the more stuff you get rid of the easier it will be for your house move or renovation. You could even employ a traffic light system using coloured stickers. Green sticks placed on items your keeping, yellow for items your unsure of and for items that are going. 

Dispose of items You Do Not Want

So once you have decided what you are keeping and what you are not, there are a few options for disposing of these items:

Sell

If there are things in good working order why not sell them. There are plenty of selling sites and online marketplaces on the internet, including eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Take some pictures of the items, write a description, set a price and watch the bids come flying in. If you do not want the hassle of posting items select "collection only". Selling unwanted household items is a great way to clear a house (especially of valuable items) and increases your bank balance. Also you will be surprised what you can sell on the internet so do some research on the item before you look at another method of disposal. Get the most of the items resale value! 

Donate

Another excellent option to get rid of unwanted items is to donate them to local charities or local charity shops. They will accept a huge array of things, you may just need to double check with your local shop if they accept electronics. Some charity shops will even collect larger items from your property including large pieces of furniture. Donating helps you, by clearing your house but also helps a good cause. 

Recycle

For items that are broken or are just broken always look to see if you can recycle before you put them in the general waste bin. Easily recyclable materials include: plastic, metals, wood, ceramics, glass etc. You can take these items to your local recycling centre and dispose of them in an environmentally friendly manner.

Bulky Waste Collection

For larger bulky items and electrical appliances you can have them collected by the local council, these are called bulky waste collections and offered by most councils. 

Bulky items include:

• Furniture

• Mattresses

• Large Electrical Appliances

• Bed Frames

• Sofas

Council collections will not be free and therefore come at a cost, but can be a good option for those who do not have a suitable vehicle to transport large waste.

General Waste Disposal

After all the methods above if you are still left over with unwanted items or general rubbish you will need to dispose of via landfill. You can try and fill your household waste bin, however chances are you will have too much waste and it will not fit.

Other options include: 

Hire a Skip: Skip hire will allow you to dispose of a large quantity of waste in one go. Just make sure the items you intend on putting in the skip are allowed.

Hire a House Clearance Service: You can hire a house clearance company to come and clear the house for you. These companies will clear all the unwanted waste for you. This professional house clearance service will cost more then doing it yourself but will save you the hassle. If you are opting for a professional house clearance service, make sure it is the right house clearance company, getting a good price and avoiding any cowboy operators who may be fly tipping. For a reputable company ask around and look at the reviews. 

Hire a Man and Van Service: If you want to get rid of a large quantity of waste you could opt for a man and van service, they will come and collect the unwanted waste from your property. Again you will be paying more for this service but it will be saving you time and stress. With any company taking your waste away please make sure they are a registered waste carrier and properly licensed.

Give the House a Good Clean

After you have cleared the house clearance has been finished give the house a good clean. Before you start putting stuff back, whilst you have the chance spruce the place up. You are going to have more space to get in and behind things and make everything sparkle. Basically leave the house clean. 

Final Check

Before you leave the property, it's a good idea to do a final check to ensure that everything has been cleared and cleaned. Check all cupboards, drawers, and closets to make sure that nothing has been left behind, especially personal items with your details on, like old bank statements, health records or bills.. You should also check for any damage that may have occurred during the whole property clearance process. (Also check the garden shed, it is part of the property and many people forget to clear that out too)

Reasons for House Clearances

The main two reasons people are going through a house clearance is they are moving house from the one they own or to sell a house of a deceased relative. Other reasons for a household clearance may include a house renovation, preparing a house for rent or just a general tidy.

Summary - House Clearance Guide

House clearance can be a challenging task, but with proper planning and organisation, it can be made much easier. By following these steps, you can ensure that the process goes smoothly and that everything is taken care of properly. Don't hesitate to seek help from friends or professionals if you need it. With a little bit of effort, you can successfully clear out a home and move on to the next chapter.