Guide · updated August 2026
A whole life has to leave a home. That is hard enough emotionally – and on top of it lurk two traps: values being thrown away because nobody knew what they were worth, and memories disappearing before everyone got to see them. Both are avoided with one rule: the right order.
The mistake almost everyone makes is starting with the bin bags. But an estate is emptied last in the process. Only when everything is documented and divided do you know what is actually left over.
✔ Find and gather important documents: the will, bank papers, insurance policies, deeds, loan agreements.
✔ Put valuables (jewellery, cash, silver, art) safely aside – ideally in a bank deposit box or with a neutral party, with a list all the heirs receive.
✔ Check that the home insurance is still running – an empty house without insurance is a risk.
✔ Agree who has keys, and agree that nobody takes anything home yet.
✔ Stop what leaks money: subscriptions, utilities on old terms, redirect the post.
Go through the home room by room and photograph everything of value or meaning – including what “only” has sentimental value. This gives three wins: nobody can later claim something “disappeared”, heirs who live far away get to see everything, and you get the basis for the division. The Boet app is built for exactly this: photograph the items as you go, and you get names, categories and indicative second-hand values in the same pass – shared with the whole family.
Now – while everything is still in the house – divide the belongings. Use a method that does not require anyone to “dare to ask” for the things they love: in the Boet method everyone wishes blind, emotion points decide the contested items, and the result is a signed division agreement. What does not find a new owner moves on to phase 4 with a clear conscience.
| Channel | What | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| eBay / Marketplace | Furniture, white goods, sports equipment | Expect prices well below new – and that collection takes time |
| Auction (local salerooms) | Art, antiques, silver, jewellery | Many houses give free valuations – never discard “old things” unchecked |
| Donation (charity shops) | Usable clothes, books, housewares | Some collect larger loads free of charge |
| “Free to collector” | What is too good for the skip | Surprisingly effective – people collect the same day |
| Recycling | The rest | Household recycling centres are often free or cheap; sort in advance |
| Yourselves | House clearance firm | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Skip hire (typically a few hundred) + time and energy | From roughly £500–£1,500 / $700–$2,000 for a flat – varies a lot; insist on a viewing and a fixed price |
| Fits when | There are several of you, you live nearby, and the estate is manageable | Far away, a large estate, little time – or when your strength does not stretch |
| Note | Agree the division of labour in writing – uneven effort breeds bitterness | Divide the belongings BEFORE the firm arrives. Some firms offer valuations – check what commission they take |
Either way: the costs belong to the estate, not to individual heirs. Enter them in the estate's accounts before the inheritance is distributed.
Securing can (and should) happen immediately. Everything else waits until the legal authority over the estate is in place and you agree on the approach. Clearing comes last of all – after documentation and division.
The photo documentation solves it: with everything in a shared app, the sister who lives abroad can wish, bid emotion points and sign the agreement without travelling. Nobody needs a representative on division day.
Keep all financial and legal papers until the estate is settled and the final tax position is confirmed. Personal letters and photographs: never discard unseen – let every heir have a say, and consider scanning before deciding.
Sales proceeds belong to the estate and go into the same pot as the rest of the inheritance. Write who sold what into the estate's accounts – tidiness here prevents suspicion later.
The Boet app
Photograph room by room, share with the family, and divide fairly with blind wishes and emotion points. A shared checklist for the clearing job is built in – free.
Download on the App StoreAlso read: What are the belongings worth? · Dividing an estate: five methods
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Prices are indicative estimates as of 2026 and vary with location, size and market – always obtain specific quotes.