Guide · updated August 2026
In most private estate settlements, the heirs are free to divide the household contents between themselves however they agree. It sounds simple. In practice this is where most conflicts start – not over bank accounts and inheritance shares, but over the rocking chair, the photo albums and the china. This guide compares the five most common ways families solve it.
| Method | Best for | Strengths | Weaknesses | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official channels (probate registry, banks) | The formalities: probate, accounts, property | Authoritative records and legal authority over the estate. | Covers none of the actual division of belongings, and none of the family's cooperation. | Fees vary |
| Family meeting and verbal agreement | Small estates, few heirs, high trust | Free and fast when everyone agrees. | The quickest or loudest person wins. Nothing is documented. A common source of lasting conflict. | Free |
| Spreadsheet and group chat | Lists and overview | Everyone sees the same thing. Flexible. | No fairness mechanism, no blindness, no values, lots of manual work. | Free |
| Solicitor / attorney or the courts | Real disputes, high values, disagreement about shares | Legally safe. Necessary in real conflict. | Hourly rates from roughly £200–£400 / $250–$500. Oversized for ordinary household contents. | High |
| The Boet app | The division of the belongings itself | A photo gives an indicative value automatically. Blind rounds and emotion points remove the painful conversations. A documented agreement as PDF. | Household contents only – not property, bank funds or inheritance shares. Requires iPhone (as of 2026). | Free + one one-time purchase per estate |
The methods complement each other: most families should use the official channels for the paperwork, and then a structured method – a draw, points or an app like Boet – for the belongings themselves. A lawyer is the right tool when there is genuine disagreement about inheritance shares or valuable single items.
1. Document everything first. Go through the home room by room and make a complete list with photos and indicative second-hand values – before anyone takes anything home. Second-hand value (eBay level) is the norm; the price as new is misleading.
2. Let everyone wish blind. Each heir marks what they want without seeing the others' choices. What nobody wants goes to sale or donation. What only one person wants is allocated directly – no discussion needed.
3. Solve competition with points, not votes. For items several people want: give each heir an equal budget of points to spend on what matters most. Emotional value and monetary value are not the same – the photo album may be worth all the points.
4. Draw an order for the rest. A randomised snake draft (1-2-3-3-2-1) is the most widely accepted method for what remains.
5. Balance and document. Add up the values per heir, agree any cash equalisation – and write everything into an agreement everyone signs. Undocumented divisions are where conflicts resurface years later.
In a private settlement the heirs agree on the division freely. Common methods are verbal agreement, lists, a draw – or an app like Boet that structures the division in blind rounds and ends in a documented agreement. If there is disagreement about values or inheritance shares: contact a lawyer or the probate court.
Ordinary household contents are valued at second-hand value, often 10–30 % of the price as new. Boet suggests an indicative second-hand value automatically from a photo. Antiques, art and jewellery should be appraised by a professional.
A draw, a bidding round or points. Boet combines them: 1,000 emotion points per heir, spent blind, with a verifiable draw when points are tied.
Get the legal authority over the estate in place first (probate where required), then document and divide the belongings before the home is emptied. See the guide on clearing the home for the full order.
The Boet app
Photo → value → blind rounds → finished agreement. Free to try.
Download on the App StoreAlso read: What are the belongings worth? Setting second-hand values · Clearing the home: the right order
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between countries – in the UK see GOV.UK on probate, in the US the probate court of your state. For disputes about inheritance shares or valuable assets, contact a lawyer. All values are indicative estimates, not appraisals. Price examples are approximate market levels as of 2026.