[Help] Complete House Clearance Recommendations

Westdene Seagull said:

Long story short ... my parents have both died in the last four months. I now need to get to get their house cleared of any remaining 'stuff' - it includes clothes, furniture, cooking items, knickknacks, garden stuff and general stuff old people have collected over the years. I'm arranging for Emmaus to come round to take what they would like but does anyone have a recommendation for a company that will clear the rest ( probably zero value ) stuff ? A company that won't just dump it on the Downs and has a licence please !

Click to expand...

arewethereyet? said:

Sussex House Clearances, used them last year, terrific guy’s and did a wonderful job clearing my mum’s flat.

sussexhouseclearances.co.uk

Click to expand...

maltaseagull said:

Sorry for your loss.

It might be worth contacting a charity. Salvation Army?
When we cleared my Father's flat I am pretty sure they took a lot.

Mind you that was over 20 years ago and things have changed.

Click to expand...

Westdene Seagull said:

Long story short ... my parents have both died in the last four months. I now need to get to get their house cleared of any remaining 'stuff' - it includes clothes, furniture, cooking items, knickknacks, garden stuff and general stuff old people have collected over the years. I'm arranging for Emmaus to come round to take what they would like but does anyone have a recommendation for a company that will clear the rest ( probably zero value ) stuff ? A company that won't just dump it on the Downs and has a licence please !

Click to expand...

portlock seagull said:

Firstly I’m very sorry for your loss.

Just gone through this stage (how much “crap” btw did you ask/tell you parents not to stick in the loft, spare room, garage etc many years ago and now it’s all destined for landfill?!!! Could curse mine, really could!)

Anyway, avoid the major charities like Brit Heart Foundation. They will charge you thousands to take away, and to be clear, anything they sell they keep proceeds from too. People like to think of big charities as the right thing to do, but they have to pay staff just like any corporate and therefore have to make a profit. So unless you’ve got big pockets, don’t use for this task. It’ll be the same as donating £2-3k and you might as well do that directly as book ‘em to clear your folks place at your otherwise expense.

Also, don’t listen to the scores of people that will tell you stuff is worth something. It generally isn’t and they don’t know what they’re talking about. Watch a programme like Antique traders and how much items are worth. Ie they’re NOT! If you’ve got all the time in the world and are prepared to go through the enormous hassle of photographing, listing, putting a value on and taking to auction etc numerous items (many of which won’t sell) all for ‘a fiver’ then granted for ahead and do so. But generally the VAST amount of ‘stuff’ most people including our parents generation have accumulated is worthless. That’s because eg people live in smaller spaces, furniture is constantly in and out of fashion, people don’t want second hand despite a few ‘trends’ the age of consumerism means there’s an abundance of ‘stuff’ out there already that you just can’t give away never mind sell. Not forgetting covid saw everyone empty their attics flooding the markets with ‘stuff’

Seriously, take whatever has sentimental value or known obvious value (any Gainsboroughs, Turners etc!) and everything else either let the clearance company take or start with a skip. It will save you a lot of time and heartache. The boomers were the first generation to live through FMCG and consumerism and accumulated huge amounts of ‘stuff’ therefore. But the next generations live in smaller spaces and don’t want all the ‘brown’ antique reproduction or reAl stuff. Dinner sets etc you can pick up for tuppence at supermarkets so not desired either. Plus loads of H&S regs that prevent you donating sofas, beds etc anyway!

I don’t think there’s such a phrase as “selling the family silver” anymore. We tried after all. Fact is, no one wants it even for free. Bitcoin is more the thing now but was a beyond my parents generation sadly!

Good luck! It’s a painful emotional job too, you have my sympathy. Not easy if they lived there for a long time like mine did and it’s full of memories and ghosts.

Click to expand...

portlock seagull said:

Firstly I’m very sorry for your loss.

Just gone through this stage (how much “crap” btw did you ask/tell you parents not to stick in the loft, spare room, garage etc many years ago and now it’s all destined for landfill?!!! Could curse mine, really could!)

Anyway, avoid the major charities like Brit Heart Foundation. They will charge you thousands to take away, and to be clear, anything they sell they keep proceeds from too. People like to think of big charities as the right thing to do, but they have to pay staff just like any corporate and therefore have to make a profit. So unless you’ve got big pockets, don’t use for this task. It’ll be the same as donating £2-3k and you might as well do that directly as book ‘em to clear your folks place at your otherwise expense.

Also, don’t listen to the scores of people that will tell you stuff is worth something. It generally isn’t and they don’t know what they’re talking about. Watch a programme like Antique traders and how much items are worth. Ie they’re NOT! If you’ve got all the time in the world and are prepared to go through the enormous hassle of photographing, listing, putting a value on and taking to auction etc numerous items (many of which won’t sell) all for ‘a fiver’ then granted for ahead and do so. But generally the VAST amount of ‘stuff’ most people including our parents generation have accumulated is worthless. That’s because eg people live in smaller spaces, furniture is constantly in and out of fashion, people don’t want second hand despite a few ‘trends’ the age of consumerism means there’s an abundance of ‘stuff’ out there already that you just can’t give away never mind sell. Not forgetting covid saw everyone empty their attics flooding the markets with ‘stuff’

Seriously, take whatever has sentimental value or known obvious value (any Gainsboroughs, Turners etc!) and everything else either let the clearance company take or start with a skip. It will save you a lot of time and heartache. The boomers were the first generation to live through FMCG and consumerism and accumulated huge amounts of ‘stuff’ therefore. But the next generations live in smaller spaces and don’t want all the ‘brown’ antique reproduction or reAl stuff. Dinner sets etc you can pick up for tuppence at supermarkets so not desired either. Plus loads of H&S regs that prevent you donating sofas, beds etc anyway!

I don’t think there’s such a phrase as “selling the family silver” anymore. We tried after all. Fact is, no one wants it even for free. Bitcoin is more the thing now but was a beyond my parents generation sadly!

Good luck! It’s a painful emotional job too, you have my sympathy. Not easy if they lived there for a long time like mine did and it’s full of memories and ghosts.

Click to expand...

portlock seagull said:

Firstly I’m very sorry for your loss.

Just gone through this stage (how much “crap” btw did you ask/tell you parents not to stick in the loft, spare room, garage etc many years ago and now it’s all destined for landfill?!!! Could curse mine, really could!)

Anyway, avoid the major charities like Brit Heart Foundation. They will charge you thousands to take away, and to be clear, anything they sell they keep proceeds from too. People like to think of big charities as the right thing to do, but they have to pay staff just like any corporate and therefore have to make a profit. So unless you’ve got big pockets, don’t use for this task. It’ll be the same as donating £2-3k and you might as well do that directly as book ‘em to clear your folks place at your otherwise expense.

Also, don’t listen to the scores of people that will tell you stuff is worth something. It generally isn’t and they don’t know what they’re talking about. Watch a programme like Antique traders and how much items are worth. Ie they’re NOT! If you’ve got all the time in the world and are prepared to go through the enormous hassle of photographing, listing, putting a value on and taking to auction etc numerous items (many of which won’t sell) all for ‘a fiver’ then granted for ahead and do so. But generally the VAST amount of ‘stuff’ most people including our parents generation have accumulated is worthless. That’s because eg people live in smaller spaces, furniture is constantly in and out of fashion, people don’t want second hand despite a few ‘trends’ the age of consumerism means there’s an abundance of ‘stuff’ out there already that you just can’t give away never mind sell. Not forgetting covid saw everyone empty their attics flooding the markets with ‘stuff’

Seriously, take whatever has sentimental value or known obvious value (any Gainsboroughs, Turners etc!) and everything else either let the clearance company take or start with a skip. It will save you a lot of time and heartache. The boomers were the first generation to live through FMCG and consumerism and accumulated huge amounts of ‘stuff’ therefore. But the next generations live in smaller spaces and don’t want all the ‘brown’ antique reproduction or reAl stuff. Dinner sets etc you can pick up for tuppence at supermarkets so not desired either. Plus loads of H&S regs that prevent you donating sofas, beds etc anyway!

I don’t think there’s such a phrase as “selling the family silver” anymore. We tried after all. Fact is, no one wants it even for free. Bitcoin is more the thing now but was a beyond my parents generation sadly!

Good luck! It’s a painful emotional job too, you have my sympathy. Not easy if they lived there for a long time like mine did and it’s full of memories and ghosts.

Click to expand...

Westdene Seagull said:

Absolutely get where you're coming from on the loft .... if you want an accordion ( no idea why they had it ), a Dragon 32 computer or a non-working train set PM me - I can help ! Loads of other stuff as well.

Thank you though - it's a strange time - it's the things like clothes that are the hardest to deal with. Hence the requirement just to get one company / person to take everything. I'd rather it didn't go to landfill though - my father was a long serving Brighton Lion and would have hated the thought that his possessions didn't go to help anyone else.

Click to expand...

Westdene Seagull said:

Absolutely get where you're coming from on the loft .... if you want an accordion ( no idea why they had it ), a Dragon 32 computer or a non-working train set PM me - I can help ! Loads of other stuff as well.

Thank you though - it's a strange time - it's the things like clothes that are the hardest to deal with. Hence the requirement just to get one company / person to take everything. I'd rather it didn't go to landfill though - my father was a long serving Brighton Lion and would have hated the thought that his possessions didn't go to help anyone else.

Click to expand...

WATFORD zero said:

Sorry to hear of your loss.

We have just been doing similar for one of my wife's family who has just gone into a home. We found that an Auction House took anything they thought would get a reasonable price at auction, but then we have had to spend a LOT of time boxing and bagging up clothes, bed linen, curtains, kitchenware, cutlery etc etc and taking it to charity shops. Admittedly, this was Glasgow, but they were all pleased to take it (including an Emmaus who I've always thought were local !).

The furniture that was left (three piece suite, couple of Big sofas, Beds etc) we have had to pay a significant amount to have taken away as charities just didn't seem to be interested due to fire labels etc. Sorry, no suggestions for what you are looking for but we found you have to pack the stuff yourself and take to charity shops, as clearance just seems to clear and dump.

Click to expand...