Change the locks. Set lights on timers. Notify the home insurance company immediately (standard policies may void coverage after 30 to 60 days of vacancy). Arrange vacant home insurance if needed ($2,000 to $5,000/year). Keep the heat on in winter to prevent frozen pipes. Arrange for mail to be forwarded or held. The home is an estate asset and the executor has a fiduciary duty to protect it.

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Before anything else leaves the home, locate the will, insurance policies, bank statements, investment account information, tax returns, property deed, mortgage documents, safe deposit box keys, passwords and login credentials, pension and benefit paperwork and any outstanding bills. Check the filing cabinet, the home office desk, the bedroom nightstand and any safe or lockbox. These documents are needed immediately by the estate lawyer and accountant. Set them aside in a single box and remove them from the home.

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Before sorting or clearing anything, invite all family members (siblings, children, grandchildren) to walk through the home and identify items they would like to keep. Set a clear deadline: 2 to 4 weeks. After the deadline, unclaimed items move into the donate, sell or dispose categories.

If the will specifies who receives certain items, honour those designations first. For items not mentioned in the will, the executor decides based on fairness and practicality. If siblings disagree, the executor's decision is final. Document everything in writing to protect yourself as executor. My estate sales guide covers executor responsibilities in detail.

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The will, property deeds, insurance policies, tax returns (last 7 years), bank and investment statements, pension paperwork, mortgage documents, vehicle titles and any contracts or legal correspondence. The estate lawyer and accountant need these to settle the estate. Keep originals. Shred duplicates and outdated documents (utility bills, expired warranties, old bank statements beyond 7 years) after confirming with the lawyer that they are not needed.

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Family photos, handwritten letters, diaries, military records, immigration documents, birth and marriage certificates, religious items with personal significance and any items specifically mentioned in the will. These are irreplaceable and should be distributed among family members or kept in a single archival box by the executor. Scan photos and documents digitally as a backup. My emotional downsizing guide covers how to navigate the sentimental decisions.

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Jewellery, art, antiques, coin collections, stamp collections, firearms (must be transferred according to Ontario law), vehicles and any items that may have significant resale value. Have valuable items appraised before deciding whether to keep, sell or distribute. The appraised value is also needed for the estate's tax filing. Do not assume something is worthless because it looks old. Equally, do not assume something is valuable because it looks old. Get a professional opinion.

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After family members have claimed what they want, the remaining furniture, kitchenware, linens, clothing and household items in good condition should be donated. Habitat for Humanity ReStore, the Salvation Army and Diabetes Canada all offer free pickup in Richmond Hill and Markham. My Richmond Hill donation guide and Markham donation guide list every local option.

Tax benefit: Registered charities issue tax receipts for donated items. The receipts can offset estate tax liabilities. Keep a detailed list with photos and estimated fair market values. Ask your estate accountant how to apply the donation credit on the estate's tax return.

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Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, shower chairs, hospital beds, CPAP machines and other medical equipment in working condition are needed by community health organizations, the Red Cross Medical Equipment Loan Program and local seniors' centres. These items are expensive to purchase and deeply appreciated by recipients. Contact the charity before donating to confirm what they accept and any sanitization requirements.

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An estate sale company comes to the home, prices everything, advertises the sale, manages the event (typically a 2 to 3-day weekend sale) and handles the transactions. They take a commission (typically 30% to 40% of gross sales). This is the best option when the home contains a large volume of items with resale value: furniture, collectibles, tools, artwork, kitchenware, books and vintage items.

When it makes sense: The home is full of items that have individual resale value. The total estimated sales would exceed $5,000. The estate can wait 2 to 4 weeks for the sale to be organized and executed. The home has not yet been listed for sale (an estate sale draws foot traffic through the home, which is not ideal during the listing period).

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For individual high-value items (furniture, electronics, collectibles, tools), listing on Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji can generate more than a bulk estate sale. Price items competitively based on comparable listings. Include clear photos and honest descriptions. Be prepared to negotiate and arrange pickup times.

When it makes sense: You have 5 to 15 specific items worth $100+ each. You have time (2 to 4 weeks) to manage listings, respond to inquiries and coordinate pickups. You are comfortable with strangers coming to the home (or arrange public meeting spots for smaller items).

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For jewellery, art, antiques, coins, stamps, vintage watches, fine china and collectibles with significant value, use a specialist. Jewellery appraisers and estate jewellers in Richmond Hill and Markham can assess pieces and offer purchase or consignment. Antique dealers handle furniture, art and collectibles. Consignment means they sell on your behalf and take a percentage (typically 40% to 50%). Direct purchase means a lower price but immediate cash.

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Most household items have very low resale value. A used sofa that cost $3,000 might sell for $200 on Marketplace. A set of dishes worth $500 new might sell for $30. If the time and effort to photograph, list, negotiate, wait for buyers and arrange pickup exceeds the value recovered, donate instead and take the tax receipt. The donation tax credit may be worth more than the sale proceeds and it takes a fraction of the time. Reserve selling for items genuinely worth the effort ($100+ per item).

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Collect all prescription and over-the-counter medications from the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom nightstand and any other locations throughout the home. Elderly parents often have medications in multiple rooms. Return everything to any pharmacy in Richmond Hill or Markham for safe disposal. Never flush medications down the toilet or put them in the garbage. Sharps (needles, syringes) must go in a puncture-proof container and be returned to a pharmacy.

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Estate homes often have decades of accumulated paint cans, solvents, motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides, pool chemicals and propane tanks in the garage and basement. All hazardous. All must go to a York Region Household Hazardous Waste Depot. Free for residents. Do not put in regular garbage. Do not pour down the drain. My keep, donate, dump and dispose guide covers every hazardous category.

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Computers, tablets, phones and external hard drives contain personal data: banking information, passwords, correspondence, photos and potentially sensitive documents. Before disposing of any device, factory reset it or have the hard drive professionally wiped or physically destroyed. A local computer repair shop can do this for $20 to $50 per device.

Once wiped, working devices can be donated. Non-working electronics are e-waste: drop off at Best Buy, Staples or a York Region Community Environmental Centre for free recycling.

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After family claims, donations and sales, the remaining items are typically broken furniture, worn-out mattresses, stained or damaged textiles, outdated magazines and newspapers, empty boxes, dried-out garden supplies and general accumulated clutter. These go to curbside bulk pickup (free, limited items per collection) or the York Region transfer station ($10 to $80 by weight). For a full-house cleanout, a junk removal company ($600 to $800+ for a full truck) is the fastest option. My disposal guide covers every option and cost.

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Consider a professional estate cleanout service when the family lives out of town and cannot manage the process in person, when the volume is overwhelming (a home lived in for 40+ years), when there is a tight timeline (the home needs to be listed for sale quickly), when hoarding or excessive accumulation makes the job beyond a family effort, or when the emotional burden is too heavy for family members to handle alone.

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Professional estate cleanout services in the Richmond Hill and Markham area typically charge $2,000 to $8,000 depending on the size of the home, the volume of contents and whether the service includes sorting, donating, selling and disposing or just hauling everything away. Some companies offer a full-service package: they sort items for the family (keep pile, donate pile, sell pile, dump pile), coordinate donations, manage an estate sale and haul the remainder. This is the most expensive but most comprehensive option and well worth it when time is limited.

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Secure the home and arrange insurance. Locate important documents. Invite family to walk through and claim items. Set the family claim deadline (end of week 4).

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After the family claim period, sort remaining items room by room. Appraise valuables. Decide what goes to estate sale, what goes to donation, what goes to disposal. Tag or label items clearly.

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Hold the estate sale or list items online. Schedule donation pickups. Bring hazardous waste to the depot. Schedule junk removal for everything else. Goal: the home is empty and clean by the end of week 6.

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With the home empty, decide on cosmetic updates (paint, cleaning, minor repairs), stage if appropriate, photograph and list. My estate sales guide covers the listing process, pricing strategy and tax considerations from this point forward.

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