Estate Cleanout Checklist (Free Printable PDF)

Disclaimer: General information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Requirements vary by state and by whether property is in probate or a trust.

Direct answer: Before you clear out a loved one’s home, confirm who has legal authority, secure documents and valuables, and notify key agencies. Then let family choose keepsakes, appraise high-value items, sell or donate what you can, and hire an estate cleanout company for the rest. Use the checklist below, or download the printable PDF.

TL;DR

  • Authority first: executor, administrator, or successor trustee.
  • Don’t throw out paperwork until tax and estate matters are handled.
  • Secure valuables, firearms, medications, keys, and mail.
  • Keepsakes → appraisals → sell → donate → cleanout.
  • Get written quotes for any paid service.

Phase 1: Before you remove anything

  • [ ] Confirm who has legal authority over the property (executor, administrator, or successor trustee). See the California Courts Self-Help Center or your state court’s site, and What to Do After a Loved One Dies.
  • [ ] Order certified copies of the death certificate (USA.gov explains how).
  • [ ] Make sure Social Security has been notified of the death (SSA says funeral homes usually report it; otherwise contact SSA).
  • [ ] Lock up the home, change locks if needed, and check homeowner’s insurance coverage for a vacant home.
  • [ ] Keep utilities on that you need for the cleanout; forward or monitor mail.
  • [ ] If an estate attorney is involved, ask what must be kept, inventoried, or valued before anything leaves.

Phase 2: Find and save important papers

  • [ ] Will, trust documents, and any letters of instruction
  • [ ] Deeds, vehicle titles, loan and mortgage papers
  • [ ] Bank, brokerage, retirement, and insurance statements
  • [ ] Recent tax returns and records (the IRS requires a final individual return for the year of death; see IRS guidance)
  • [ ] Bills, lists of online accounts, and subscription records
  • [ ] Funeral contracts and receipts (the FTC’s Funeral Rule gives you the right to itemized prices)
  • [ ] Shred sensitive papers only after the executor and any CPA confirm they’re no longer needed. See How to Choose a CPA for Estate and Trust Taxes.

Phase 3: Secure valuables and risky items

  • [ ] Jewelry, cash, coins, collectibles, and art
  • [ ] Firearms (follow your state’s transfer rules)
  • [ ] Prescription medications (use a take-back program)
  • [ ] Keys, garage remotes, and vehicles
  • [ ] Photograph rooms and valuable items before moving anything

Phase 4: Family keepsakes

  • [ ] Follow any specific gifts in the will or trust
  • [ ] Ask each family member for a written wish list
  • [ ] Set a fair method for choosing, and a deadline
  • [ ] Record who received what

Phase 5: Value and sell

Phase 6: Donate

  • [ ] Choose charities and confirm what they accept
  • [ ] Keep itemized receipts; IRS Publication 561 explains how donated property is valued
  • [ ] Ask your CPA how donations affect the estate’s taxes

Phase 7: Clear out the rest

Phase 8: Wrap up

  • [ ] Keep records of sales, donations, and expenses for the executor’s accounting
  • [ ] Return keys and remotes; cancel utilities and services when done
  • [ ] If the home will be sold, talk to a probate realtor

Sources