ESTATE CLEANOUT PLANNING GUIDE

Cleaning out an entire property is a big job. Maybe you just lost a family member. Maybe you're helping an aging parent downsize. Maybe you bought a foreclosure and now you're staring at a house full of someone else's stuff. No matter the reason, you need a plan.

This guide walks you through every room in the house with an interactive checklist. You'll flag each item as something to keep, donate, sell, or have removed. At the end, you'll get a summary you can text directly to us for a quote. No phone tag, no awkward conversations. Just a list and a price.

BEFORE YOU START

A few things to handle before you start sorting through the house:

• Secure the property. Change the locks if needed. Make sure the power and water are on so you can see what you're working with.
• Check for valuables first. Walk the entire property before throwing anything away. People hide cash in books, jewelry in coat pockets, and important documents in the strangest places. Open every drawer, check every pocket, look under every mattress.
• Photograph everything. Before you move or remove anything, take photos room by room. This protects you if there's a dispute later, and it helps with insurance or estate accounting.
• Identify hazardous materials early. Old paint cans, pool chemicals, pesticides, propane tanks, cleaning solvents — these can't go in a regular load. Our interactive checklist below flags these items so you know what needs special handling.
• Set a realistic timeline. A three-bedroom house takes most people 3-5 days to sort through. A packed hoarder home can take weeks. Don't rush decisions you'll regret.

If you're dealing with an estate after a death, take the time you need. There's no award for speed here. But when you're ready, having a room-by-room checklist makes the whole process manageable instead of overwhelming.

HOW TO USE THIS TOOL

Go room by room. For each item, pick one of four categories:

• Keep — You're taking this with you or storing it.
• Donate — It's in good enough shape for Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, or Salvation Army. Check our Donation vs. Dump Guide to know what qualifies.
• Sell — Worth enough to list on Facebook Marketplace or offer to an estate buyer. We actually buy estate contents — furniture, tools, appliances, collectibles — if you'd rather skip the hassle.
• Remove — Junk. Broken. Worn out. We'll haul it away.

Items flagged with a warning icon are hazardous materials that require special disposal. We'll let you know how to handle each one.

THE COST QUESTION

Estate cleanout pricing depends on volume. A single truckload of furniture and boxes? That's a straightforward job starting at $75. A whole house packed floor to ceiling? That's a multi-day project, and we'll give you an honest quote before we touch anything.

Here's how it works with us: text photos of what needs to go, and we'll text back a price. No in-home estimates required for most jobs. No hidden fees. No surprises on the bill.

We've been doing property cleanouts across West Central Florida since 2018. We're insured, we show up on time, and we don't leave a mess behind. That's the deal.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU SORT EVERYTHING

Once you've gone through the checklist, you'll have a clear picture of what's leaving the property. Here's the next step:

1. Text us the summary. Hit the "Text This List for a Quote" button above. It opens your messaging app with a pre-filled list. Add a few photos of the property and send it over.
2. Get your quote. We'll respond with a price — usually within a couple hours. No guessing games.
3. We show up and haul. We bring the truck, the muscle, and the know-how. You point, we load. Done.

If you've got items worth selling, we can buy estate contents too. Antiques, quality furniture, tools, electronics — we'll make you a fair offer on the spot. That offsets the cost of the cleanout, and sometimes it covers the whole thing.

TIPS FOR FLORIDA ESTATE CLEANOUTS

Florida properties come with their own quirks. Here's what we've learned from doing this since 2018:

• Check for mold. An empty house in Florida with the AC off for even two weeks can develop mold. If you see it, don't disturb it — call a remediation company first.
• Watch for critters. Rats, snakes, and raccoons move in fast once a property sits empty. Open doors carefully and check before you reach into dark closets or attics.
• The garage is always the worst. Florida garages are basically storage units with a car-shaped gap. Budget extra time for this room.
• Lanai furniture degrades fast. If it's been sitting in the sun and rain, it's probably too far gone to donate. Don't feel bad about flagging it for removal.
• Pool equipment needs proper disposal. Chemical containers, old pumps, and filter media can't just go in a dumpster. We know how to handle it.

Need help with a full property cleanout? We handle everything from single-room cleanouts to entire estates. Give us a call at (352) 737-1301 or text us photos for a quick quote.