Hoarder cleanouts after a move or a loss

This site connects you with independent hoarding cleanup providers near you. It does not do the cleanup itself.

When a cleanout is the right kind of job

If the person still lives in the home, the work should be done with them, at their pace, and the guide to hoarder house cleaning covers that. A cleanout fits when the home is empty and decisions now sit with someone else, usually one of these:

• A family clearing a parent’s or relative’s home after a move into care or a death
• An executor or court-appointed representative responsible for an estate
• A landlord or property manager after a tenant has moved out
• A seller or buyer preparing a house for sale

If the person is still living and has simply moved, it is kind to involve them where you can. A short list of what they would like kept, or a box of photos set aside for them, can matter a great deal.

Search before anything is hauled

Homes that have filled up over many years often hold important things in unexpected places: inside books, in coat pockets, in food tins and under mattresses. Before any removal, agree with the provider on what to look for and where it goes when it is found.

• Wills, deeds, titles, insurance policies and bank or tax papers
• Cash, checks, coins, jewelry and watches
• Family photos, letters, recordings and keepsakes
• Keys, passports, medical records and anything with account numbers
• Items that may have value to a collector or a family member

Ask whether the provider keeps a box for found items and hands it over at the end of each day. If several relatives are involved, agree in advance who decides about family items.

Estates: who arranges the cleanout

After a death, the executor or court-appointed representative usually arranges the cleanout. Rules differ by state, so check your state’s probate rules before anything of value leaves the house. In California, for example, the court self-help pages say the personal representative gathers the assets and files an inventory and appraisal after a judge appoints them. This site does not give legal advice; a probate attorney or the court’s self-help center can.

Landlords and property managers

When a tenant has left a unit very full, a cleanout lets you get it back into shape. If the tenant is still living there, the situation is different: hoarding disorder can count as a disability under fair housing law, so get fair housing advice before acting. The IOCDF notes that public health and fire officials can be involved when a home falls below health and safety codes. A written plan with clear steps is one approach landlords and tenants discuss with their advisers.

Selling the house

If the home is being sold, a cleanout usually comes before any repairs, cleaning or staging. Clearing a home can reveal damage that has been hidden for years, such as leaks, damaged floors or broken fixtures, and repairs belong to the right trade. Homeowners insurance usually does not cover hoarding cleanup, although debris removal after a covered event such as a fire may be different. Ask your insurer before assuming either way.

How a cleanout usually goes

1. A first call about the home, the deadline and who makes decisions
2. A walk-through, ideally with the family or executor, and a written estimate
3. An agreed list of what to search for and what to keep
4. Sorting into keep, donate, recycle and discard
5. Removal and hauling, with a dumpster for larger jobs
6. Hazard cleanup where needed, then a clean of the empty rooms
7. A final walk-through and the box of found items handed over

Donations, recycling and disposal

Much of what leaves a home can go to a second life: furniture, clothing, books and kitchenware to charities, and metals and electronics to recycling. Knowing that things are going somewhere useful can make the job easier for a family. Ask the provider where donated items go and whether they give you a record of them.

Hazards to expect

A home that has been closed up can hold rodent droppings, mold, spoiled food and broken glass. The CDC warns against sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings or nests. The EPA says porous materials with mold may need to be thrown away. OSHA says broken glass that may be contaminated should never be picked up with bare hands. These are good reasons to let a provider with the right protective gear do this part.

What to ask a cleanout provider

• How do you search for papers, cash, photos and keepsakes, and how do you hand them over?
• Is the estimate in writing, and what could change it?
• Where do donations and recycling go, and do I get a record?
• Who arranges the dumpster, and where will it sit?
• Can you work to our closing date or move-out date?
• If biohazards are present, are you registered for trauma scene work where our state requires it?
• Do you use unmarked vehicles, if privacy matters to the family?

Looking after yourself

Clearing the home of someone you love can stir up grief, guilt and old memories, especially if you grew up there. It is fine to step back and let a provider carry the heavy part while you handle the decisions that only family can make. If animals were living in the home, see animal hoarding first, and if you want to understand what the person was living with, the page on hoarding disorder may help.

Questions people ask