When someone passes away, figuring out what to do with their home and belongings can be one of the hardest parts of settling their affairs.
Maybe you've inherited your parents' house in Ottawa. Maybe you're the executor of an estate and have been asked to get the property ready for sale. Or perhaps you're helping a family member sort through a home filled with decades of furniture, photographs, clothing, and personal belongings.
Whatever the situation, you're probably wondering the same thing:
Where do I even start?
Cleaning out a house after someone dies isn't quite like preparing for a move. There are legal responsibilities to consider, family decisions to make, valuables and documents to protect, and often an entire household of belongings to deal with.
The good news is that you don't have to tackle everything at once.
This guide walks you through the process of cleaning out a deceased person's home in Ontario, including what to do first, what to keep, what to remove, how long the process can take, and when it makes sense to hire a professional estate cleanout company.
What Should You Do First When Someone Dies and Leaves a House?
Before you start moving furniture or filling garbage bags, the first step is to make sure the property and its contents are secure.
That might mean checking that doors and windows are locked, collecting spare keys, making sure the heating is working during colder months, and confirming that someone is looking after the property.
If the house is vacant, you should also contact the home insurance provider. Some insurance policies have specific conditions for unoccupied or vacant properties.
Next, find out who has the legal authority to manage the estate.
In Ontario, the person named as executor in a will is generally called the estate trustee. If there's no will, someone may need to apply to the court to be appointed as estate trustee.
The estate trustee is typically responsible for identifying and protecting estate assets, paying legitimate debts and expenses, and distributing property according to the will or applicable law.
That doesn't necessarily mean the estate trustee has to physically clean out the house. It means they need to make sure the process is properly authorized and managed.
If you're unsure who has authority over the property, it's worth speaking with an Ontario estate lawyer before removing or distributing belongings.
Step 1: Find Important Documents Before You Start Cleaning
One of the biggest mistakes people make during an estate cleanout is throwing things away too quickly.
An ordinary-looking drawer or filing cabinet could contain important documents that will be needed months later.
Before you start clearing rooms, look for:
- The original will and estate planning documents
- Property deeds, mortgage statements, and insurance policies
- Bank statements and investment records
- Tax returns and other financial documents
- Vehicle ownership documents
- Identification and personal records
- Keys, safe combinations, and storage information
- Documents relating to outstanding debts or bills
It's also worth checking desks, filing cabinets, closets, and boxes where paperwork may have accumulated.
You don't need to read and organize every piece of paper immediately. The important thing is to separate potentially significant documents from ordinary household clutter.
If you're working with a lawyer or accountant, ask which records should be preserved.
Step 2: Decide What the Family Wants to Keep
Once the important paperwork has been secured, the next step is usually sorting through personal belongings.
And this is often where things slow down.
A dining table might not be particularly valuable, but it may be where the family spent every holiday together. A collection of old photographs may have little resale value but enormous sentimental importance.
Give family members a reasonable opportunity to identify belongings that matter to them, while following the will and the estate trustee's directions.
A practical way to organize the process is to divide items into four categories:
Keep: Items that will remain with the estate or be distributed to beneficiaries when authorized.
Sell: Furniture, antiques, collectibles, or other belongings that may have resale value.
Donate: Items in suitable condition that the estate has authorized for donation.
Remove: Broken furniture, damaged household goods, unwanted items, and other material that needs to be hauled away.
If family members disagree about particular belongings, set those items aside rather than making a rushed decision.
Remember that identifying an item as something a family member wants doesn't automatically mean it can be taken home immediately. Distribution should be handled according to the estate trustee's authority and obligations.
