How to Sell a House Full of Stuff (Whether It’s Inherited or Your Own)
Planning how to sell a house full of stuff, whether it’s inherited or your own, is a tough task often complicated by emotions. The death of a loved one, making funeral arrangements, dealing with grief, and managing an estate are hard enough, and harder still when you have to sell a house filled with memories and belongings.
If the home is yours and you’ve decided to downsize to a smaller house, letting go of personal items you’ve collected through the years — and grown attached to but will no longer have room for — can feel overwhelming.
Still, decluttering is an important step in impressing buyers and even adding value to your home sale, say top real estate agents surveyed by HomeLight. According to our research, decluttering can add close to $8,000 to your home sale.
Whether you need to sort through belongings and retain documents, store and sell items, or market your home for a higher profit, we’ve rounded up eight expert tips on how to sell a house full of stuff.
1. If it’s an inherited house, take the time you need to grieve
While some families are ready to deal with an estate in a few days, others need a few weeks or even months. Avoid putting too much pressure on yourself to get the job done and allow yourself time to grieve and approach the estate when you’re ready. Emotions are a natural part of the grieving process when losing a loved one, so it’s important to make critical decisions when you’re in a good state of mind.
Remember, you’re not alone. Close friends and family members can be extremely supportive during a time of loss or an overwhelming move, especially when they’ve gone through a similar experience. They can help you decide which items to keep, store, and which to sell (and maybe offer to take a few off your hands). Never feel embarrassed to reach out for help.
2. Gather important documents
You’ll need to collect important documents related to the home. Consider organizing them in labeled folders for easy access.
Mortgage documents: If you or your relative took out a primary mortgage, a second mortgage, or a home equity line of credit out on the home, you’ll need that paperwork. After inheriting a home, contact the mortgage company and any creditors as soon as you can provide evidence that you are in charge of the estate. Any liens on the property will need to be cleared before you can sell.
Property taxes and HOA dues: You’ll also need to continue paying property taxes and HOA dues on the home until the deed is transferred to the new owner. Contact your municipal tax office and homeowners association to ensure taxes and dues are in good standing. If you or your relative owes back taxes and HOA dues, it can delay the sale. Fortunately, these can usually be paid with the home sale proceeds.
3. Discard unwanted items
Monica Friel, an organizing expert at Chaos to Order in Chicago, recommends sorting through and discarding unwanted items before putting them in storage.
Rent a dumpster for trash or certain unwanted bulk items
You can rent a dumpster for $383 per week on average. Dumpster sizes range from 2 to 40 cubic yards. The size you’ll need depends on the weight and type of refuse for disposal. The dumpster rental company can tell you what size you’ll need. To find a local dumpster company, simply type “dumpster rental near me” into Google to find a list of options.
If this task feels like too big a mountain to climb, there are always professional services available for home cleaning no matter the level of clutter that has accumulated.
Recycle electronics and hazardous waste properly to protect the environment
Some items such as electronics, batteries, chemicals, and hazardous waste need to be recycled. But you can’t dump all items into a landfill because some can pollute our soil and water. Check with your local recycling and Household Hazardous Waste facilities to learn where to dispose of items.
4. Rent a storage unit to work at your own pace
Renting storage space allows you to sort through your house full of stuff according to your schedule. You have the option between portable storage on your property, full-service storage, and self-storage.
Portable storage units
Renting a portable storage unit (like those that PODS provides) can be a good option if you have room for one on your property. Consider loading larger items like furniture into the unit to create more room in the house to sort through items. PODS’ portable storage units come in the following sizes:
8-foot unit: studios up to 500 sq. ft.
12-foot unit: 1-bedroom homes between 500 to 800 sq. ft.
16-foot unit: 2-bedroom homes up to 1,200 sq. ft.
Full-service storage
When renting storage space at a facility, you have the choice between full-service storage and self-storage. Full-service storage companies such as Clutter can pack, pick up, haul, and store your items in their warehouse. Check local listings for full-service storage options.
Self-storage
You can find self-storage units available month to month starting at about $60 a month.
Check to see if the company charges a square-foot minimum. If your homeowner’s insurance covers off-site storage, you can save money by opting out of insurance.
Whether you choose full-service or self-storage, take a look at the facility and ask about the following amenities:
Security: Video surveillance, security guards or locking systems
Hours of access: Access to your items around the clock or during specific hours
Climate-controlled units: For items affected by temperature, such as computers. When using both climate-controlled units and non-climate-controlled units, separate your items to save time.
Drive-up access or elevator access: Can you drive up to the unit, or will you need to load and haul your items on an elevator?
Make sure to read the contract carefully before you sign. You don’t want your stuff sold at an auction if you’re late with a payment due to unforeseen circumstances.
5. Donate or sell the items from your house full of stuff
If you have the time or interest, you can sell your items at a yard sale, put a curb alert on Craigslist, or list your stuff online on Poshmark or OfferUp. But with everything on your plate, you may opt to hire a company to do the work for you.
Kim Pratt, a top-selling real estate agent who works with 67% more single-family homes than the average agent in Arlington, Texas, says she’s had several clients who were executors of estates that ended up with homes packed full of stuff who needed help desperately.
“We have a preferred list of companies that will come in and do auctions, estate sales, or Facebook Marketplace for them,” Pratt says.
If you’d like to donate items, you can find other charities online that need donations.
Get an appraisal for jewelry, antiques, and collectibles
Before you decide where to sell your items, you’ll need to know their value. If your stuff includes high-end jewelry, collectibles, or antiques, consider calling in an appraiser to see what the items are worth. Know that the value might have gone up or down since you or your loved one made the purchase. You can find jewelry appraisers and antique dealers locally and online. Another option is to have an estate sale or auction company appraise your items.
“A lot of estate sale and auction companies have specialists on staff to take jewelry to, or who can make recommendations for collections,” Pratt explains.
Hire an estate sale company to liquidate your items
You can hire an estate sale company to sell your stuff all at once. Estate sale companies will send someone out to review the contents and let you know if it is worth hosting a sale. If you want to move forward, the company may hold the sale at your house or their own location. High-ticket items are typically sold at auction houses the company owns or uses.
Estate sales vs. online auctions
Pratt says estate sales seem to do better than some of the online auctions, which she also uses depending on the preference of the executor. “I’ve seen some of the online auctions that people have selected sell the items for minimal [pricing],” she says.
However, whether you sell your stuff at an estate sale or through an online auction, know that some companies take as much as 30% to 50% of the proceeds, Pratt explains.
Other clients opt to hire a company to come in and do Facebook Marketplace for them. “It all depends on what the executor decides to do,” she says.
