Executor's Checklist: Settling and Clearing an Estate
Being named executor means you're responsible for gathering, protecting, valuing, and distributing everything a person left behind — and, usually, for emptying and selling the home. It's a real job, done during grief, and the way to stay sane is to work it in order: secure the property and its valuables, find the documents, notify the right parties, inventory and value the contents, distribute or sell them, then clear the house broom-clean. This checklist walks the property-and-belongings side, which is the part that fills a home and a calendar.
The executor's property checklist
Secure the home and its valuables
Lock the property, and secure cash, jewelry, firearms, medications, checkbooks, and small valuables right away. Change locks if many people held keys. Make sure the home stays insured and the utilities needed to protect it stay on.
Locate the will and key documents
Find the will, trust papers, deeds and titles, insurance policies, bank and investment statements, tax returns, and vital records. Order several certified copies of the death certificate — you'll need them for banks, insurers, and the DMV.
Open probate and notify the right parties
File with the county Surrogate's Court to be formally appointed, then notify banks, insurers, Social Security, pension providers, and creditors. Keep beneficiaries informed. Your attorney guides the legal filings and timelines here.
Inventory and value the contents
Make a room-by-room inventory of the home's contents, with photos. Have anything potentially valuable — antiques, jewelry, art, collectibles — appraised, since the estate's value affects distribution and, sometimes, taxes.
Distribute keepsakes to beneficiaries
Honor any specific gifts named in the will first. Then let beneficiaries take the sentimental items, using a fair method — taking turns, drawing lots for overlaps — before anything is sold, to head off the disputes that harden into years of resentment.
Sell what has value for the estate
Convert the remaining valuable contents into estate funds through an estate sale, consignment, or online listings. The proceeds go to the estate and help cover its costs — including the cleanout — before assets are distributed.
Donate, clear, and leave it broom-clean
Donate usable goods for tax-deductible receipts, haul and dispose of the rest responsibly, and leave the home swept and empty — ready to sell or hand over. Keep the receipts and documentation for the estate accounting.
Settle debts, file taxes, and close the estate
Pay valid debts and any final and estate taxes, then distribute the remaining assets to beneficiaries and provide a final accounting. Your attorney and accountant handle the specifics of closing out.
Executors: we handle the whole property side
Inventory and photos, valuables set aside, estate sale, donations with receipts, and a broom-clean home — with documentation for your accounting. The estimate is always free.
Call (917) 740-5588Common questions
What does an executor do with the house and belongings?
The executor secures the property and its valuables, finds key documents, inventories and values the contents, distributes keepsakes to beneficiaries, sells what has value for the estate, donates and clears the rest, and leaves the home broom-clean, keeping documentation throughout.
In what order should an executor clear an estate?
Secure the home and valuables, locate the will and documents, open probate and notify parties, inventory and appraise the contents, distribute keepsakes, sell valuable items, then donate and clear the rest broom-clean. Legal and tax steps run alongside with your attorney.
Does the executor have to appraise everything?
Anything potentially valuable, like antiques, jewelry, art, and collectibles, should be appraised, because the estate's value affects distribution and sometimes taxes. Everyday household items generally don't need formal appraisal.
Can estate funds pay for the cleanout?
Yes. Clearing and selling the contents is part of settling the estate, and those costs are typically paid from estate funds. Proceeds from an estate sale or consignment often offset much of the cleanout cost.
Can a company handle the property side for an executor?
Yes. A full-service cleanout company can inventory and photograph the contents, set aside valuables and documents, run the estate sale, coordinate donations with receipts, and leave the home broom-clean, with documentation for the estate accounting.
Bereavement Cleanout Services is a family-run estate and home cleanout company based in Weehawken, serving executors, attorneys, and families across New Jersey with inventories, estate sales, donation coordination, and broom-clean cleanouts.