What to do before an estate cleanout crew arrives
A room-by-room preparation checklist covering authority, records, valuables, keep zones, access, and the final walkthrough.
Read the guideFive complete customer guides
Make the cleanout decisions before the deadline makes them for you.
These guides help Brooklyn-area families, executors, landlords, and property managers prepare the property, compare local options, and separate materials that need special handling. Each article links to its primary sources.
Start with your current problem
- Nothing is sorted
- A sale date is set
- Access looks tight
- Bulky items remain
- Chemicals were found
- City pickup is an option
Donate, sell, keep, or dispose? A decision table for estate items
Sort household contents by condition, meaning, time, and realistic next steps without assuming every item can be donated or sold.
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How to measure access for a basement or garage cleanout
Record the narrowest doorway, turns, stairs, ceiling clearance, carrying distance, and parking before the crew arrives.
Read the guideBrooklyn special pickup or private cleanout: which fits the job?
Compare the city’s published scheduling and placement rules with the labor, timing, and indoor removal a private crew can provide.
Read the guideHousehold hazardous waste during an estate cleanout
Use this item checklist to separate paint, fuels, automotive fluids, pesticides, batteries, bulbs, and other materials before ordinary removal.
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