Where things go
Cleared
Sold, donated, recycled or disposed of
The largest of the four and the one nobody wants to think about. It is also where a downsize is actually won or lost, because everything that goes here is something you do not pay to move.
What it actually involves
Four different fates, and they are not interchangeable: sold, given to a charity, recycled, or disposed of. Sorting into those four at the house is quick; sorting them out afterwards is not.
Charities are more particular than people expect. Upholstered furniture generally needs its fire label, electrical items generally need testing, and most shops cannot take flat-pack. Ringing ahead saves a wasted collection and an awkward doorstep.
Selling takes time and attention, and it is worth being realistic about how much of either you have during a move. Some things are genuinely worth selling; a great many are worth less than the effort, and there is no shame in saying so.
Anything disposed of should come with paperwork. Waste from a household clearance is carried under a duty of care, and you are entitled to the transfer documentation from whoever takes it.
What we do
Sort into sold / donated / recycled / disposed at the property, with you, before anything moves
Take away what is going and provide the waste transfer paperwork
Tell you which items a charity is likely to accept and which they will not
Say plainly when we think something is worth getting a proper opinion on rather than clearing
The hard part
Starting. Everything else on this page follows from this pile being decided, and it is the one people leave until there is no time left for it.
Get in touch
Start whenever you are ready
Including if that is a long way off. We will come and look, talk it through, write it down and then leave you alone until you get in touch again. There is no obligation and we will not chase you.