How to Clear a Deceased Estate in Melbourne: Step-by-Step Guide

Start by doing very little. In the first days or weeks after someone dies, the useful jobs are protective rather than practical: lock the house, collect the mail, make sure nothing perishable is left in the fridge, check the heating and water are off or set sensibly, and let the neighbours know the property is empty.

Resist the urge to start throwing things out. There are three reasons:

• Authority. The person clearing the house may not be the person legally entitled to deal with its contents. Belongings form part of the estate, and removing them can cause disputes later.
• Hidden paperwork and value. Wills, share certificates, superannuation letters, insurance policies and cash are regularly found in unlikely places: inside books, under drawer liners, in shoeboxes in the garage.
• Grief and family dynamics. Items that look worthless to one person can matter a great deal to another. Clearing slowly gives everyone a chance to speak up.

A clearance that starts a few weeks later, with a plan, usually finishes faster than one that starts the day after the funeral.

In Victoria, the person responsible for dealing with a deceased person's assets is generally the executor named in the will. If there is no will, or the will doesn't name a willing executor, the Supreme Court of Victoria can appoint an administrator, often a close family member or the main beneficiary.

The executor or administrator is responsible for collecting and protecting the estate's assets, paying debts and distributing what remains according to the will or the law. Household contents are part of those assets. That's why it's sensible for the executor to agree the plan for the house before anyone starts removing items, even when the family is on good terms.

Depending on the estate, the executor may need a grant of probate (or letters of administration) from the Supreme Court before banks and other institutions will release assets. Whether a grant is needed depends on what the person owned and what those institutions require. The Supreme Court notes that the Probate Office review alone usually takes 5 to 10 working days after filing, and the whole process can take several weeks or longer, so plan your clearance timeline around it.

If the property is rented, the executor will usually need to talk to the landlord or agent about the lease, rent and the handover date.

This information is general in nature and should not be considered legal advice. If you're unsure who has authority to act, or family members disagree, speak with a solicitor or contact the Supreme Court of Victoria's Probate Office.

Before anything leaves the property, do a dedicated search for documents and valuables. Treat it as its own job, not something you'll catch while packing.

Look for:

• Wills and codicils, including older versions
• Financial documents: bank statements, superannuation statements, share or managed fund statements, tax returns, loan documents, cheque books
• Identification: passport, driver licence, birth and marriage certificates, Medicare and pension cards
• Property records: title documents, council rates notices, strata or owners corporation papers, leases, building permits
• Insurance policies: home and contents, life insurance, funeral cover
• Photographs, slides, home videos and letters
• Jewellery and watches, including costume pieces that may be mixed with real ones
• Sentimental items: medals, handwritten recipes, children's drawings, religious items, anything the person clearly kept for a reason

Places worth checking twice include bedside drawers, the backs of wardrobes, filing cabinets, suitcases, old handbags, coat pockets, freezer bags, books and the garage. Keep everything you find in one lockable box or take it off site with the executor.

An inventory protects the executor and reduces arguments. It doesn't need to be formal. Two simple methods work well:

• Photograph every room before anything is moved. Take wide shots from the doorway, then close-ups of furniture, artwork, collections and anything that might have value. Open cupboards and photograph the contents too.
• Keep a room-by-room list in a shared spreadsheet or document. Note the item, the room, any known value or history, and who (if anyone) has asked for it.

Photos also make it easier to get an accurate quote from a clearance company, and they help family members who live interstate or overseas take part in decisions without travelling.

If the estate may include items of significant value, such as art, antiques, collections or vehicles, the executor may want a formal valuation before anything is sold or given away.

Once the paperwork is secured and the inventory is done, sorting gets much easier. Use five categories and mark them clearly with coloured stickers, masking tape or by moving items to separate rooms.

Two rules help. First, anything that's disputed stays in the "keep" area until the executor decides. Second, give family members a deadline to claim items. Open-ended clearances drag on for months.

This is where most of the volume sits. A typical family home contains far more than people expect once cupboards, linen presses and storage areas are opened.

Lounges and armchairs are bulky and often don't fit through doorways without removing legs. Older fabric lounges with stains or tears are rarely accepted by charities.

Beds and mattresses need care on the way out, particularly on stairs. Many charities won't accept used mattresses, so plan on recycling or disposal for those.

Dining furniture in solid timber can have resale value. Veneer and particleboard pieces usually don't.

Appliances and whitegoods, such as fridges, washing machines, dryers and freezers, are heavy and awkward. Anything with a plug, battery or power cord counts as e-waste in Victoria and has been banned from landfill since 2019, so these need to go to recycling rather than a general waste skip. Empty and defrost fridges and freezers a day or two before they're moved.

Clothing should be checked pocket by pocket, then sorted into donate, textile recycling and waste. Charities generally only want clean, wearable items.

General household contents (kitchenware, linen, ornaments, books, bathroom supplies) take the most time because every item is small. Box by room and label boxes with their category.

Leave furniture removal until the smaller items are sorted. It's much easier to search drawers and cupboards while the furniture is still standing.

Garages and sheds are regularly underestimated. They often hold decades of accumulated material and some items that need special handling.

Common contents include:

• Tools and workshop equipment, which may be worth selling or offering to family
• Garden equipment such as mowers, whipper snippers and hoses (drain fuel from petrol equipment first)
• Paint, chemicals, pesticides and pool products, which can't go in general rubbish
• Gas bottles from barbecues and heaters
• Scrap metal: old bikes, fencing, pipes, car parts
• Timber offcuts and building materials
• Larger items: trailers, old fridges, spas, cubby houses, play equipment

Hazardous household chemicals can be taken to free Detox Your Home events run by the Victorian Government. Larger gas cylinders are not accepted there, so check with your local council transfer station about those.

If the property is older, be cautious with sheds, eaves and garage linings. Some older building materials contain asbestos, which must only be disposed of at sites authorised by EPA Victoria and is best handled by a licensed removalist. Don't break up old sheeting to fit it in a bin.

Outdoor areas round out the job: garden waste, pot plants, old outdoor furniture and anything stored under the house.

Once everything has been sorted, you'll have a large "remove" pile and probably some donation and recycling loads as well. There are three realistic ways to deal with it:

• Do it yourself with a trailer and trips to the tip or transfer station. Workable for small volumes, but tiring and time-consuming for a full house.
• Hire a skip bin. Useful if you have the labour to fill it, but you still do all the lifting, and many items (e-waste, mattresses, chemicals, tyres) either can't go in or attract extra charges.
• Book a professional clearance. A team does the lifting, loading and transport, and sorts loads for recycling and disposal.

For a full house, most executors find a professional service is the most practical option, especially when they're working to a settlement or lease end date. If you're comparing options, our deceased estate clearance Melbourne service is set up for exactly this stage of the process. When you request a quote, tell us what's staying, what's going and whether the garage, shed or yard are included, so the quote reflects the real job.

With the property empty, walk through every room with fresh eyes. Check:

• all cupboards, the roof space (if accessible), under the house and the letterbox
• meter boxes and the garden for anything left behind
• walls and floors for damage caused during the move-out

Next, arrange a thorough clean. For a sale, a real estate agent will usually recommend what's worth doing, such as carpet cleaning, minor repairs or garden tidying. For a rental, the lease and the ingoing condition report will set the standard the property must be returned in.

Finally, organise keys, notify utilities and redirect any remaining mail. If the property is being sold, confirm what the contract says about the condition it must be in at settlement.

A DIY clearance can be manageable when:

• the property is a small unit or apartment with limited contents
• several capable family members are available over a few weekends
• there's no fixed deadline
• you have access to a trailer or ute and the tip is close by

It becomes much harder when the house is large, the family is spread across states, the property has stairs or a long driveway, the garage and shed are full, or there's a settlement date looming. It's also emotionally heavy work. Many families decide to do the sorting themselves, which is the personal part, and hand the physical removal to someone else.

Professional help usually makes sense when:

• the volume is more than a trailer load or two
• there are heavy items such as pianos, whitegoods or solid timber furniture
• access is difficult: stairs, lifts, narrow hallways, steep blocks
• the executor lives interstate or overseas
• the property must be empty by a fixed date
• the house is heavily cluttered or hasn't been cleared in years
• family members would rather not do the physical work

When you ask for a quote, send photos of every room, the garage and outdoor areas, and flag anything that's staying. Ask how items will be sorted for recycling and donation, whether there are any items the company can't take, and whether the quote is fixed or based on volume.

How long does it take to clear a deceased estate?

The physical removal for an average house is often done in a single day once sorting is finished. The overall process, including locating documents, family decisions and probate, can take weeks or months. The sorting stage is almost always the slowest part.

Who is responsible for clearing a deceased estate?

Generally the executor named in the will, or an administrator appointed by the Supreme Court of Victoria if there's no will or executor. They may delegate the physical work to family or a clearance company, but the decisions about the estate's contents rest with them. This is general information, not legal advice.

Can furniture be donated?

Yes, if it's clean, safe and in good condition. Charities are selective, and many won't take used mattresses, stained upholstery or broken furniture. Call ahead or check the charity's website before loading a vehicle.

Can an estate be cleared if the executor lives interstate?

Yes. Many clearances are organised remotely using photos, video walkthroughs and a local person to provide access, such as a family member, solicitor or real estate agent. Remove documents and valuables first, or have a trusted local person do it.

What happens to unwanted belongings?

Usable items can be sold or donated, metals and e-waste can be recycled, and anything without reuse value goes to disposal. Hazardous items such as chemicals, asbestos and large gas cylinders need separate handling.