Clearing out a home full of personal property is one of the most stressful parts of a probate or trust sale. There’s often emotional weight, time pressure, and uncertainty about what to do with everything. The good news is that this doesn’t have to be handled alone.
Keep the End Goal in Mind
Executors and trustees often feel like they need to handle every item themselves. What ultimately brings the most relief is moving the sale forward — and that’s where experienced help matters.
We Coordinate This for You
We work with trusted vendors who specialize in clearing homes through estate sales, garage-style sales, and auctions.
These vendors are professionals who do this work every day. They make this process faster, smoother, and far less stressful than trying to handle it on your own.
Estate Sales
Best for clearing most of the everyday contents of a home.
- Furniture
- Kitchen items (dishes, cookware, small appliances)
- Decor & household goods
- Books, tools, and general home items
- Some clothing if it has resale value
Garage Sales
Best when speed and simplicity matter more than maximizing value.
- Lower-value household items
- Smaller volumes of sellable contents
- Leftover items that don’t justify a full estate sale
Auction Houses
Best for selling specific high-value or specialty items, not the entire contents of a home.
- Unique or higher-value pieces
- Antiques
- Artwork
- Jewelry
- Collections
What Happens to the Money
In most cases, these vendors are paid by taking a portion of the sale proceeds. The executor typically does not pay out of pocket, and the remaining funds go directly to the estate.
The Sanborn Team is not a party to these transactions and does not receive commissions or referral fees. We recommend vendors we know and trust because they do good work for our clients.
