Clearing out the home of someone who has died, or moved into care, is a practical job wrapped around an emotional one. This guide covers the practical part in order: what to find before you start, how to sort, where things can go in LA County, and when it makes sense to bring in a crew. It isn't legal advice, and it says so wherever that line comes up.
Before anything leaves the house
Two things come before the first trash bag.
Make sure the right person has said go. Who can decide what happens to the contents depends on the estate. If there's any question about who has that authority, or about timing, talk to the estate's attorney or the court's self-help center first. Taking things out early is hard to undo.
Do a search pass. Walk the house once with one job: find the things that must not be thrown out by accident. Check drawers, coat pockets, the freezer, the garage, shoe boxes and the backs of closets. Look for:
- wills, deeds, titles, tax records, bank and brokerage statements, insurance policies;
- keys, safe-deposit box keys, passwords written down;
- cash, jewelry, watches, coins;
- photos, letters, recipes, military papers, anything with a family name on it;
- mail, which tells you what accounts and subscriptions need to be closed.
Put all of it in one place that locks, or take it with you.
Sort in six piles, one room at a time
Big decisions get easier when every item has somewhere to go. Use tape, sticky notes or colored dots so helpers know the system.
| Pile | What goes in it | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Keep | What the estate or family is holding on to | Moved out first, or stored |
| Family | Items a relative has asked for | Labeled with a name; picked up by a set date |
| Sell | Things with real resale value | Listed, consigned or sold before donation day |
| Donate | Clean, working, usable items | Charity pickup or drop-off |
| Special handling | Chemicals, batteries, electronics, fridges, medicines | S.A.F.E. Center, recycler or city pickup |
| Discard | Worn, broken or unusable items | City bulky pickup or a hauler |
Two tips that save arguments. First, set a deadline for the family pile: whatever isn't claimed by that date moves to donate. Second, photograph what you're letting go of. Some people find it easier to part with a thing when the picture stays.
What needs special handling
Older homes collect things that can't go in the trash in California, and they tend to be in the garage, under the sink and in the bathroom.
Chemicals and paint. It's illegal in California to put hazardous waste in the garbage, down a storm drain or on the ground.[1] That includes pesticides, pool chemicals, solvents, paint thinner and antifreeze, which belong at a household hazardous waste facility.[1] Even dried paint can't go in the trash.[2]
Batteries and mercury items. All batteries are banned from household bins statewide.[1] Old mercury thermostats, thermometers, barometers and blood pressure gauges count as hazardous too.[1]
Medicines and needles. LA Sanitation won't pick up medicines or needles at the curb.[3] Home sharps can't go in any trash, recycling, green waste or roll-off container,[4] and have to be carried in a sharps container to a household hazardous waste facility or another collection point.[4] In Glendale, the Fire Department's HHW facility takes non-controlled medicines and sharps in a puncture-proof container.[5]
Old TVs and computers. Televisions, monitors, laptops, printers and phones are on California's trash-ban list.[1] Non-working tube TVs are treated as hazardous waste.[6]
Refrigerators, freezers and AC units. Refrigerant and other special materials must come out before a major appliance is crushed or disposed of,[7] and only a state-certified appliance recycler can remove them, apart from refrigerant, which an EPA-certified technician may also recover.[8]
Where the hazardous box goes
S.A.F.E. Centers take household hazardous waste and electronics free from any LA County resident.[9] For the Valley, that's Randall Street in Sun Valley[9] and Balboa Boulevard in Northridge,[9] weekends 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Los Angeles–Glendale center at 4600 Colorado Boulevard is open Saturdays only.[9]
Estates tend to have a lot, so plan more than one trip. Each visit is limited to 15 gallons or 125 pounds.[9] Staff unload the car while you stay inside with the engine off, and they ask for the address the waste came from.[10] Glendale and La Cañada residents also have the City's own HHW facility at 780 Flower St., open Wednesdays and the second Saturday of the month.[5]
Old tires, scrap metal and the car stuff
Garages in long-held homes often hold a set of old tires, a pile of metal and a shelf of motor oil. Tires are banned from the trash in California.[1] City of LA residents can take up to 4 tires a year, without rims, to a LASAN yard for free with a photo ID and a current utility bill.[11] Motor oil and filters are banned from the trash too,[1] and certified used-oil collection centers take oil from the public.[12]
Scrap metal can be sold. SA Recycling has two yards in Sun Valley, on Tujunga Ave and on San Fernando Rd,[13],[14] which take large appliances,[13] and anyone selling scrap there needs a valid government photo ID.[13]
Keeping relatives in the loop
Estate cleanouts stall most often over communication, not labor. A few habits keep things moving:
- One list, shared. A simple shared spreadsheet or photo album with a column for "who wants it" beats a group text thread.
- One decision-maker per room. When three siblings each have a say on every lamp, nothing leaves.
- Ship, don't store. If a relative far away wants a piece, set a date to ship or pick it up. Items held "for later" tend to end up in a storage unit for years.
- Say what's leaving before it leaves. Send a short note the day before a donation pickup or a haul, so nobody is surprised.
Donation, and the paperwork that goes with it
Most estates have more good furniture and housewares than people expect. A few realities help set expectations:
- Charities want items that can go straight onto the floor. Goodwill Southern California takes donations in good, clean, sellable condition and doesn't repair or reupholster anything.[15]
- The Salvation Army offers free pickup, booked online by ZIP or at 1-800-728-7825,[16] but it won't take appliances with mechanical problems, gas appliances or TVs more than five years old.[16]
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles now covers the San Fernando Valley.[17] Its ReStores take working appliances under 8 years old and furniture with no broken or missing pieces.[18] Pickup costs $50 and drop-off is free,[18] and a standard pickup needs items on the ground floor, in the garage or carport, or at the curb.[19]
- St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles picks up for free, but won't enter the home; items go outside at street level and labeled.[20]
If the family plans to claim a deduction, keep records from the start. Federal rules generally require donated household items to be in good used condition or better,[21] value them at roughly what a thrift or consignment shop would charge,[21] and require a written acknowledgment from the charity for any contribution of $250 or more.[21] Deductions generally require itemizing,[21] so check with a tax professional before you count on one.
Free city pickup for what's left
After donation, most of what remains is worn furniture, mattresses and odd bulky pieces. Where the house gets city trash service, that's often free, but every city books it differently.
| Where the home is | How it works |
|---|---|
| City of LA (1 to 4 units LASAN serves) | Free, no set limit, on trash day; book a business day ahead and list each item[3],[22] |
| Burbank | Free for most furniture; mattresses and appliances cost $12.14 each and only the BWP account holder can book them[23] |
| Glendale (1 to 4 units) | Request at least three business days ahead[24]; only items on the City's list are taken[25] |
| Pasadena | Two free pickups a year, about 3 cubic yards each, booked two weeks ahead[26],[27] |
| Altadena | Up to four free on-call pickups a year through the County's hauler[28] |
The Burbank rule catches estates in particular: the utility account may still be in the late owner's name. Sort that out before you plan on the City taking the fridge.
A realistic order of work
Every estate is different, but this sequence avoids the most common do-overs.
Estate cleanout, in order
- Confirm who's authorized to clear the home and by when.
- Do the search pass for papers, keys, valuables and keepsakes.
- Photograph each room before you change anything.
- Tag family items and set a claim deadline.
- Sell anything worth selling.
- Book donation pickups and drop-offs.
- Box up chemicals, batteries and medicines and plan the S.A.F.E. trips.
- Book city bulky pickup for worn furniture, or bring in a hauler for the remainder.
- Check the attic, garage, sheds, crawl space and under the beds last.
- Do a final walk-through before the house is listed, returned or handed over.
When to bring in a hauler
Families often do the sorting themselves and hand off the heavy part. A crew makes the most sense when:
- the family is out of town and needs the house cleared on one fixed date;
- the sorting is done, but what's left is a full house of furniture, boxes and bags;
- a realtor, landlord or care facility is waiting on an empty home;
- the items are upstairs, in a tight apartment or deep in a detached garage;
- you'd rather not make five trips to the curb, the charity and the dump.
Legacy was founded in 2019 by Ricardo Diaz and is based in North Hollywood. A family business: Ricardo works alongside his dad and his brother, with a crew customers know by name: Brian, Carlos and Rene. We do estate and family-home cleanouts across the Valley and nearby. Send photos of the rooms and we'll reply with a price by text. Two recent customers, one clearing a family member's home and one a friend's apartment, put it this way.
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