Updated on · 6 min read · by the team at Sparkling Services
Before a house clearance, put aside everything that cannot be replaced: paperwork, the will, photographs, valuables, keys, codes and digital devices. This checklist, written for Belgium, helps you go room by room without forgetting anything, and explains what to do with items that need special handling, such as medicines or firearms.
Why sort before clearance day?
Once the van has left, whatever has been donated, recycled or destroyed will not come back: everything you want to keep must be identified and set aside before clearance day. A reputable clearance firm will put aside any papers and photos it finds, but the thorough sorting is up to the family.
Allow at least half a day per main room in a home that has been lived in for many years, and more if there is a full cellar, loft or garage. Work in pairs if you can: one person sorts while the other takes notes and photographs.
A legal point to bear in mind if the home belonged to someone who has died: taking items away or clearing the house can count as tacit acceptance of the inheritance, debts included. Notaris.be explicitly gives clearing the deceased's home as an example. Gathering papers and keeping them safe is generally not a problem, but before sharing out or removing belongings, make sure each heir has made their choice and the other heirs agree. If in doubt, ask the notary.
The simplest method is three clearly separated zones with coloured labels.
- Green – keep: documents, keepsakes, items allocated to someone.
- Amber – undecided: anything that needs a relative's opinion or a valuation.
- Red – can go: everything else, to be donated, recycled or removed.
1. Administrative and legal documents
Paperwork comes first: gather it all in a single closed box without sorting on the spot, then go through it calmly later. A single document thrown away by mistake can hold up an estate, a sale or the release of a rental deposit.
Checklist of documents to keep:
- Identity: identity card, passport, driving licence, health insurance (mutualité / ziekenfonds) card, marriage certificate or marriage contract.
- Will and last wishes: handwritten will, funeral plan, declaration of last wishes regarding the funeral.
- Property and housing: notarial deeds, lease, check-in inventory, proof of rental deposit, certificates (EPC, electrical inspection, oil tank).
- Banking and investments: bank statements, cards, loan, investment or pension savings contracts.
- Insurance: life, home, hospital cover, funeral, third-party liability.
- Income and tax: tax assessments and returns for recent years, pension statements.
- Running contracts: energy, water, telecoms, subscriptions, with the latest readings and bills.
- Vehicles: registration certificate, certificate of conformity, insurance policy.
Good to know: for bank accounts, the National Bank of Belgium states that anyone needing a deceased person's data for an inheritance tax return should contact a notary, who can consult its Central Point of Contact (CPC). Likewise, if you cannot find a will, a notary can check the Central Register of Wills, which shows which notary holds any registered will. You therefore do not need to find every statement, but keep everything you do find.
2. Photographs, letters and family memories
Memories rarely have market value, yet they are what families most regret losing: keep anything personal, even if you sort it later.
- photo albums, loose prints, slides and negatives;
- home films (Super 8, VHS, video cassettes);
- letters, postcards, diaries, recipe notebooks;
- children's drawings, school reports, funeral cards and memorial prayer cards;
- decorations, medals, diplomas, objects linked to a profession or commitment.
If several relatives want the same photos, have them digitised rather than splitting them up: everyone gets a full copy and the originals stay together. Old films can be digitised too, but do not wait too long, as magnetic media deteriorate over time.
Set a simple rule for "amber" memories: relatives have a few weeks to claim them; after that, they are donated.
3. Valuables and hiding places
Check the classic hiding places systematically before any clearance: cash, jewellery and documents are very often kept where nobody thinks to look.
| Where to look | What is often found |
|---|---|
| Pockets of clothes, handbags, coats | Banknotes, keys, jewellery, papers |
| Books, files, envelopes | Notes slipped between pages, letters, share certificates |
| Undersides of drawers, false bottoms, mattresses | Envelopes of cash, jewellery |
| Freezer, tins, storage jars | Wrapped cash or jewellery |
| Cellar, loft, garage, garden shed | Boxes of memories, valuable tools, small chests |
| Safe, or a key to a bank safe-deposit box | Jewellery, gold, important documents |
Put aside jewellery, watches, coins, silverware, paintings, collections (stamps, coins, vinyl) and antique or designer furniture. Have anything that looks valuable assessed by an independent expert before selling, and sell nothing without all the heirs' agreement. During the clearance, Sparkling Services deducts the value of reusable or resaleable items from the price, which can make the clearance free or mean we pay you the difference; for high-value pieces, an independent expert's opinion is still recommended.
4. Keys, codes, remote controls and meters
Put all keys and codes in one labelled envelope: without them, selling the house, returning keys to the landlord or closing contracts becomes much harder.
- keys to the front door, letterbox, cellar, garage and outbuildings;
- keys and cards for the car, bicycle, padlocks and storage units;
- remote controls for the garage door, gate and shutters;
- alarm, door-entry and safe codes;
- building fobs and keys to the communal areas.
On sorting day, also photograph the meters (electricity, gas, water) with the date: you will need these readings to close contracts and, in a rented home, for the check-out inventory. Finally, think about the post: keep an eye on the letterbox or have mail redirected, because forgotten bills and contracts often surface that way.
5. Digital devices and data
Do not throw away, donate or factory-reset any phone, computer, tablet or hard drive until the family has checked what is on it. Many of today's photos and documents exist only in digital form.
- Devices: smartphone, computer, tablet, camera, memory cards, USB sticks, external hard drives.
- Access: password notebook, written-down PIN codes, eID card reader.
- Online accounts: email, social media, cloud storage, online banking, paid subscriptions.
- Equipment to return: modem and TV decoder, to be returned to the telecoms operator.
Once the data is safe, devices that are going to be donated should be fully wiped to protect their former owner's privacy. For a deceased person's online accounts, most platforms offer a procedure to close the account or turn it into a memorial account, usually on presentation of a death certificate. Paid subscriptions are cancelled with each provider.
6. Items that need special handling
Some items should neither be kept just anywhere nor leave with the clearance: medicines, firearms, hazardous products and borrowed equipment each follow their own route.
- Medicines: take out-of-date or unused medicines back to a pharmacy, which accepts them free of charge for safe destruction. Remove the cardboard boxes and leaflets first; they go with paper recycling.
- Firearms and ammunition: if you find any, handle them as little as possible and contact the local police promptly. Heirs have to regularise the situation within short time limits.
- Hazardous products: gas bottles, solvents, paint, pesticides. Point them out to the clearance company during the visit so they go to the appropriate channel.
- Loaned or hired care equipment: hospital bed, wheelchair, walking frame, often provided by the health insurance fund or a loan service: return it to the provider.
- Borrowed items: library books, neighbours' tools, things a relative left for safekeeping.
During the visit, Sparkling Services goes through these items with you and tells you which ones we can take care of.
The room-by-room checklist and the clearance firm's role
Go through every room in the same order, top to bottom and from the door to the back: this routine stops you missing a cupboard or a shelf.
| Room | Check first |
|---|---|
| Study, writing desk | Files, envelopes, will, keys, small chest |
| Bedroom | Bedside table, wardrobe, pockets, jewellery boxes, under the bed |
| Living room | Books, antique furniture, framed photos, collections |
| Kitchen | Jars and tins, freezer, recipe notebooks, silverware |
| Bathroom | Medicines, jewellery, hearing aids, glasses |
| Cellar, loft, garage | Trunks, boxes of memories, tools, hazardous products |
When your sorting is done, the professional clearance takes over. With Sparkling Services, the visit is free and you receive a written fixed price. During the clearance, our teams put aside any documents, photos and personal items that slipped through and hand them to you; if you are away, we send photos. Reusable items are donated to social-economy organisations (for example Les Petits Riens, Oxfam, Terre or De Kringwinkel), depending on what they accept, and the rest is sorted and sent to suitable recycling channels.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents must be kept before a house clearance?
Keep all identity documents, the will and funeral plan, notarial deeds and the lease, banking and insurance papers, recent tax assessments, energy contracts and vehicle papers. Put them in a single box without sorting on site, then go through them calmly later.
How can I find a deceased relative's bank accounts?
Keep every statement and bank card you find. For a complete overview, a notary preparing the inheritance tax return can consult the National Bank of Belgium's Central Point of Contact. Heirs cannot request that data themselves; the National Bank refers them to a notary.
What should I do with medicines found in the house?
Take them to a pharmacy: pharmacists accept out-of-date or unused medicines free of charge and have them destroyed safely. Remove the cardboard boxes and leaflets first. Never put medicines in the bin, down the sink or the toilet, and do not let them leave with the clearance.
Can the clearance company find forgotten items?
Yes, it happens often. At Sparkling Services, our teams set aside documents, photos, jewellery and personal belongings found during the clearance and hand them over, with photos if you are away. That does not replace your own sorting, which remains essential for papers and keepsakes.
Can I donate a deceased person's computer or phone?
Yes, but only after recovering the photos and documents you need and wiping the device completely to protect the owner's privacy. Also cancel any linked subscriptions and return the modem or decoder to the operator.