Dad has been in NH for 3 months and has decided to stay. Mother is also there. They are both in their 90's. The house is old, cluttery and has bugs. We plan to get a dumpster and potentially a storage unit for a few family heirlooms. and have the house treated for bugs prior to putting it on the market. Sale will be difficult as no one is moving that direction these days, it seems. House is in midwest and it will be cold. We know a few people in their little town.
We also had to deal with mouse droppings and sticky mouse pee everywhere. Long playtex gloves, masks, and the industrial sized drum of Clorox cleaner were in order! We ended up doing about 3 months of work in 5 days. That was all the time we had. No, we didn't go through everything. We left a lot behind that other family is helping me go through.
Every day was a new prioritization challenge. Is the thing we're looking at important to her new life in AL in my state, or was it important a long time ago and why? If it wasn't critical to the road trip or being in AL, it went on the moving truck and will go into a storage unit today when the truck arrives. We'll move her AL unit items in, and I'll go through the rest as fast as I can while working full time and having family/kids to be with. My priority items are pictures (no frames!), quilts, and handmade things, like the wooden items both grandfathers made.
I have no idea what I'm going to do with the house - it's got big repair problems- but thankfully I don't have to solve that problem quite yet while also dealing with mom & getting her established at a doctor & new AL apartment. "One day at a time sweet Jesus!"
Approach it with fervor, this is not a task to be savored.
Set aside for yourself a few items. No doubt you will come across a frame or teapot to Christmas ornament that will have meaning, save a couple of items for mom and dad.
Get the dumpster and be liberal in disposing.
Set up a 1'or 2 day garage sale for anything worthwhile, call Salvation Army for what does not sell.
I would skip the storage unit, unless it is for something of high sentimental or financial value which you want in the future. I know people who save not very expensive furniture in storage and over the years the fees add up.
That's just me, I hate clutter. I clean out my closets every year, I have minimal kitchen appliances, no knick knacks. I live in a 1 bedroom apartment, so I cannot afford clutter.
Good luck
After that, declutter. Everything small except for a few attractive items you might use in "staging". You can do it bit by bit or in one quick dump.
Then, clean like it's never been cleaned before.
Next on the list is repair and update. Go take a look at homes in the area that have recently sold. What is the difference between them and those that haven't. Focus in on what you can do for not too much money, Create the illusion of a well kept updated home, not one that is sad or has been "fluffed." for sale.
Finally, Create scenerios within the home to help buyers eyes focus on what are the homes best features. People buy with their emotions. the idea that this was a happy family home sometimes helps. Not the sad idea that the poor old folks had to leave.
Hopes this helps. It's never easy.
My mom saved almost all boxes from Avon to collector plates (which kinda made sense) to vacuum cleaners and microwaves (which didn't).
Thanks for the memories, da da da da da dum...
My dad refused to lift a finger and so my mom, brother and I did it all. And my folks weren't too 'cluttery', other than my mom's 'box boutique'. She had saved every cardboard box and candy box and liner she'd ever received, 'just in case' she ever needed it for mailing. She could have opened her own Fedex office, LOL. The dumpster is a great idea. Anything you can sell on your own? I'd put it in your local Penny Saver or on Craig's List. Do that first to get that stuff out of there. Good luck...it takes time and patience, but can be done.
Good luck,
Carol