When can I get started?

Don’t start decluttering too soon. Bereavement can be a painful process, and you may want to start working through that pain by doing something practical. However, it is important not to go too far too quickly, since there may be tax implications that can only be settled through the sale of your parents’ larger possessions.

Smaller items are different. Personal items with more sentimental, rather than financial value “are called chattels or fitting,” explains Saga. They are “basically, anything that is moveable, from a picture on a wall, to a fridge or a car. Even pets are included in this. While grant of probate is required for an executor to act on major financial issues, the distribution of chattels is not affected. This can go ahead immediately after the death.”

Can I hire someone to do it for me?

House clearance services can empty a property on your behalf, and deal with the safe, responsible disposal of anything that can’t be sold, recycled or donated. It is important to research your chosen service, to read customer reviews and to understand what they do with waste, since they can’t use council refuse sites. The Association of UK House Clearance Companies warns that if fly-tipped waste from a rogue clearance is traced back to you, you could be fined up to £5,000.

Prices vary, but the Association has a helpful table on its website that should give you some idea of the overall cost, including charges for recycling, staff wages, insurance and more, for “a grand total of £759.85 as an average to clear a property”.

Can I give it all to charity?

Charities with high street stores are frequently looking for quality clothing, shoes, books and media, and some, like the British Heart Foundation (BHF), can help with decluttering by first assessing the contents of the property and, if appropriate, sending a van and staff to perform the removals on an agreed date. Use the postcode checker to see whether a BHF store close to your late parents’ home can offer this service.

BHF is one of the few charities that will accept electrical appliances. This is a rarity, as such devices will need to be tested before they can be sold, and most charities lack the staff to perform these checks. If you are struggling to get rid of safe electronics and furniture that still has a lot of life in it, consider advertising it on a local Freecycle group. You may be surprised how quickly you get a response.

How do I deal with sentimental items?

The most difficult part of the process may not be finding somewhere to dispose of or donate your parents’ belongings but letting go of seemingly worthless items with sentimental value. This isn’t unusual.

Decluttering expert Marie Kondo may have the solution. “When we have a clear-out , most of us tend to focus on what we’re going to throw away,” she told The Guardian. “Kondo’s approach is the opposite: she says we should concentrate instead on what we’re going to keep. The reason is simple: there are so many items of sentimental value, from our own lives and from our children’s lives and from our parents’/grandparents’ lives that it’s too overwhelming a task to think about what to jettison.”

So, for each item you come across, ask yourself whether it sparks joy in your heart and, if it doesn’t, deal with it as appropriate, without feeling guilty.

After all, for all you know, your parents might not have liked it, either.