Clearing out a whole house or apartment is a different kind of job than hauling off a couch. It might be a parent’s home after a death or a move into care, a rental you’re handing back to the landlord, or a house you’re getting ready to sell. Either way, there’s usually a lot to sort through and a deadline attached.

Here’s what to expect from an estate or move-out cleanout with Alpine Junk Removal, and how to get ready so the day goes smoothly.

Estate Cleanouts and Move-Out Cleanouts: The Difference

The work is similar, but the situations are not.

• Estate cleanouts usually involve a lifetime of belongings and family decisions about what to keep. They can be emotional, and they often involve more than one person.
• Move-out cleanouts are usually about clearing what’s left behind after the move. That might be furniture that didn’t fit in the new place, a garage that never got sorted, or the last load nobody had room for.

Both start the same way: with photos.

Step One: Send Photos

You text us photos of what needs to go, and we send back a firm price. Walk through each room, plus the garage, basement, attic, and any sheds. A wide shot of each space and a few close-ups of the larger items is plenty.

For a full house, it helps to send the photos room by room and say which room each set is from. Tell us if anything in the photos is staying.

Step Two: Get the Keep Items Out of the Way

This is the most important part of getting ready, especially for an estate. Before we come:

• Let family go through first. Give everyone a chance to take keepsakes, photos, and anything with sentimental value. It’s much easier to do this before the day of the cleanout.
• Look for important papers. Check desks, file cabinets, closets, and boxes for wills, titles, deeds, tax records, bank statements, and insurance paperwork. Old papers can turn up in unexpected places, like books, coat pockets, and kitchen drawers.
• Check for valuables. Jewelry, cash, and collectibles have a way of hiding in drawers and boxes.
• Mark what stays. Move keep items into one room if you can, or label them clearly with tape. A room with a sign on the door that says “keep” leaves no room for confusion.

If you have papers that need to be destroyed, the City of Longmont is holding free document shredding events on Saturday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1801 Boston Ave. Confirm details on the city’s site before you go.

Step Three: Set Aside Anything Hazardous

Older homes often have a shelf of old paint, cleaners, garden chemicals, or a propane tank in the garage. Pull these aside and mention them when you text us photos so we can talk about them before we come.

Step Four: We Come the Next Business Day

Once you have the price and it works for you, we come the next business day. Our crew hauls out everything that’s going, from furniture and appliances to boxes and bags, garage contents, and light demolition debris if there is any.

If you can’t be there in person, which is common with estates, mention that when you text so we can talk it through.

What Happens to Everything

Every load gets sorted. We donate and recycle whatever we can. In an estate cleanout especially, there’s often furniture and household goods in usable shape. If you know certain items are in good condition, point them out in your text.

Tips for Move-Outs

If you’re moving out of a rental or getting a house ready to sell:

• Check your lease or listing timeline and work backward. Give yourself a buffer before the walkthrough or closing.
• Don’t forget the outside. Side yards, patios, and storage closets are easy to miss.
• Ask about building rules. Apartments may have rules about moving hours, elevators, or where trucks can park. Find out ahead of time.
• Leave time to clean. Once everything is out, you’ll want a few hours for a final wipe-down before handing over the keys.

Landlords and property managers dealing with what a tenant left behind can use the same process: photos, a firm price, and we come the next business day.

What We Do

We’re based in Longmont and serve Longmont and the surrounding areas. Our services include:

• Estate cleanouts
• Move-out cleanouts
• Garage cleanouts
• Junk removal
• Appliance and furniture haul-off
• Light demolition debris

Getting Started

A cleanout is a lot easier when you know what it’s going to cost before anyone shows up. Walk through the house, take your photos, and send them over.

Text photos to 720-698-6617 for a price.