House Clearance Checklist: Room by Room (Printable)

How should I approach a house clearance?

• Work one room at a time — don't jump around, you'll lose track.
• Use four labels: KEEP, DONATE, RECYCLE, CLEAR.
• Do decisions in short sessions (a couple of hours) — decision fatigue is real.
• Start with the least emotional room (garage, spare room), leave the most emotional until you're warmed up.
• Photograph anything you might sell before it leaves the room.

Room-by-room checklist

Kitchen

• Small appliances — donate if working and reasonably new; recycle if not.
• Cookware — clean, undamaged sets donate well.
• Crockery and cutlery — full or matched sets donate; odd pieces recycle.
• Food — unopened tins and dry goods to a food bank; the rest clear.
• Cleaning products — half-used chemicals can't be donated; take to HWRC.

Living room

• Sofas and armchairs — donate only if the fire label is intact.
• TVs and audio — donate working, PAT-tested where possible; otherwise WEEE.
• Rugs — good condition donate; heavily worn recycle.
• Books and DVDs — charity shops take these all day.

Bedrooms

• Mattresses — charities generally don't take these; recycle via clearance.
• Bedding — clean, laundered sets donate well.
• Wardrobes and drawers — donate if solid; flat-pack often has to be recycled.
• Clothes — bag by type; charity or textile recycling.

Bathroom

• Unopened toiletries — donate to shelters or food banks.
• Opened toiletries — clear.
• Towels — clean sets donate; the rest to animal shelters or recycling.
• Medicines — return to any pharmacy, do not bin.

Loft, garage and shed

• Tools — clean and complete sets donate very well.
• Paint and chemicals — HWRC only, never in a household van.
• Camping and sports gear — donate if usable.
• Timber and bricks — recycle at HWRC or via clearance.

What do UK charities generally NOT take?

• Mattresses (hygiene rules).
• Upholstered furniture without the original fire label.
• Electrical items without a recent PAT test in most cases.
• Opened toiletries, opened cosmetics, opened medicines.
• Cot mattresses, car seats and bike helmets (safety rules).
• Anything visibly damaged, torn or stained.

Anything on that list, plus everything left in the CLEAR pile, is exactly what a licensed clearance team handles — see our house clearance page for pricing.

What should I do the night before the clearance?

• Move your KEEP pile into one clearly labelled room.
• Defrost the fridge and freezer if practical.
• Take a final walk-round and photograph each room.
• Make sure valuables and paperwork are already out of the property.
• Confirm access, parking and arrival window with the clearance team.