Organising estate belongings — a checklist for heirs

The death of a loved one brings not only grief but also practical tasks that are hard to think about straight away. One of them is sorting through the belongings — what to keep, what to sell, what to donate, what to recycle. This checklist helps structure the process into clear steps.

Don't rush

An estate is in no hurry. Under Finnish law, the estate continues until probate is complete and assets have been distributed — this can take months. You are not obligated to clear the home immediately.

The exception is a rental property: in that case, contact the landlord in good time and agree on whether to continue or terminate the lease. In all other cases, give yourself permission to move at your own pace.

Take inventory before deciding anything

Before giving anything away, go through what exists in the home. Make an inventory — on paper or using your phone. Pay particular attention to:

• Art, antiques and design objects
• Branded and vintage clothing
• Silver tableware, watches and jewellery
• Collectibles, vinyl records and books
• Cellar and storage items — old objects can be surprisingly valuable

Valuable items can be identified through auction services or antique dealers. Don't rush to sell or donate anything before you know what you have.

Sort belongings into four piles

A practical way to proceed is to divide everything into four categories. Take your time and ideally do it together with other family members:

1. Keep — personally important mementos and items that relatives want for themselves
2. Sell — usable items with monetary value
3. Donate — items in good condition that aren't worth selling but are suitable for a new home
4. Recycle or dispose — worn, broken or otherwise unusable items

In an estate, all heirs have equal say over the assets. Agree on a division of tasks upfront — who handles the belongings, who handles banking, who handles probate.

How to sell estate belongings?

Once the items to be sold are separated, it's time to think about how to sell them. Options include renting a flea market stall, selling online, or selling through a shop like ours.

Toisen aarre accepts a wide range of pre-owned items — furniture, tableware, clothing, design objects, electronics and much more. The process is simple: you bring items to us, we display them in our shop, and you receive your share of the sale price once the item finds a new owner.

Leaving items with us to sell is an easy solution when you don't have the time or energy to organise the sale yourself. You can bring items all at once or in several batches.

We also accept larger lots — for example, an entire home's worth of furnishings. If you're unsure whether something is suitable for sale, get in touch first. We're happy to help assess.

Donating and recycling

Not every item will find a buyer — and that's fine. Items in good condition can be donated to organisations such as the Red Cross, churches or other local collection points.

Electronics, fluorescent tubes, batteries and household chemicals always belong in separate collection — they cannot go in general waste. Municipal waste stations accept these free of charge.

Toisen aarre cannot accept broken or heavily worn items, but if you're unsure whether something has resale value, feel free to ask first.

Also remember these practical matters

• Probate — must be completed within three months of death. It requires an account of all assets.
• Banking — handled through the bank with a certificate of vital records and, if needed, authorisation from other heirs.
• Will — affects who has authority over the estate. Check whether one exists before taking action.
• Insurance — notify insurance companies of the death and investigate any life or home insurance claims.