Being named executor usually comes with a house full of someone else’s life. Before the house can be sold or handed back, every room has to be sorted, valued, sold, given away or cleared. This guide walks executors and families in Barrie, Orillia and Midland through the order to do it in, so nothing important is lost and the house doesn’t sit full for months.
First, protect the house and talk to a lawyer
Before anything leaves the house, take care of two things.
Secure the property. Change or collect the keys, check the locks and make sure mail, newspapers and deliveries are stopped or redirected. Turn the thermostat down, not off, if the house will sit empty over the cold months.
Call the insurer. Many home insurance policies limit coverage once a home sits empty for a set period, often around 30 days. Tell the insurer the owner has died and the house is vacant, and ask what they need from you to keep the coverage in place. Some insurers will want regular checks or a change to the policy.
Get legal advice before selling anything. In Ontario, an executor is formally called an estate trustee. Depending on the estate, you may need a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee, often called probate, before you can sell certain assets, especially real estate. Whether you can sell the contents before that, and how to account for the money, is a question for the estate lawyer handling the file. It takes five minutes to ask and can save a family dispute later.
Step 1: Read the will for specific gifts
Many wills leave particular items to particular people: a ring, a painting, a set of tools, the family china. Those items are not yours to sell or give away. Find them first, set them aside and label them with who they go to.
If the will says the remaining contents should be divided among the beneficiaries, you will need a fair way to let them choose before anything is sold.
Step 2: Document everything
Before anyone takes anything home, walk through the house with a phone and take photos or video of every room, cupboard and closet. Open drawers. Look in the basement, garage, attic and sheds.
This record helps you:
- Show beneficiaries what was in the house
- Spot valuables you might otherwise miss
- Answer questions later about where something went
- Give an estate sale company a clear picture before the walk-through
Step 3: Look for papers and valuables
Go through the house carefully for anything that matters to the estate itself. Common places for important papers and small valuables include desk drawers, filing cabinets, jewellery boxes, freezers, books, coat pockets and the backs of closets.
Keep an eye out for:
- Bank statements, investment papers and tax records
- Insurance policies and pension information
- Safety deposit box keys
- Cash, jewellery, coins and stamps
- Deeds, vehicle ownership and warranties
- Old photos, letters and keepsakes the family will want
Hand all financial papers to the estate lawyer or keep them together in one box.
Step 4: Let the family choose
Once specific gifts are set aside, give beneficiaries a chance to take what they want. A few approaches that tend to keep the peace:
- Take turns choosing one item at a time, in an order everyone agrees on
- Use the photos so family members who live far away can choose too
- Agree on how to handle items more than one person wants
- Write down who took what
Set a deadline. If family members have two weekends to collect their items, the rest of the plan can move ahead.
Step 5: Get valuable items assessed
Families often guess wrong in both directions. The furniture everyone assumed was valuable can be hard to sell, while a box of old toys, records or tools turns out to be worth real money.
Before you give anything to donation or put it in a dumpster, have someone who knows the market look at it. Antiques, art, jewellery, collectibles, mid-century furniture and vintage tools are worth a closer look. See antiques and collectibles for how valuation usually works.
Step 6: Choose how to sell what’s left
For most homes with a good amount of furniture, household goods and collectibles, an estate sale is the main option. Buyers come to the house, everything is priced and sold on site, and the estate receives the proceeds after the company’s commission.
Estate sale companies typically charge 30%–40% of gross sales, with lower percentages for larger estates. Many set a minimum estate value, often $5,000–$10,000. These are typical ranges, not quotes.
If there isn’t enough to justify a sale, other routes include consignment for a few good pieces, an auction house for specialty items, selling online or donating.
Step 7: Clear out the rest
After the sale, there is almost always something left: unsold items, the contents of the basement, old paint, broken furniture and bags of paper. An estate clean-out takes the house from “mostly empty” to broom-clean, usually by donating what can be used, recycling what can be recycled and disposing of the rest.
Shred personal papers you don’t need to keep, rather than putting them in the recycling.
How long it usually takes
Every estate is different, but a rough timeline for a typical house looks like this:
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Securing the house and legal advice | First week or two |
| Family choosing and valuables assessed | Next few weeks |
| Estate sale walk-through to sale weekend | About 3–4 weeks |
| Payout and clear-out | 1–2 weeks after the sale |
Many families find it takes a couple of months from start to an empty house, and longer if probate or family decisions take time. If the house is going on the market in spring, starting in the fall or winter gives you room to work without rushing.
Local things worth knowing
Barrie, Orillia and Midland all draw estate sale buyers from across Simcoe County and Georgian Bay, and spring and fall sales tend to see the biggest crowds. A winter sale can still work well, but plan around the weather: parking, cleared walkways and safe steps all matter when buyers are coming through the house. For local details, see the Barrie and Orillia area pages.
Quick answers
What should an executor do first with a parent’s house?
Secure the house, tell the insurer it is vacant, and talk to the estate lawyer before selling anything. Then find any items the will gives to specific people and set them aside.
Can an executor sell the contents of a house before probate in Ontario?
It depends on the estate and the will. Ask the estate lawyer handling the file before you sell anything, and keep records of every item sold and every dollar received.
How long does it take to clear an estate house?
For a typical house, a couple of months from start to empty is common. The estate sale itself usually takes about 3–4 weeks to set up, then payout and clear-out take another 1–2 weeks.
Full-service estate sales
Clear-outs after the sale
Antiques & collectibles