Craig from North Vancouver, B.C., called me earlier this year about a four-bedroom house. He had come to town to finally address selling the family home. Both of his parents had passed away over the last 18 months, and with his siblings living far away, the responsibility of handling the house had fallen to him.
It wasn’t that the house wasn’t in beautiful condition—it was gorgeous and well-kept. The challenge was that when Craig said “family home,” he truly meant it. His parents had lived there for over fifty years, raising Craig and his siblings, hosting grandkids, and welcoming all sorts of family gatherings over the decades.
It’s truly amazing what we accumulate over a lifetime—especially nearly six decades.
Craig explained that the family had already gone through the home, claiming various items for themselves: furniture, gadgets, mementos, personal documents, and more. When I first arrived to provide a free estimate, I remember noting just how much they had already removed.
Still, there was a considerable amount left to clear out, and Craig had to return to British Columbia. He was also hoping to get the house cleaned so it could go on the market as soon as possible—his real estate agent was ready to list it.
As Craig was landing back in B.C., we were already at the house, getting to work. Using the key left in the lockbox by the agent, we got started. There were some challenges along the way—a basement workshop with cabinetry that had to be removed, lots of furniture, full closets and cupboards, and a packed garage and shed. So much stuff!
We donated what we could and even sold a couple of items for Craig, including a stairlift, forwarding him the proceeds. The rest was properly disposed of. Fortunately, the home had a large driveway, allowing us to bring in a 40-yard dumpster. In cases where that isn’t possible, we use a truck instead.
One of the most rewarding parts of this job was uncovering items the family had missed during their initial sweep—financial documents, family photos, letters, old identification cards, and even a library card from 1972! We placed these in a separate bin and left them in the kitchen for Craig’s agent to hold for him.
With the house emptied, it was time to clean. Since it was already in great condition, our job was to refresh and prepare it for potential buyers. We cleaned everything from top to bottom. The kitchen and bathroom appliances were scrubbed inside and out, cabinets and drawers wiped down, and every fixture polished until it shone. We hand-washed the walls, baseboards, door and window trims, and floors to ensure the home was spotless.
In just five days, the house was ready to go. I later heard that it sold rather quickly—great news for Craig and his family!
