When a parent's home needs to be emptied (whether they're moving to memory care, downsizing, or have passed away), you'll quickly run into two options: an estate sale or an estate cleanout. They sound similar, but they serve very different purposes. This article breaks down what each involves, what they cost, and how to decide which one fits your situation.
Quick answers
- An estate sale is a managed sale of household items, typically run by a professional company that prices, stages, and sells everything over 1-3 days.
- An estate cleanout removes everything from the home: donated, hauled, or disposed of, without selling.
- Estate sales make sense when there are enough quality items to justify the cost and setup time (typically 2-4 weeks of prep).
- A cleanout is faster, simpler, and better when items have low resale value, time is short, or emotional bandwidth is limited.
- Many families end up doing both: an estate sale first, then a cleanout for what's left.
What Is an Estate Sale?
An estate sale is a professional, in-home sale of a household's belongings. You hire an estate sale company (not an auctioneer, not a consignment shop), and they come into the home, catalog items, research values, price everything, market the sale, and run it over one to three days.
The sale is typically open to the public. Buyers walk through the home and purchase items on the spot. The estate sale company takes a commission of 25% to 40% of gross sales, then hands you the net proceeds.
What estate sale companies handle:
- Sorting and staging the entire home
- Researching and pricing items (including antiques, jewelry, collectibles)
- Marketing the sale online (EstateSales.net, Facebook, email lists)
- Running the sale itself (2-3 days)
- Sometimes handling unsold item removal
What they don't handle:
- Items with no resale value (broken furniture, outdated electronics, expired food)
- The emotional complexity of deciding what to keep
- Moving items to family members
Timeline:
From first contact to payout, expect 3-6 weeks. Companies need 2-4 weeks of lead time to prepare. The sale itself runs a weekend. Payout typically comes 1-2 weeks after.
What you can expect to net:
A typical estate sale nets $2,000 to $5,000 for an average household, though outcomes vary widely based on item quality. Homes with antiques, art, jewelry, or quality furniture do significantly better. Homes filled with IKEA furniture and mass-market goods often net less than $1,500, barely covering the company's minimum fee.
What Is an Estate Cleanout?
An estate cleanout (also called a house cleanout or junk removal) focuses on one thing: emptying the home. Everything that isn't being kept by family gets removed: donated, recycled, or hauled away.
You can hire a junk removal company, a senior move manager, or an estate cleanout specialist. Some companies do donation sorting and drop-offs as part of the service. Others simply load a truck and go.
What a cleanout typically includes:
- Removal of all unwanted items from every room
- Hauling to donation centers, recycling facilities, or the dump
- Basic broom-sweep of the home when done
What it doesn't include:
- Selling anything. You get no money back from the contents
- Making decisions about what to keep (that's on you or your family)
Timeline:
A cleanout can happen fast, sometimes within a few days of booking, and the cleanout itself is usually one or two days depending on home size.
Estate Sale vs. Estate Cleanout: Side by Side
Estate Sale
Sell in place, open to the public
- No upfront cost to you
- Reaches motivated buyers who come to you
- Company handles pricing, staging, and marketing
- Can net $2,000-$5,000+ for quality households
- Company takes 25-40% of gross proceeds
- Minimum value threshold (typically $3,000-$5,000 in expected sales)
- Public access to the home for 2-3 days
- Needs 3-6 weeks from first call to payout
Best for: Homes with quality furniture, antiques, art, jewelry, or collectibles and enough lead time to do it right
Estate Cleanout
Junk removal with donation sorting
- Fast -- done in 1-2 days
- Fixed price, no surprises
- No minimum value required
- No public access to the home
- You pay out of pocket; no proceeds
- Low recovery on any sellable items
- Donation sorting varies by company
Best for: Homes with low-value items, tight timelines, or families where emotional bandwidth is limited
Key Numbers to Know
When an Estate Sale Makes Sense
An estate sale is worth pursuing when:
The honest truth about estate sales: Many families overestimate what their parents' belongings are worth. Mid-century department store furniture, outdated electronics, and everyday dishes typically sell for pennies on the dollar. A good estate sale company will tell you upfront if a sale is worth doing. If they won't give you a straight answer, get a second opinion.
When a Cleanout Makes More Sense
Skip the estate sale and go straight to a cleanout when:
The hybrid approach: Most estate professionals will tell you the real answer is often both: estate sale first for whatever has value, then a cleanout company for the leftovers. Many estate sale companies will handle unsold-item removal for an additional fee. Ask upfront.
Need help coordinating an estate sale, cleanout, or both? Senior move managers often oversee this entire process. They can tell you honestly whether a sale makes sense, recommend vetted estate sale companies, and coordinate the cleanout afterward. Our directory lists senior move managers by state, with their credentials and direct contact information. Find one near you at /directory/senior-move-managers/.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if an estate sale is worth it?
Ask an estate sale company to do a walkthrough. Reputable companies will tell you honestly if the contents justify a sale. As a rule of thumb: if the home has antiques, quality furniture, tools, jewelry, or collectibles, a sale is likely worth it. If it's mostly mass-market furniture and everyday items, you may net very little after commissions.
What happens to items that don't sell at an estate sale?
Unsold items are typically left in the home at the end of the sale unless you've arranged otherwise. Some estate sale companies offer a buyout of remaining items for a flat fee, or will coordinate donation pickup. Ask about this before you sign a contract. You don't want to be stuck clearing out the remainder yourself.
Can I do an estate cleanout myself?
Yes, but it's physically demanding and emotionally exhausting, especially for a full home. Many families underestimate how much time it takes. If you have a team of willing helpers and a truck, it's possible. But for most people, hiring professionals saves significant time and emotional energy, and the cost is reasonable.
Do estate sale companies also do cleanouts?
Some do, as an add-on service. Others partner with junk removal companies. Ask upfront whether they handle unsold-item removal and what the additional cost is. Having one company handle both is more convenient but may cost more than hiring separately.