🐊 ESTATE CLEANOUT

Estate Cleanout

We handle estate cleanouts with the discretion and care they deserve. Whether you're managing a loved one's belongings, prepping a property for sale, or working through probate — we sort, donate, and haul with respect.

QUICK ANSWER

Estate Cleanout starts at $899 in Columbus.

Flat-rate, all-inclusive, same-day available. The price you see is the price you pay — no hidden fees, no surprise upcharges.

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Estate cleanouts are different from regular cleanouts

Cleaning out a parent's house after they've passed is one of the hardest weeks anyone has. You're sorting through 40+ years of someone's life, deciding what to keep, what to donate, what to give to siblings, what to send to auction, and what's just trash. And usually you're doing it on a deadline — the house has to be empty for the realtor or the new owner.

We've done dozens of these in central Ohio. The crew shows up calm, doesn't rush you, and gives you time to make decisions on things that matter. We'll work alongside you, around you, or fully without you depending on what you need.

Probate, executors, and the long-distance family situation

If you're the executor or trustee, we work straight from your text. Send us a photo walkthrough of the house (most folks just record a single video on their phone), tell us what's been earmarked for family, what's going to auction, and what's coming with us. We give you a flat-rate quote and a timeline.

Out-of-town family is the most common situation we see — sibling in California, parent's house in Worthington, executor brother in Columbus stretched thin. Our Keep-or-Chomp swipe game was built for this exact moment. The crew photographs anything anyone might want to keep; everyone in the family gets the link; decisions get made jointly without anyone having to fly in. The crew sees the keep/chomp choices in real time on their tablets.

What we donate, what we sell, what we haul

Estate cleanouts often produce significant donatable goods: furniture in good condition, clothing, kitchenware, books, art, china. We route donations through Habitat ReStore, Goodwill Columbus, Volunteers of America Ohio, and Furniture Bank of Central Ohio depending on what they accept. You get itemized donation receipts — most estate cleanouts produce $500-$3,000 of deductible value.

Items with resale value can either: (a) go to a partner auction house if you want to maximize recovery, (b) get listed under Chomp's Pick where we split the upside with the estate, or (c) just get donated for the writeoff. Your call — we walk through the math with you upfront.

We can buy the whole estate for cash

If you don't want to mess with sorting, donating, or auctioning, we'll come look at the house and give you a flat cash offer for the contents. We haul everything ourselves and you walk away with a check. This is a common ask from out-of-state executors who can't spend two weeks in Columbus, and from realtors trying to close on a property fast.

Estate sale companies typically take 30-50% commission and book months out. We're cash, fast, no commissions. Won't be the highest offer in every situation, but it's the simplest one.

Working with realtors and probate attorneys

We've worked with realtors at HER, Coldwell Banker King Thompson, Cutler, Howard Hanna, RE/MAX, and most of the central-Ohio independents on estate listings. Standard arrangement: realtor or executor texts us, we walk the property, give a flat-rate quote, schedule around the listing date, and the property is empty when the photographer arrives.

Probate attorneys: we're happy to invoice the estate directly with proper documentation. Just have the attorney email bookings@thegaragegator.com and we'll set it up.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Every estate cleanout, every time.

✓Walk-through and flat-rate quote
✓Sort what stays vs. what goes
✓Donation runs to Habitat / Goodwill / VOA / Furniture Bank
✓Itemized donation receipts
✓Auction-house referrals for high-value items
✓Multi-day scheduling
✓Confidential, respectful crew
✓Realtor + probate attorney coordination

COMMON HAULS

What we typically grab.

›Whole-house furniture
›Decades of clothing and linens
›Kitchenware and dishes
›Books and personal libraries
›Family heirlooms (we won't haul without permission)
›Vintage furniture and decor
›Workshop and garage contents
›Yard equipment and tools
›Boxed personal effects
›Appliances

QUESTIONS WE GET

About estate cleanout in Columbus.

How much does an estate cleanout cost in Columbus?

Estate cleanouts start at $899 (Whole Hog tier) and scale with property size. A typical 1,500-2,000 sqft single-family in Columbus runs $899-$2,400 for a full cleanout. Multi-day projects and larger homes get a custom quote.

How long does an estate cleanout take?

A 1,500-2,000 sqft Columbus single-family with normal contents takes 1-2 days. Larger homes, packed homes, or homes with multiple family members making decisions can run 3-5 days.

Will you handle the cleanout if I'm out of state?

Yes — this is one of our most common situations. We work from a text-message walkthrough, walk the property ourselves, send you the quote, and use our Keep-or-Chomp tool so you can swipe through anything you might want to keep without flying in. Estate done remotely, no problem.

Do you give donation receipts I can use on taxes?

Yes. Itemized donation receipts from Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, Furniture Bank, and Volunteers of America. Most estate cleanouts produce $500-$3,000 in deductible value.

Can I just sell you the contents instead?

Yes. We come walk the property, look at what's there, and make you a flat cash offer for the whole estate. We haul everything ourselves; you don't sort, don't donate, don't auction. Simplest path for executors who can't spend weeks in Columbus.

Will you work with my realtor or probate attorney?

Absolutely. We've worked with most central-Ohio realty firms on listing-prep cleanouts and we invoice estates directly when the attorney sends documentation. Just connect us at booking.

My family hasn't agreed on what to keep yet. Can you wait?

Yes. We schedule estate work around family timelines, not the other way around. Take the time you need. Most jobs we book have a 1-3 week lead time exactly for this reason.

CITIES WE SERVE