We were recently contacted by a client in Dudley who needed a full house clearance of their late mother’s two-bedroom end-terrace property. The house had remained untouched for several months and was packed with a mix of vintage furnishings, kitchenware, and sentimental family belongings. The family wanted to ensure the process was handled sensitively, with valuable items identified for appraisal and as much as possible donated to local charities.

Client’s Requirements

• Full clearance of the house, including the loft, garage, and greenhouse

• Identification and purchase of any valuable or unusual items

• Donation of reusable goods and furniture to charity

• Ethical recycling or disposal of anything damaged or unsellable

• Work to be completed in one day due to limited access to the property

The Clearance Process

Living Room & Bedrooms

In the living room, we discovered a 1960s glass-fronted bookcase, a retro cocktail cabinet, and a small collection of Royal Albert tea trios. The tea set was appraised and purchased, while the furniture was in good enough condition to donate.

The master bedroom featured a beautiful walnut dressing table and a vintage sewing box filled with old haberdashery items. Both were donated, but we did purchase a set of antique silver-backed brushes discovered in one of the drawers. The second bedroom had been used as a hobby room and contained several unopened jigsaw puzzles and knitting supplies, which were boxed up and donated.

Kitchen & Loft

The kitchen had a mixture of retro and modern cookware, including a set of 1970s stoneware bowls and a working vintage wall-mounted can opener. We purchased the stoneware set and donated the rest of the usable kitchen items.

The loft revealed a collection of war-era letters, a Bakelite light switch collection, and a boxed Meccano set from the 1950s. The Meccano set and Bakelite items were purchased, while the family chose to retain the letters.

Garage & Garden

The garage contained a sturdy wooden tool bench, various hand tools, and a boxed electric train set in excellent condition. After checking with the client, we purchased the train set and a number of the vintage tools. The rest were donated.

In the greenhouse, we found a range of old ceramic pots, gardening books, and a wrought iron plant stand. These were boxed and donated to a local gardening club.

Items Bought

• Royal Albert tea trio set

• Antique silver-backed brush set

• 1970s stoneware bowls

• Vintage wall-mounted can opener

• Bakelite light switch collection

• 1950s boxed Meccano set

• Boxed model train set

• Selection of vintage woodworking tools

• Framed Art Nouveau print

• Cast iron doorstop from under the stairs

Items Donated to Charity

• Glass-fronted bookcase

• Retro cocktail cabinet

• Walnut dressing table

• Sewing box and haberdashery items

• Assorted kitchenware and cookware

• Jigsaw puzzles and knitting supplies

• Gardening books and ceramic pots

• Wrought iron plant stand

• Clothing and soft furnishings

• Small electrical appliances (kettle, heater)

Client Feedback

The client thanked us for our respectful and efficient service, especially during what was an emotional time for the family. They appreciated the effort we took to handle their mother’s belongings with care, and were pleased that many items found new homes through donation. With the house now completely cleared, they were able to proceed with preparing it for sale.