This guide is general information for NSW families, not legal or financial advice. It replaces two older posts on the Jack's blog and was updated on 25 August 2026. For advice about a specific estate, speak to a solicitor or the executor.
Losing someone leaves you with grief and, at the same time, a long list of practical jobs. Most people only do this once or twice in their lives, so nobody arrives knowing the steps. This checklist walks through them roughly in order, from the first day to the final house clearance.
In the first days
- Confirm and certify the death. If it was unexpected and at home, call 000. If it was expected, the treating doctor issues the medical certificate of cause of death.
- Check organ donor registration. The Australian Organ Donor Register, run through Services Australia, records whether the person chose to donate. The hospital can check this quickly, and time matters.
- Arrange care for dependants and pets. If children or dependants are involved, check whether care arrangements were set out in the will, and contact the Centrelink Families Line on 136 150 about payments and support.
- Choose a funeral director. They will guide the next steps and usually register the death with NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages, which produces the death certificate.
In the first weeks
- Get certified copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers and super funds all want their own copy. Order several.
- Find the will and confirm the executor. The executor is responsible for the estate. If there is no will, an administrator is appointed, and a solicitor can explain how that works in NSW.
- Notify institutions. Banks, superannuation funds, insurers, Medicare, Centrelink, the electoral roll, Service NSW for licences, utilities and subscriptions. Services Australia has a bereavement service that handles several of these in one call.
- Secure the property. Collect mail, keep insurance current, and make sure the home is locked and maintained while the estate is worked through.
In the following months
The executor applies for probate if it is needed, debts are settled, and the estate is distributed. This commonly takes six months to a year. Somewhere in that window, the family home usually needs to be cleared, either for sale, for settlement, or because the family is ready.
Clearing the house
This is the step we help families with every week, and the one that carries the most emotion. A few things we have learned in thirty-seven years of doing it:
- Collect bequeathed items and keepsakes first, before any clearing starts. Set a date for family to walk through together.
- Do not rush it, and do not let anyone rush you. The house can be cleared in a day when the time comes; deciding what to keep is the slow part.
- Use a crew that sorts as it clears. Important documents, photographs, jewellery and valuables turn up in unexpected places, and a crew that looks through what it loads will find them and hand them back.
- Get one fixed quote for the whole job, tip fees included, so there are no surprises for the estate.
Our deceased estate house clearance service covers all of Sydney and the Central Coast. We also put together our top five tips for clearing a deceased estate, which covers the practical side in more detail.
Common questions
Who do you need to notify first when someone dies?
If the death happens at home unexpectedly, call 000. If it was expected, the treating doctor can certify it. After that, a funeral director will usually register the death with NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages for you, which produces the death certificate that everything else relies on.
How long does settling a deceased estate take?
Longer than most families expect. Between probate, notifying institutions, selling or transferring property and distributing the estate, the process commonly takes six months to a year, and sometimes more. The house clearance is usually one of the last practical steps.
When should the house be cleared?
There is no correct timeframe. Some families need the property cleared quickly for sale or settlement, others need months before they are ready. Bequeathed items and keepsakes should be collected first, then the clearance can happen at whatever pace suits. We work around you, not the other way round.