The first 72 hours after you inherit a house: what to do before you throw anything away
Grief plus a full house is a bad combo for snap decisions. The first 72 hours are less about filling a dumpster and more about locking the property down, capturing what matters, and avoiding irreversible tosses. This is a practical map, not legal advice.
Preview of the 72-hour map
- Hour 0–6: secure the house. Change or collect keys, note the alarm code if there is one, walk every room once with a phone camera. You are documenting, not decluttering yet.
- Hour 6–24: find the paper trail. Look for a will, trust binder, insurance cards, mortgage statements, and a list of accounts. Photograph stacks in place before you move them.
- Tell the right people early: executor or personal representative, a family point person, and (if needed) the attorney already on the estate. You do not need a full family meeting to lock the doors.
- Probate timing, lightly: many estates pause big sales or disposal until someone has authority to act. If you are unsure, do not haul off titled assets (cars, guns, jewelry) on day one.
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