Clearing a loved one's home in French-speaking Switzerland: where to start, gently

The first time Marc went back into his mother's flat, he sat in the kitchen for an hour without touching anything. Everything was still there: her glasses on the table, jam jars labelled by hand, photo albums in the cupboard. And yet the letting agency expected the keys by the end of the month.

Clearing a loved one's home is one of the hardest kinds of sorting there is. This is how Marc approached it, step by step, without being overwhelmed.

Before you touch anything

In Switzerland, heirs generally have three months to accept or disclaim an inheritance, and disposing of the belongings can be taken as acceptance. So Marc's first call was to the notary, to find out what he could do and when. That one call avoids a lot of trouble.

• ✓Ask the notary or the competent authority what may be sorted, given away or sold, and when.
• ✓Contact the letting agency for the handover date and, if needed, ask for more time.
• ✓Secure documents, jewellery and valuables straight away.

Three boxes before anything else

Marc started with three boxes and nothing else: "Papers", "Keepsakes" and "Ask the family". Until those three categories are safe, nothing gets thrown away. That is what let him sort everything else later without the fear of losing something important.

Involve the family, without deciding everything together

With his sister living in Lausanne, Marc organised a single sharing day, with a list sent in advance. Everyone could choose what mattered to them. After that, the rest was sorted without more meetings: deciding object by object as a group wears everyone out.

Give, sell, recycle

1. 01GiveFurniture and tableware in good condition find new homes through local charities and second-hand charity shops.
2. 02SellQuality furniture and collectibles can be valued or placed on consignment.
3. 03RecycleThe rest goes to the recycling centre or a removal service, following the local commune's rules.

"I thought you had to be strong to do this alone. What I really needed was an order to go in." — Marc

You don't have to do it alone

An organiser can handle the logistics (sorting, donations, removals, getting the flat ready for handover) while you keep control of the decisions that matter. LémanSpace supports families through these moments with discretion, across Geneva, Vaud and Valais.