The short answer
Start by deciding what stays, then sort everything else into keep, sell or donate, recycle and dispose. Set aside documents and valuables first. For bulky items, your local council can arrange a collection, WasteServ civic amenity sites take many household items, and a clearance service can do the lot in one go. Declare anything hazardous, such as paint, chemicals or gas cylinders, before you book.
Before you start
Agree what is happening
If the clearance is part of a move, a sale, a renovation or an estate, confirm the timeline and who has the final say. For a family home after a death, make sure everyone entitled to the estate agrees before anything leaves the house, and keep anything the notary or lawyer may need.
Set a deadline and work back
Handover dates, renovation start dates and new tenants all fix the end point. A clearance with a clear deadline is far less stressful than one that drags on.
Step 1: Find the important things first
Before any sorting, go through the property for:
- Documents: deeds, contracts, wills, bank and pension papers, insurance, guarantees, ID documents, photographs
- Valuables: jewellery, cash, watches, art, collections
- Keys, remote controls and alarm codes
- Items with sentimental value that relatives may want
Put them in a box or room that is clearly marked “do not remove”. If you are clearing a family home after a death, our guide to clearing a parent’s home covers this step in more detail.
Step 2: Sort into five groups
| Group | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Keep | What you or family are taking |
| Sell | Furniture, appliances and items worth listing online |
| Donate | Usable furniture, clothes, kitchenware and books |
| Recycle | Paper, cardboard, metals, glass, electricals |
| Dispose | Everything else |
Label rooms or use coloured stickers so helpers and the clearance team know exactly what goes and what stays.
Step 3: Watch for hazardous items
Some things cannot simply go out with general waste and must be handled separately. Declare them when you ask for a clearance quote:
- Paint, thinners, varnish and chemicals
- Gas cylinders
- Batteries and car batteries
- Fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs
- Old fridges, freezers and air conditioners (they contain refrigerants)
- Asbestos, which can be found in some older sheeting and needs specialist handling
Our guide to hazardous household waste in Malta covers safe storage and who to ask about each item.
Step 4: Decide how bulky items will go
You have three main routes in Malta and Gozo:
- Your local council’s bulky item collection. Councils arrange collections of large household items. Contact yours to book and ask what they take.
- WasteServ civic amenity sites. These accept many types of household waste, including bulky items, recyclables and electricals. Our guides on getting rid of old furniture and disposing of a mattress cover these options item by item. Check what each site accepts before you go.
- A clearance service. Best when there is a lot to remove, you are short of time, there are stairs and no lift, or you cannot be there. A good service sorts items for reuse, recycling and disposal, and takes waste only through registered carriers to licensed facilities.
Whichever route you choose, never leave items in the street outside collection arrangements, and never pay anyone who offers to take things away cheaply without saying where they go.
Step 5: Garages, roofs and storerooms
These are often the hardest part. Expect:
- Old paint tins and chemicals (see Step 3)
- Tools, timber and building materials
- Broken appliances and furniture
- Items left by previous owners
Check roofs and kmamar (rooftop storerooms) as well. They are easily forgotten and are often the most cluttered spaces in a Maltese house.
See our garage and roof washroom clear-out guide for a step-by-step plan. If you are clearing because you are moving, start with decluttering before the move.
Step 6: Prepare for clearance day
- Confirm access: parking, lifts, stairs, narrow streets and any times when vehicles cannot stop.
- Tell neighbours if the street will be busy.
- Keep the “do not remove” area locked or clearly marked.
- Walk through with the team before they start, confirming what goes and what stays.
Step 7: Finish properly
Once the property is empty:
- Check every cupboard, drawer, loft space and roof.
- Read the meters and take photos for your records.
- Sweep through, or book a deep clean if the property is being sold or let. See preparing a property for sale or the landlord checklist between tenants.
- Hand over keys and remote controls.
Clearing a family home
Clearing a parent’s or relative’s home is often emotional, and it is fine to take it slowly. Many families take what matters first, then leave the rest to a clearance team so they do not have to handle every item themselves. A careful service will set aside documents, photographs and anything that looks personal rather than throwing it away.
clear.mt arranges house and garage clearance, junk and furniture removal and deceased estate clearance across Malta and Gozo.
If the person still lives there and the home is hoarded, read helping someone with a hoarded home first.