​​Busy estate executors and families:

Are you overwhelmed by the
workload + logistics it takes to get your parents' house cleared out?

​You've probably removed most of the things that are important to you, but there is still a house full of stuff sitting there. It is simply OVERWHELMING...physically, logistically, and emotionally. 

 Sound familiar?

  • Nobody wants the remaining items, but you don't want your ​family's memories to be thrown in a dumpster.
  • Traveling to the house over + over  takes a lot of time, energy, and money.
  • You have a busy life of your own, and this huge project is creating more stress + guilt.
  • Even if you wanted to do the job yourself, you don't have the local contacts to make smart decisions. 

You can get the whole house empty in a week.

Candi Ruppert
 
Certified Professional Organizer®, Estate Clearing Professional +
​Founder of Sage Organizing Co. 

I've found success
​because I have:

  • A passion for helping others
  • A talent for organization and logistics
  • A gift of compassion and empathy
  • A strong work ethic
  • Common sense and practicality

Full Service Estate Clearing 

​I’ve spent years as a Estate Clearing Professional  helping overwhelmed families and executors
get homes + estates emptied out quickly, so they can move forward with their lives.

 What I've realized:

  • If you live outside of Charlotte, it's nearly impossible to find the time, energy, and resources you need to get the project done quickly. 
  • ​You need a local "point" person to handle all the details. 
  • You don't have the mental energy to take on a huge task like clearing out a whole house. ​

Full Service Estate Clearing

A done-for-you option designed to help you go from being overwhelmed +  exasperated to having the house or estate emptied out in a week.

When you hire Sage Organizing Co., we will join forces with you to:
  • Learn where you are in the process of getting the house emptied.
  • Recommend local service providers  we  have used+ trust, that you can then choose from.
  • Keep you updated as much (or as little) as you like about the daily progress of emptying the house.
  • Hand you a Final Report, with all the documentation you'll need at tax time. 

Lets take a look at the steps involved

 How we work

STEP 1 | INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
  • We set up a call to learn all the background information about your situation...and you find out what you can expect from us.
  • ​​Since we may never meet in person, I like to get a very clear understanding of your goals, timeline, and expectations.
  • Note: I service homes + estates within a 25 mile radius of Charlotte, NC.
STEP 2| ONSITE EVALUATION + ESTIMATE
  • I do an on-site evaluation of the home or estate, in the company of a person of your choosing ( most often a family friend, neighbor, or Realtor.)
  • I look in every space in the house: every room, closet, drawer, etc.  This ensures I can create an accurate estimate of time needed to complete the job.
  • I send you a  customized estimate  specific to the needs of your project. The estimate includes the schedule, a detailed scope of work, fee schedule, service fee estimate and standard terms and conditions. 
  • ​When you accept and sign the estimate, we get down to work. Then you can sit back and let us take care of the rest.  
​STEP 3 | LOGISTICS AND PREP
  • We present you with choices and my recommendations  of service providers (like appraisers, shipping companies, auctioneers,  cleaning services, etc).  YOU decide who you want to hire.
  • We line up the best matching local charities to pick up any donations coming out of the home. We honor any organization that you family has donated to in the past, but also have many great suggestions if you need.
  • ​ We inventory the home to see what supplies are already there (such as boxes, packing tape, and trash bags).  We use what is already there before purchasing more supplies to get the job done.
​STEP 4 | ONSITE WORK
  • Myself and a small trusted team touch every item in the house before deciding what to do with it. We make decisions based on how you want things handled.
  • In about a week, we have the house completely cleared out, the donations picked up, and items shipped to you (if you choose).
  • When we are done, the house is totally empty. You're then able to put the house up for sale, if that's the plan. 
​STEP 5| FINALIZE AND REPORTING
  • We tie up any loose strings, like getting a cleaning service to clean the house once it is empty.  
  • We create Itemized Donation Reports that you can hand off to your accountant at tax time.   We use IRS-approved standards to value your donations, which are nearly always in the 1000’s of dollars.
  • When final payment is received, we send you a Final Report, including all the documentation of the process, as well as all Itemized Donation Reports. Often times the tax deductions from the donations can offset the expense of doing the clean out.​

 Pricing 

We believe in being up front about the cost,
​ so you can make an informed decision. 

Initial Call and Informational Interview: No Charge
At this stage, we are both figuring out if we are a good fit for each other. If you are going to trust us with your family's home, we want you to feel confident about working with us. 
Onsite Evaluation +  Estimate: $247
When we decide to go forward with the Onsite Evaluation + Estimate, we require a $247 non-refundable deposit.  We put time, energy and great care into creating a proposal and estimate specific to your needs.   
Starting Logistics and Prep: 50%  of estimated services and supplies due
When we enter into contract together, a 50% deposit on estimated services and supplies is required.  Your $247 deposit is credited toward this.

We work the project on an hourly basis with a set rate: 
  • One person (me!): $85/hour
  • Two-person team: $135/hour
  • Three-person team: $175/hour

Note: any other service providers that you choose to hire (such as appraisers, trash removal services, shredding companies etc.), are contracted and paid directly by you.  
End of Onsite Work: 25% due
We structure our payments out so you can rest assured that the work is progressing like you expect. 
Finalizing and Reporting: remainder is due
When we receive your payment for the remainder of actual fees, we send you the Final Report, including all the tax documentation, which could be  worth thousands of dollars of deductions on your tax return.

 Getting Started

If you are ready to stop worrying about clearing out the house
start taking action, let's set up a quick 15-minute call.  
It costs you nothing but your time.
After that 15-minute call, we'll both decide if we want to do a more in-depth Informational Interview.
It's really that easy to get started on getting the job done. 

"Candi handled the large job with grace, dedication, common sense, and diligence.

We needed to empty out a family house before putting it on the market. This was extra-complicated because there was no local family living in the area and the process of clearing out a house has emotional weight as well.
​
Clearing out the estate seemed overwhelming and extremely complex, but Candi navigated the situation with seeming ease, confidence, and resourcefulness.
​
We would recommend Candi/Sage Organizing to families who need to organize clearing out a house."
-Joyce D.   Bethesda, MD

In 3 weeks, YOU WILL…

​Have a home that is completely empty, and if you choose, market-ready.
Know that items that once were a part of your family are now blessing other families in need.
Feel relieved that you didn't accidentally discard something valuable.
Have itemized donation receipts to give to your accountant at tax time.
​Be free from the burden of getting the job done.

FAQs

What does an average job cost?

It all depends on the amount of possessions in the house and the size of the house. A smaller home that is only 50% full is going to cost less than a 5000 sq. ft. house and garage that is 75% full. That is why we do an on-site evaluation of the property before we give you an estimate. 

Will the tax deductions I get cover the cost of hiring Sage Organizing Co?

​Be sure to discuss this with your attorney or accountant. The tax deductions you get from the itemized donation receipts and reports certainly may help offset the expense of doing the estate clearing. 

How do you choose which vendors to recommend?

I work with all sorts of vendors and service providers and have created a list of trusted companies. I will give you at least 2 vendors to choose from and you can select whomever you choose.

Who pays for the service providers?

You do.  We pass on estimates to you and you make the final decision of whom to hire. You pay the services directly.  Sage Organizing Co. does not receive any compensation from outside parties. 

What happens if you find something valuable/ weird/ illegal during the clean out?

Trust me: it happens.  When I find valuables, I immediately secure them and let you know. Any other sensitive items found will be handled with discretion. 

Do you do estate sales?

We can make it happen.  We work in partnership with several local estate sale and auciton houses to help our clients meet their goals for the estate.  

What if there are only a few items we would like to try to sell?

No problem.  If you'd like to see if any items are valuable enough to sell, we can source a personal property appraiser and pass the report on to you. Appraisers can often make recommendations of where to sell items. If you are interested in consigning items, we can connect you with great consignment stores in the area. 

The car is still at the house. Can you help with that?

Not so much.  Your attorney will advise you on the legality and process of selling the car. For the sake of liability, I will not allow a potential buyer to drive a car that you own while I am working there.  I am committed to protecting your possessions and my business. 

How do I know the house is safe and secure? I don't want a bunch of strangers walking around in there. 

During our Informational Interview, we confirm whom you have authorized to enter the house. When we take over the job, we strictly restrict access to the house: I treat your house like it was my own.  I'm not letting strangers in the door. 

What sort of local charities do you use?  How do you choose them?

First, we always honor any charities your family already has a relationship with.  But if you'd like suggestions, we have them!  We have had excellent experiences with local charities that help transition homeless families into public housing, veterans organizations, food banks, shelters,  low-income schools, animal shelters, and many more.  My goal is to make sure your donations go the the group that can benefit the most from them and that you can feel good about it. 

We're going to try to do the clean out ourselves, but need some guidance. Can you help with that?

Of course.  If you don't live within my service area or have decided to do-it-yourself, we can still help support you through the process. Learn more about out Do-It-Yourself Estate Clearing Services or our Family Meeting Game Plan for Estate Clean Outs.  You can also get the free Estate Clean Out Supply Checklist here. 

I'd like to check your references. Is that awkward?

Not awkward at all.  In fact, we automatically send you our references when we send out your Proposal. We want you to feel confident about working with us. 

What sort of professional accreditations do you have?

I am a professional member of NAPO, the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. We have a strict code of ethics that I abide by. I have earned the CPO®  status which makes me an official Certified Professional Organizer®.  In addition, I am active in several local organizations dedicated to serving seniors and families. 

We excel in concierge-level service for estate executors with compassion, confidence, and efficiency. 

Estate Executors

Whether you're an executor, Power of Attorney, or family member with a house full of possessions, we are here to help you. 

Concierge-Level Service

We step in at any point to handle every aspect of the project that you need. We have the experience, manpower, and connections to make it happen quickly.

Compassion

We know that clearing out the home of a loved one can be an overwhelming burden. We champion treating clients with respect, empathy, and care. Stop stressing out; we'll take care of everything. 

Confidence

Rest assured; we know our stuff. Our something process is from years of experience and gives a benefit to you. 

Efficiency

We will finish your project quickly.  In a short time, you will have an empty house, itemized donations, and other benefits. 

100% Peace of Mind Guarantee

We back up every job with a 100% peace of mind guarantee. 

Videos Of How it Works

Tell about videos

Pain Points

Connections

 insert on e more lienbveho to call who to trust .

TRAVEL

Already busy, so travelling back and forth all the time . short work sessions dont get things done

Overwhelm

Where to start with a project this size. Mental energy

FAMILY

Family dynamics  emotions can make decisions and process difficult. we are neutral party. 

Workload

The sheer amount of physical work is overwhelming and exhausting. 

TIME OFF WORK

INSERT

We CAN get the house empty in under a week.

 WE WILL WALK IN AND TAKE OVER THE JOB FOR YOU AT ANY STAGE. 
Stop stressing out; we'll care of all the details for you. 

Candi Ruppert, CPO and Estate Clearing Concierge

FOR YEARS, I HAVE BEEN HELPING FAMILIES IN THE CHARLOTTE, NC AREA
​CLEAR OUT THE HOMES OF THEIR LOVED ONES. 

CANDI RUPPERT

Office Manager

CREDENTIALS

Designer

WHAT IVE REALIZED

Chief Architect