House Clearance in Hexham – Cluttered Cottage Clearance Case Study

We cover all areas of Northumberland including Hexham, Corbridge, Allendale, Haydon Bridge, Acomb, and the surrounding villages.

We were recently contacted by a retired couple from Surrey who had inherited a small two-bedroom stone cottage on the outskirts of Hexham. The property had belonged to the husband’s aunt, who had lived there alone for many years. The family had fond memories of the house, but upon gaining access, they quickly realised the scale of the task ahead — the property was completely filled with clutter, with barely a clear walkway through each room.

They initially considered hiring a skip and doing it themselves over a weekend visit, but after seeing the extent of the hoarding — and realising it would take far more than a few bin bags — they decided to bring in professional help. After a brief call with us and a review of photos they emailed over, we arranged the clearance for the following Tuesday.

On arrival:

Our Hexham clearance team of three arrived at 9 AM sharp. The cottage, although charming from the outside, was extremely cluttered inside. Stacks of magazines, newspapers, empty food tins, and broken furniture filled every room. The customer had asked us to look out for family photographs, jewellery, and anything relating to local Hexham history, as the aunt had been an active member of the community in her younger years.

Room-by-room breakdown:

  • The living room was impassable at first glance. Furniture was buried under piles of textiles, ornaments, and knick-knacks. One wall was covered in old postcards and framed photos — most of which we carefully removed and boxed up for the family.

  • The kitchen had long-expired food in the cupboards, a rusted gas cooker, and a leaking under-sink pipe that had soaked through much of the floor covering.

  • The upstairs bedrooms were full of clothing, stacked boxes, and unused electrical items. The wardrobe in the main bedroom was packed with coats and bags, and beneath it, we found a locked tin box containing jewellery and documents.

  • The loft was packed floor-to-ceiling with bags of wool, sewing supplies, and Christmas decorations dating back to the 1960s.

Items recovered and returned to the family:

Despite the sheer volume of clutter, we managed to safely recover several important items, including:

  • A 9ct gold locket containing two miniature black-and-white photographs

  • A set of 1930s Hexham Abbey postcards

  • A scrapbook of local newspaper clippings featuring the customer’s aunt

  • A small silver brooch, hallmarked for Chester, 1904

  • A handwritten diary from the 1950s

  • Around 80 family photographs in a tin

  • Life insurance documents and original title deeds

The couple were especially touched to receive the locket and the scrapbook, which they had no idea even existed.

Outside areas:

We also cleared the garden shed and outhouse, which were packed with rusted tools, old tins of paint, broken garden furniture, and an upright freezer that was no longer in use.

Completion:

The full clearance took just over 6 hours and required two full van loads — one to the recycling centre in Hexham and the other to a local charity shop. All carpets were uplifted as requested, and all white goods were disconnected and removed safely.

Client testimonial:

“We honestly didn’t know where to begin. The house meant a lot to us, but it was so overwhelming inside. James’s team were brilliant — punctual, respectful, and incredibly thorough. They handled everything without complaint and even took the time to find and return personal items we’d never have found on our own. We’re so grateful.”

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