Two kinds of belongings
Sort by material first and by sentiment second.
Usually recover well
- Glass, ceramics, china and silver
- Metal tools and hardware
- Finished wood furniture in good condition
- Washable clothing and linens in sound fabric
- Jewelry, after a gentle cleaning
Usually keep the smell
- Mattresses, pillows and foam cushions
- Paperback books and paper files
- Inexpensive upholstered furniture
- Stuffed items and soft toys
- Lampshades and fabric-covered boxes
Where each item goes
- IfHard item, wanted by familyThenClean it on site or in a garage, then pack it in a fresh box, not one that has been sitting in the house.
- IfSoft item with real sentimental valueThenBag it separately and label it for specialist cleaning or slow airing; keep it out of family closets until it passes a sniff test.
- IfItem for an estate sale or consignmentThenAsk the sale organizer how they handle smoke odor; they may want certain pieces cleaned or priced accordingly.
- IfItem for donationThenAsk the charity before dropping off; many decline upholstered or soft goods with smoke odor.
- IfSoft item no one specifically wantsThenDiscard it. Moving it around spreads odor and slows the cleanout.
Set up before packing day
- New boxes and tape only; old boxes from the garage or basement smell too.
- Heavy-duty bags with ties for textiles that need separate handling.
- A labeled staging area for each destination: family, clean, sell, donate, discard.
- A roll-off container or hauling plan for discarded items.
- Masks and gloves for handling dusty, ash-covered items.
- A shared list so siblings can claim items without everyone visiting the house.
Timing the cleanout with the house work
The house cannot be treated effectively while it is full, and the contents should not stay in a house that is being treated. That makes the cleanout the first step of any odor plan. In larger homes in Country Club or Belcaro, where decades of belongings fill attics, basements and garages, the cleanout often takes longer than the odor work itself.
Once rooms are empty, a provider can see what the walls, ceilings and floors actually look like. Families are sometimes surprised in both directions: hardwood under wall-to-wall carpet, or yellowed ceilings that heavy furniture and dim lamps had hidden for years.
Keep the family's own homes and cars in mind. Boxes that ride in a trunk for a week or sit in a sibling's guest room can pass the smell along. Air the cleaned items in a garage first, and bring them inside only once they smell neutral after a day or two closed in a box.
General information for Cherry Creek, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.