When it comes time to have an estate sale or cleanup, it's very common to seek the help of an estate liquidator. One estimate reports there are approximately 14,000 estate liquidators in the United States alone. In Tucson alone, there are several options to choose from. And with so many choices how does one go about preparing for such changes in your loved one's life? If you are facing a situation where you are looking to conduct an estate sale, there are a number of key points you should know. Here are seven tips to help you manage this stressful task:

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1. Collect and set aside all key financial documents. Willa trusts documents, and related documents should all be set aside. Be sure to keep an eye out for life insurance policies and statements, real estate deeds, and titles; obtain recent bank statements if none are in the home; retain any stock certificates; 401(k) records; tax returns and receipts. These may be very important when it comes time to file any income tax returns.

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2. Look for the hidden things. People have a tendency to stash things in unlikely places or forget that something valuable has been left in a coat pocket or the back of a desk drawer. Take your time when looking through your loved one's possessions.

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3. Work with family members on sharing items. A positive strategy that can help your family avoid conflict is to have each member create a list of the items they’d like to have from the estate. While this can work well, unfortunately, there can still be situations where conflicts and disagreements arise. If necessary, involving outside mediators or legal help may be helpful here.

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4. Photos and memorabilia can be priceless. Often these types of items are of little value to people outside of the family. However, they are irreplaceable for family members. The idea is to think of the future of grandchildren and others who may well find these pictures, scrapbooks, albums, etc. as a physical and tangible link to family members they may never have had to privilege to meet.

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5. Donate or sell clothing. Though they may have sentimental value, most clothing has little resale value. Consignment stores can sometimes be a source for gaining some revenue from old clothing as well as eBay or yard sales. Donations are, of course, always welcome and this can be handled for you by others.

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6. Seek the help of a professional estate appraiser. If the estate is comprised of a substantial amount of furniture, jewelry and antiques it is typically worthwhile to make use of their services. An accredited professional will give you an estimate for each item and typically charges an hourly fee to do so. The cost will depend on such factors as your location and the type of appraisal you want.

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7. Get help. The work can be overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. Some of the tasks are simply monotonous and lengthy, such as sorting through paperwork. Other tasks require physical exertion such as cleaning, moving furniture and possibly hauling items and debris. This is where the services of a professional estate cleanout service can be invaluable.