house clearing

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The process of removing all furniture, belongings, and waste from a house, especially after someone has died or moved out.

   Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: 'House clearing can take weeks.' It is not usually used with 'a' or in the plural.

   Patterns

   • house clearing after something
   • do house clearing
   • professional house clearing

   After her grandmother passed away, the family spent a month on house clearing.

   The company offers house clearing and rubbish removal for landlords.

   House clearing is emotionally draining when you have to sort through decades of possessions.

2. 2noununcountable

   The removal of people or things from a house, especially for safety or legal reasons.

   Grammar: Same uncountable use; often followed by 'of': 'the house clearing of the squatters'.

   Patterns

   • house clearing of someone/something
   • order a house clearing

   Police supervised the house clearing of the illegal occupants.

   The council ordered a house clearing before the building could be demolished.

Common combinations

professional house clearing

They hired a professional house clearing service to deal with the clutter.

house clearing after a death

House clearing after a death requires sensitivity and patience.

house clearing and rubbish removal

The firm specializes in house clearing and rubbish removal.

do house clearing

We need to do house clearing before the new tenants arrive.

Synonyms and how they differ

clearance

Clearance is more general and can refer to removing anything from anywhere; house clearing is specifically about a house.

emptying

Emptying focuses on making something empty, while house clearing often includes disposal and cleaning.

Word family

clear verb

To remove things from a place, e.g. 'clear a house'.

clearing noun

The act of removing things; also an open space in a forest.

Commonly confused: house clearing or house cleaning?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “house clearing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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