The first item to sort after a house fire is documentation, not debris. Before you touch a single charred beam or smoke-stained wall, secure your insurance policy, fire department report, and property deed. These papers control your ability to sell, claim compensation, and prove legal ownership. Only after documentation is gathered and your insurer has inspected the damage should you begin the physical sorting process, starting with structural safety verification, then salvageable valuables, followed by hazardous materials removal.
Most fire-affected property owners waste critical time and money by attacking the cleanup backwards. …