What not to discard until the adjuster signs off

The smell is bad. A cousin says throw everything. An internet post says the adjuster will deny you if a sock is gone.

Both of those people are guessing. The real rule is: photograph, list, then mitigate. Sewage-soaked couches don’t need to live in the living room for two weeks.

If you have to haul for health, keep proof of what left.

Do this now

Shoot and list an item before it goes to the curb whenever you can.
Keep a sample or the serial plate if the whole unit is a biohazard and you must move it.
Ask the carrier in writing what they want held. Save the reply.
Don’t throw dry, undamaged items just because you’re in a ripping mood.
Photograph the curb pile and the empty room so the before and after still connect.

What usually has to go fast

Food that flooded. Soaked porous baby gear. Drywall that’s already collapsing. A fridge full of spoiled meat. Houston heat does not wait for a polite appointment. Houstonians often report they tossed too much too fast after Harvey and also that they kept rotting furniture too long. You can do the middle path: shoot, bag, haul, keep the file.

What to park if you have space

Jewelry, documents, hard drives, tools that might dry, and anything the adjuster already said they want to see. A plastic bin on a dry relative’s porch is cheaper than arguing about a missing ring. If the item is wet paper, freeze it in a sealed bag if you have a working freezer. That’s a known salvage move, not a miracle.

Get the yes in writing

“The adjuster said we could toss it” is a voicemail you’ll lose. Email: “Confirming we may discard the soaked sofa and carpet in the den after photos.” If they don’t answer and the item is a health risk, you still mitigate, and you still keep the photos. Don’t wait in a toxic room for a callback that comes next Thursday.

Verify live. Status changes hourly. Ask the adjuster by email what to hold. If you must haul for health, photos and a list are the stand-in.