Not a legal beagle but I know about disposal before probate or the equivalent, low value states don't have to go through actual probate. Executors can dispose of items before this and sometimes need to. There may be for instance animals, maybe quite valuable ones. that need rehoming maybe through sale, salaries to staff to be paid, unsanitary personal effects to be disposed of, possibly perishables like the contents of a freezer and so on. What the executor must do is keep a record of what is done and any monies expended or realised by the sale of items, also the estimated value of any items like animals that may be given away for no charge. Beneficiaries may require to see such records but as I understand it, only beneficiaries.