She also has no furniture, except for beds.  

Some of them spend a few thousand on pain and new furniture and stay there years.

Funding the operation is primarily the furniture expenses, you might be able to talk to some local arbitrage people and see if they would be willing to work with you on it.

The biggest challenge in furnishing it was getting the furniture there.

Shabby coastal is easy - find old furniture curbside, do a terrible job painting it white, put it up against a brightly colored wall with a black & white photo above it.

The heirs would have a claim on any personal property, and if you should find something of value, or extreme value you should handle carefully, maybe storing safely and protecting it for an heir who might come forward.We got a house that was packed with furniture, clothes, household goods and even food. 

People moving out from home so they would need furniture? 

Landlords have to accept the fact that when they rent premises then their fixtures and fittings (and even furniture) will have a life expectancy.

If there is a large amount of junk like old broken furniture, cardboard, dirty clothes and misc. garbage I rent a roll-off construction dumpster and hire a couple people hourly through friends or, if necessary, Craigslist and work with them to haul stuff out.

I had to do one 3 years ago and the sheriff and I arrived with my movers.... and the house was still intact with all the furniture neatly unmoved in ALL rooms, closets neatly full:) it cost me... then 30 minutes after my movers started placing items to the curb, here comes my tenant with a moving truck...