Hidden fortune: What Aussie cleaners find in home clean-outs

Stressed Aussies are unknowingly tossing tens of thousands of dollars in the bin – with cleaners finding as much as $15,000 in cash hidden in a handbag in a shock new trend.

A silent disaster is unfolding across Australia’s suburbs as stressed descendants and downsizers rush to move on, with commercial cleaners clearing out properties find thousands of dollars worth of inheritance destined for skip bins.

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Bob Morton, co-founder of The Property Clearance Company, is among hundreds of businesses now rushed off their feet keeping up with demand as the $19.8 billion commercial cleaning sector expands into residential properties.

“We’ve seen people unknowingly throw away tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of items and we’ve seen families break down over preventable misunderstandings,” he said.

“We’ve seen people toss out antique clocks, first-edition books and signed artworks thinking they were worthless.”

“One family threw out a set of vintage tools that later sold for more than $4,000.”

“We’ve found cash relatively often — sometimes thousands of dollars — and valuable jewellery like gold, diamonds, and even a Banksy artwork, which the family didn’t know they had.”

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“We found a signed painting under a bed that was worth over $8,000. People don’t always know what they’re holding onto, but once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.”

Among the salvaged items was a 1970s Steve Austin six million dollar man toy in its original packaging – worth a shattering $1,000 in the collectors’ market. “Some toys you buy today are worth nothing tomorrow, this one is unique.”

Mr Morton said the propertyclearance.com.au team in the multistate family business he runs with wife Jude love finding things of both financial and sentimental value to clients.

“The ones that really come to mind are often the items of sentimental importance that had either been long since forgotten or people didn’t even know were there. That happens a lot when families have lived in a home for decades, sometimes multi-generation.”

“Just a few weeks ago, we found a letter a client had written to her dad for Father’s Day when she was seven. She’s now in her 50s and had recently lost him. It was emotional for her and for our team.”

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“There’s jewellery and things like that people have long forgotten. One client said to me, I couldn’t remember if this was real or not, because I’ve got a childhood memory of it but I hadn’t seen it for decades. We were moving a cabinet out of a bedroom and a brooch was under it. We said, does this mean anything to you? It was very emotional.”

He said a professional decluttering and clear out required five to seven days for a typical three bedroom home, and they are seeing a rise in downsizers overwhelmed by the need to declutter their life’s possessions.

“This is one of life’s biggest transitions and getting it wrong can cost far more than money,” he said. “We do this for a living and are licensed second-hand dealers with an eye for both financial and sentimental value. Even then, we consult specialists for certain items.”

Mr Morton has five red flags to watch for when decluttering or downsizing a home.

The first, he said, was never throw things out before checking their value – what seems like junk to one generation can be a goldmine. “Retro items from the ’60s and ’70s are especially valuable if in good condition — vinyl records, biscuit tins, designer furniture.”

“We’ve seen people throw out vintage tools worth $4,000 and priceless family treasures — all because they were in a hurry to ‘just get it done’.”

Don’t let emotion cloud your judgment and rush you either, he warns. And he adds that most people’s go-to strategy of blitzing through a house in one weekend is one of the worst things they could do.

“We hear it all the time. ‘I wish I hadn’t rushed it’. The problem is, once it’s gone, you can’t get it back. Taking time to thoughtfully sort through a home is the only way to ensure nothing important is lost.”

Do not sell off the entire contents or dump it all in one go without having a look through. “We’ve seen mid-century designer furniture, valuable art and antique tools snapped up for next to nothing,” he said. “If someone offers to take a houseful of goods off your hands in one day, chances are you’re being taken for a ride.”

The other red flag, he said, was not documenting everything and creating an inventory – especially when multiple family members are involved in clearing out the family home to help elderly parents move into care or retirement living.

“We’ve had siblings argue over furniture, jewellery and even family photo albums,” Mr Morton said. “An inventory protects everyone. It creates transparency, avoids suspicion, and gives families peace of mind.”

The fifth red flag, he said, was thinking it was all “just stuff”.

He said every object has a story and some have significant emotional or monetary value.

“People often overlook sentimental items that hold family history and real monetary value. We help them see the difference.”

“That battered old typewriter in the garage might be a rare collector’s item. Mum’s handbag could be a vintage designer piece. Even handwritten recipes, love letters and holiday souvenirs can be deeply meaningful to future generations.”

“This is more than just a clean-up, it’s the closing of a life chapter,” he said. “Done right, it can be a respectful and even healing process. Done wrong, it’s a source of lifelong regret.”

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