‘Everything But the House’ Reveals Clutter Worth $35,022—Do You Have Some, Too?

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Decluttering a house is not just smart to do before you sell—the “junk” within could actually be worth tens of thousands of dollars.

That’s the premise behind HGTV’s new show “Everything But the House,” where host Lara Spencer works with home sellers to find what castoffs could be sold for major money.

In the episode “Hiding Tons of Treasure,” the crew goes to Medford Lakes, NJ, to meet siblings Michael and Eileen Dzwill, who are tasked with cleaning out and selling their old family home. Working with expert appraisers Michi Lee and Jacquie Denny, this team combs through the entire property for items to sell at auction.

When Spencer and her team are finished, the auctioned items make the Dzwill family a staggering $35,022. Here are the surprising household items that earn Michael and Eileen the most money. Maybe you have similar unexpected treasures in your home?

Concert T-shirts and vintage clothes

These Grateful Dead shirts sell for a shocking $325.

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In the closets, Spencer, Lee, and Eileen find three 1992 Grateful Dead T-shirts.

“My brothers’ friends would always buy something cool for my dad,” Eileen says when they pull the shirts out of the closet. “So maybe they got them for him.”

Lee estimates that these three shirts will probably go for $50 to $75, but when these shirts are finally auctioned off, Eileen and Michael are surprised that they net a total of $325!

But the real moneymakers are two 1950s coats by Pauline Trigère, a famous designer who worked for Jackie Kennedy and did costumes for the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The team finds these coats in the closet, and Eileen is delighted when they end up selling for $621.

It’s a good reminder to always give old clothes a second look.

Always remember to check the closets for valuable vintage clothes.

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Old toys

These classic Barbies are collectibles.

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Old toys can be serious collectors’ items, so it’s no surprise when Lee and Denny say that some of the old kids’ toys may be worth something.

A box of marbles sells for $200, while Eileen’s old set of Barbies goes for a staggering $310.

Another big item is an old-fashioned bisque doll, which Denny says could go for $400 to $800.

“Those are real enamel teeth, and then they used human hair for the wig,” Denny says.

This old doll may be creepy, but someone pays a good price for it.

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Unfortunately, this doll sells for only $175 at auction, but when Eileen admits she finds the doll creepy, it seems she’s happy to get rid of it at this price.

Silverware

This silverware looks great, but it’s not worth much.

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Eileen and Michael hope that their mother’s old silver will be worth a lot, but Denny says it isn’t too valuable.

“This is actually silver plate, not sterling silver,” Denny says. “Silver plate has much less value because it doesn’t have the fine metal content that sterling does, and so you’re probably looking at about $125, $145 for the set.”

The set actually sells for only $75, but Eileen and Michael show Denny another set of silver, which Denny says is indeed sterling silver. This one sells for the much higher price of $1,200.

Artwork

These paintings were just sitting in the greenhouse.

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While plenty of treasures can be found in the house, it’s also important to check any garage, shed, or storage outside the main living area.

In the greenhouse, they find a large crate with three paintings on silk from about the 16th to 19th century.

While Denny says these pieces could be very valuable, they can’t be attributed to an artist, so they aren’t big sellers. One piece goes for $350, while the other two sell for $150 each. While that may not seem like a lot for these old works, it’s better than nothing.

And as Spencer points out, Michael and Eileen are lucky these items weren’t damaged in the greenhouse.

“The thing is leaking, it’s about to fall down, and meanwhile, there are really valuable things all over the place,” Spencer says.

Millstones

These millstones fetch a surprisingly high price.

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Spencer, Michael, and Denny find some great artifacts in the greenhouse, but they find more valuables in an even more surprising place: the garden.

“These, by the way, are also collectible,” Spencer says when she spots three millstones. “You see these at big-box stores on stands, and people put them on their bookshelves.”

These three millstones end up fetching an impressive $130. Michael is shocked. “I’ve got to go dig up the yard a little more,” he jokes.

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