What I see, watching this estate clean out, is a lady who lived a full life until one day she didn't. She filled her loneliness with shopping. It looks like she shopped for a lot of things that made her nostalgic. If you peel off the top layer of that manic mess and get to the days she "kept house", there are probably some real treasures in pristine condition. Looks like she had excellent taste, but a bit whimsical too. I like this lady. Good vibes. ✌💜
Alex said in the comments last vid that she had been a ballerina and he was a pianist. successful ones, obviously. and your profiling of her absolutely tracks that...i won't add much more accept that i experienced a bit of that world, and it's not a happy one. to see what it can do to one for the later life is sooo sad to see.
Where's all the history of her life? Photo albums, childhood life, school education, financial records, home buying, bank records marriage certificates and the honeymoon and special occasions... ? And what about the man of the house? What were his achievements?
@@phangirlable yes, it was. I wasn’t super clear, though. I think an interview of him with pics (he’ll take them to resell the items, anyway) would be very interesting!
Mental health experts say that hoarding comes from OCD. So even though it appears that there is no organization, she probably could have found a lot of the items if she needed to.
@@kevinsymonds2123 I agree. She was very organised, then it got beyond her control, so just piled up. And it isn't bad quality stuff, nor is it rubbish, which makes it all the more sad. And it is mentally disordered, because anyone rational would realise it's more than they need and have a plan for letting stuff go or stop bringing it in.
All the comments saying that guy is making a fortune with the clothes... Do you realise that he will need to put in a ton of work and time to sort all these clothes, wash them, take pictures, list them on Etsy etc. Everyone who has worked reselling knows that the price of a product is just one part of it. So Alex is saving himself a lot of time and trouble which is necessary if he wants to empty this house in 8 weeks. That's how it works, everybody wins.
@crocusflower lol what did Trump do to raise shipping fees? because you're using USPS I guess? Fedex and UPS have been less expensive than USPS around here for many years in TX.
I am a 70 year old woman who grew up in the 60’ s and love this show, although it is tough to hear things I recognize and even wore being called vintage. I am sitting at home in Minnesota (COVID) and this is my reward. Love this series please make more, you have quite a following.
I am 68 and laugh when items I grew up with are called vintage. It made me think about things I have that I wonder why I keep them, as I don't think my kids will appreciate the vintage items. :-)
You should be proud to hear that we think of this items as vintage, because we are not saying they are old, we are saying they are truasures. They are the Items we wish we grew up with and envy a the beautiful life you had at that time. We are not saying does items are old. We are saying this items are unique, beautiful and priceless. You should be proud of how we consider your generation as vintage. I bet you grew up to be a wonderful person surounded but sush simple and srunning colors. Many blessings. 🥰
Thank-you for your reply and you are correct, i should be proud of the vintage items, some are from my hippy days and those days were a blast! Life goes by way too fast and the memories that this series has brought me have been very enjoyable!
Towels are always needed at animal rescues. Blankets would be welcomed by a homeless shelter. Alex said 2 of the blankets are worth $300. I don't know why. but he knows his stuff.
@@nancymontgomery8897 They were old Hudson Bay blankets with 4 bars (or points). The bars denote size and the bigger the better. They are old wool blankets. The tag will date them. Being buried probably means they are in good condition too. New Hudson Bay Blankets sell for a lot.
@@nancymontgomery8897 Hudson Bay blankets are a special find - ordinary blankets and towels are great for animal shelters (as long as they are clean, even if stained or faded)
I always appreciate how empathetic and kind you are when speaking about the hoard and the homeowners. It would be easy to be negative and shame them, but you always speak so respectfully.
I wonder if the rented a studio space, for making clothing , hats, displayed art, and maybe also for all the music. when they got older, the family may have had to take everything out to save money and sort of dumped everything there. just because somethings in the house are so well organized and other things are so haphazard. ... Just a thought. but I to love the amount of respect they gave give the home owners.
I went to his website Naked in the Bowery -there is a place to send an email to him. So I did. I wrote to say that alot of us were interested in seeing an "unboxing" of all of the clothing and accessories. I suggested he reach out to Alex to find someone who could set up a RU-vid channel and video it. Who knows? I encourage everyone else to do this too.
The owner looked pristine in the photo and I noticed how neatly the things were folded in the cupboard and the suitcase... It seems things just got too much for her. Likely depression, I noticed there were no modern men's clothing, perhaps it was grief.
I think you are very right. It seems like she was very organized and proud of her beautiful things and then her husband died and it all went down hill. It is so incredibly sad to think about and it is making me cry a little bit writing this.
@@JennyWinters It's packed what the risk ? When you have nothing i assure you it's already a lot. I've used half empty soap and shampoo and eaten cookies, yoghurts and fruits coming from the dumpster and i assure you i was happy to find them. You just react like people who always had comfort and never lacked anything
She got home from a trip decades ago and never unpacked. This is, at least, the second suitcase I've seen packed when opened. And there are so many suitcases about - are they packed too?! I am fascinated and entranced by her. I am enjoying this so much already.
Same , while I am watching and looking at all the stuff I am so intrigued to know more about this woman. Her story seems more interesting than the hoard. Loving this.
@@janeleslie4192 everything is like a time capsule... I'd love to know more also like was she married did she have kids??? He didn't mention in the video... was it her parents house and she lived with them???
Perhaps she just had a suitcase for Hawaii packed ready to leave on short notice? Jokes apart, most things seem to be a lot more organized than I would have expected from a “traditional” hoarder. Boxes with content matching the labels etc. looking forward to hearing more about the couple.
@@isorna2456 That shell necklace he found in the suitcase can only be gotten from Hawaii or someone who has been there. The purse also said it was made in Hawaii. It seems like she came back and never unpacked.
I think you absolutely made the right decision with selling the clothing. You could have made more on it but there is no way you have the time and space to sort, catalogue and sell it.
Not to mention vintage clothing is a specialized area of knowledge that takes a long time and a lot of experience to develop. As evidenced by Alex thinking everything is vintage, even the new stuff, and getting starry eyed over modern designers and department stores! No offense, because Alex has his own areas of expertise that vintage clothes sellers don't. So it was smart to leave the clothes to someone with the experience and knowledge and concentrate on his own many strengths. As a vintage dealer myself, I would have done the same thing, only in reverse!
As a collector of vintage linens, I can tell you it does indeed take A LOT of time and energy to clean the items! I started collecting as a little girl when an elderly neighbor gave me some crocheted pineapple arm rest covers. To this day, if I see a crocheted pineapple design, chances are I'm going to add it to my collection!
The clothes would obviously be worth at least double but I think he made a good decision as so much of the stuff will be cleared out. Sad we're not going to get a better look through all of it! 😢
Yea. He got a killer deal, but I see Alex's reasoning. That's a lot of work for someone who doesn't deal in clothes & I'm sure he wants to get to the nitty gritty of things that he can move. Still got to wonder about money or valuables in that clothing though?
That's how wholesale works. The dealers in these types of items typically pay no more than 20-30% of retail, because most of the value (and work) is in sorting, presenting, and selling the goods.
As a vintage dealer myself, I'm not so sure it's a steal. I can tell you that it's a load of work. No evidence that most of that stuff was designer, and anyway designer fashion isn't the most important thing in vintage. Especially in a hoarder situation, clothes get torn, they get stained, they get moth and mouse eaten. Everything has to be inspected, cleaned, repaired, etc. He should make good money, but he will work hard for it, and it will take a long time. Just my 2 cents.
I love seeing Mom too but those high heel boots I wonder how in the world she climbed through there. I would have ditched the coats you all were wearing and put on hooded sweatshirts much more comfortable. Anna In Ohio
@@joane.3533 indeed I did, I subscribed just as started the Potter's house negotiations. I've been enjoying following Alex and family ever since, and all their wonderful adventures.what a fine family! 👌👍✌
Mark, as we have invested interest in this woman, as she has bedazzled us, please consider inviting Alex and Melissa to a fashion show (with us tagging along), or a walk through the garments and accessories that you found interesting. It will educate us in Fashion history, show this woman s style and give you 50k + new viewers who want to know more about your fashion retail collection. It would be a wonderful time spent with you.
I went to his website Naked in the Bowery -there is a place to send an email to him. So I did. I wrote to say that alot of us were interested in seeing an "unboxing" of all of the clothing and accessories. I suggested he reach out to Alex to find someone who could set up a RU-vid channel and video it. Who knows? I encourage everyone else to do this too.
I received an email from Mark, the owner of the vintage clothing shop..I asked if he would be making a video. he said "we are looking into it. I have been taking pics and video of our warehouse as it has been filling up. I will keep in touch as things progress."
I admire the amount of respect you display in dealing with this home clean-out, particularly when you speak about the former owner. Additionally, you now refer to this property as the Musician’s House, which is a kind and compassionate gesture. Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season, and good luck with this fascinating project. I can’t stop watching!
You guys need to be wearing masks all the time in there. We don't want the same thing to happen as in the potter house.. all that dust , mold , dander and who knows what can literally damage your lungs for life , been there done that and learnt the hard way xoxo
I don't think apart from the dust, those cheap masks will help though. They are meant to protect others when you yourself are sick. You need a mask with better filters when you want to protect yourself from diseases.
Congratulations on selling all the clothing. That’s going to make things so much easier for you. And you broke even already. Yay! More! We all want more of this series!
What BIG progress you've already made! Having someone remove all that clothing will make your effort easier. I wish you had time to check out all the pockets and purses for money & jewelry.
@@My2ndnephew Jewelry and money was excluded from the deal with the Etsy seller, so I would hope if he finds any of that in the clothing pockets he will give it back to Alex. That said, checking all those pockets would be a task unto itself and who knows if maybe Alex said anything found in the pockets belongs to the Etsy seller.
There’s probably hundreds of broaches on coats and dresses! I know Alex has to sell off the clothing in order to speed the process but I was really looking forward to seeing all the vintage clothing,purses , and shoes . Maybe the guy that bought it has a Utube channel? I’d love to see his sorting and cleaning process for that many garments and accessories!
Grief, depression, trauma, OCD, etc. can all manifest like this. It's really heartbreaking, you can clearly see the care this lady had for the things she owned and it just got the best of her at some point.
@@CuriosityIncorporated that's what is weird about this one minute on flat on the floor then several hours I feel like running a marathon.Thank you for your videos.
Alexander, the book you put the ticket on that has material on its cover is part of a collection of sewing books from the 60s or 70s. I have 4 of them each with different material on the cover. Please don't throw them away as I'm sure there is a collector out there or sewer that can use them. They are very interesting and I refer to them from time to time. They were in my hubby's mom's stuff she was throwing out about 25 years ago and I rescued them. The photos in them are amazing. Have a great week! I'm loving this series!
I think it would be amazing if you could do a show talking to the family members of the owners of the house. The previous owner's have such a eclectic mix of stuff that there lives should be talked about. It looks like they had money, loved to travel and brought loads of things back. I think it would be interesting to find out what caused them to start hoarding. Truly amazing stuff. BTW your mom is lovely.💕🤗
@@Ad-Infinitum The toothpaste is probably expired, so it's no longer ideal for putting in one's mouth. For using as a mildly abrasive cleaner for inanimate objects though, still good!
Great move selling to the vintage clothing dealer. Good move for him, too. I'm delighted your mum snagged that red bag first! Gorgeous! Most of the art will also find buyers. Not just the art that has a clear value, like the original indigenous art, but most of it. She collected things that people still want to collect today. And, of course, the glass and pottery, plus all the lamp shades! I saw a little fibreglass lampshade on day one that would bring in a little money. Almost everything in that house is a hot mid-mod commodity today. Buying these contents was a very smart move, and a LOT of work! Thanks for taking us with you!
The chocolate box your mom found, seems to be filled with native American jewelry. I can tell you that the top piece with the long white beads is a native American choker.
So pleased all that Clothing, Shoes & Hats will be gone. Towels are always needed by the homeless charities. So are linens. Blankets are always needed in places hit by a Disaster, Fires, Floods etc etc. There is a use for all most everything. I hope someone can benefit from almost everything. Thrift shops will be happy too. Great to see everyone pitch in to help. Well done Alex, so respectful to the Lady of the house too. Her items will bring much joy all around the world very soon. Seems like a win, win, situation to me. She has accidentality preserved history for us, God bless her. xx
I'm still baffled about the shear amount of stuff in this house, and they must have been somewhat wealthy because it's not entirely "off the rack" stuff, there's quite a lot of what seems to be pricey items too. And we don't even know what the present owner already has removed from the house. Great video, and I'm looking forward to see the next one and what kind of treasures you guys will find.
@@kevinsymonds2123 As I understand it, it was Alec and Melissa that found those costume jewellery, and he gave them a price on it, but we still don't know what he himself has found and pulled out of the house. Don't get me wrong, he's fully entitled to do so as it is his house, and before he sold all what's inside to Alec and Melissa, he could pick whatever item he wanted. :)
You have such a cute Mom and I liked how you worried about her ♥️, love your videos and amazed at these big projects you take on....so much fun to watch. It’s super cold here in Las Vegas....60 degrees and the sun is shining bright 🤣 but I love seeing the snow where you’re at. Can’t wait for the next video! 🥰♥️
Thank you, Jenny! Fell in love with the hot pink/coral long-sleeved lacy/embroidered top hippie-looking frock that Paul pulled out in Episode 1; hoping to track it down when the new owner posts it!
My podiatrist once told me that Crocs have excellent built-in arches and are therefore the best shoes to wear if one suffers from painful plantar fasciatis. He added that 2/3rds of his adult patients came in because of this common foot ailment. (And that group included me!)
That was a good solution for you to have a buyer for the clothes in one swoop! Glad you found some nice things for Melissa and your mom beforehand! Enjoyed it, but wish the video was longer. And - as I whine about that, I fully realize that clearing is your first priority, not entertaining us. 😀
I GASPED as you pulled out that pink Coach purse, I bet Melissa SWOONED! Oh Be Still My Heart!! And the lovely one for your Mother, too!! But the shoes and purse SET!! WOWSER! And the HATS!! I could spend the rest of my life in that house happily sorting and sifting!!
It was on Kastner Auctions here in Edmonton, AB Canada. They are still auctioning off more items today as there were so many. And yes they do ship anywhere in the World.
Part of me is like he shouldn't have done it or he should have gotten more but realistically he seems to pass through stuff a lot for a reason. He is losing out on revenue for sure but he is losing out on work too. He has a fixed schedule to get everything out of the house.
@@psinno He did the right thing. Early on he was more or less thinking it was mostly junk until his friend came and said it was a gold mine. Nobody can be an expert on everything and he might have wound up getting less out of it by not marketing to the right sector or discarding things he didn't realize had value.
@@greyeaglem Totally agree. I checked out the etsys listed and it seems like the guy sells dresses for between $60-$200 depending on brand, style, time period, etc. so I would guess this was a really good deal for both of them. He will have stock for a LONG time, plus at a place CI that don't specialize in clothing, you won't get the foot traffic of vintage clothing collectors so he would probably have to price the clothes much lower than online sellers to get any inventory actually sold.
Wow, $10,000. for all those vintage items is a great deal, for someone who has the time and the knowledge to deal with it. Although I think that was a deal, it must be a relief for Alex and Melissa to get rid of all that so they can move on. With only a couple of months to get the house ready to hand back over, it was a smart move.
I remember from the last hoard he cleared last year he rearranged his entire store because he had so many clothes. Valuable for sure but the work load may not be worth it.
I'm really curious as to who owns the house? and who sold the contents? If she has no heirs i'm guessing this was all put on the auction block by the Alberta Government office of public trustee and in the end get her bank account, house and other assets?
This lady had taste. Would love to see a picture of her. I bet her and her husband had some amazing story's. They had culture and taste. May they rest in peace.
That's great that you are respectful of the previous owner and her possesions. They were most likely a big part of her life. I'm sure that she'd be happy to know that some of her cool stuff will go on to make other people happy.
Wise choice selling the vintage clothes , Alex . That alleviates a big mass for you to deal with and will give you some room to move around . Now you're starting fresh and let's hope you can make some good money . So glad you're Mom and Melissa each got a purse they'll enjoy . Be safe , be well and prosper .
I am so glad you sold all those clothes to a vintage clothing dealer. It guarantees a treasure won’t get overlooked and those clothes will have a new life! A lot of old fashion has good quality and value even if not a famous label. Seems like he’ll know the good stuff
I am really appreciative of how respectful you are to the owner. Very entertaining video and look forward to seeing what you find. Especially in the basement.
When I was a kid I always liked looking through my parent's closet and going through the junk drawer. This is the ultimate junk drawer/closet and would keep me totally occupied for weeks.
Wow, I bet that vintage clothing guy is going to make $100,000+ on those clothes, shoes, purses. I hope you find lots more good stuff for yourself, and I hope the clothes didn't contain money! Other than my heart sinking at the thought of you losing out on the clothes, I am enjoying this series very much. Each time an episode ends I wish it would continue. Thanks for sharing these adventures with us, Alexander. With love from BanDana Gramma ❤
I don’t think there would be much money in coat pockets, because every purse that was opened had no money in them at all. Trinket boxes and cans might have coin money, or even in the unfinished attire space, but I think all her money went to clothing, hats, shoes, and handbags.
They guy who bought them already has the knowledge, and setup to sell that kind of thing. I am sure you are right about the profit but that won't be instant and it will take a LOT of work photographing, researching, and listing. I doubt CI could make 10K on those clothes over the course of the next year if they were to try to piece out and sell each piece since it isn't their specialty. The other guy is also taking a risk in the sense that a lot of the clothes could LOOK in good shape at first glance but may have moth holes, snags, stains, etc. so there is a lot to factor in, plus possible cost of storing that much inventory. I wouldn't be too bummed for Alex!
Wow what a group of 'fortunate friends'.. Thousands of us watching would love to be in that group haha :) The joy of discovery Greetings to your mum and of course Melissa.. What a fun family
Loving this new series Alex and Melissa! I followed all the potter's house with extreme participation. This is yet another fascinating house full of particular things, I am so into vintage clothing and all the rest, there are incredible things in the there, all the sewing machines, the notions, the costume jewellery, that clothing is a vintage lover's dream! Also the way the house was furnished and decorated is lovely....Wishing you to find great treasures, and wondering about this woman's life, full of music, travels, art, creativity...under the layer of sadness and loneliness probably....xxx
Wish I was young ,,I'd join you in that clean out, I did one back in the 70's with my wife, is was a 14 room house and it was full like yours is. we had a ball..I'd do it again, it was a lot of work but fun work. and we made a good profit..
@@JennyWinters you don’t know what happened for them to get into that situation. I bought a hoarder house in my 20’s and the family’s history was absolutely tragic.
I think anyone that knows vintage clothing would have snapped up the clothing for that fantastic price!! I know I would!! That was the best of the house hoard, and videos!! I do understand him selling it, but he could have made REAL money, by storing it briefly and taking his time. Was very much looking foreword to videos of that rare find.
I can't tell you how much I enjoy these hoarder videos. Thank you for the great content. You always make me laugh at some point. Hope you uncover tons of treasures!!
I would love to go through the trash you throw out. LOL. The woodpecker on log (in top of kitchen cabinet) is a toothpick holder/dispenser. We had one in our house back in the late 50s early 60's. Lay toothpicks in the log. Press woodpeckers head down to pick up a toothpick for you. :) I'd like to find another one out "in the wild."
