From Gnomes to Fingernails: The Wildest Collections People Actually Keep

February 25, 2025

What's Hiding In Americans' Closets?

Spring cleaning season is upon us, and for many, that means facing down the ever-growing mountains of clutter that have somehow taken over our homes. But before you start tossing things out, let’s take a moment to appreciate the fascinating, bizarre, and downright wacky collections people hold onto.

A recent survey of 2,000 Americans uncovered some of the strangest collections out there. From sports cards to… fingernail clippings (yes, really), people have a knack for holding onto the unexpected.

From a collection of nearly 100,000 sports cards to one person's fingernail clippings, a new survey uncovered Americans' most unique, impressive and bizarre collections.

Some of the Weirdest Collections We Found

Everyone loves a good collection—but some are a little more unique than others. Here are some of the most interesting ones from the survey:

Nearly 100,000 sports cards – Impressive! But where do you even put them all?
A lifetime’s worth of fingernail clippings – We have… questions.
Over 300 brewery coasters – A great way to remember all those happy hours.
More than 200 oil-burning lamps – There must never be a power outage in that house!
Gnomes, uranium glass, clowns, vintage handkerchiefs, and porcelain pigs – Quite the conversation starters.
An entire collection dedicated to Elvis Presley – The King lives on!
A Princess Diana memorabilia collection – A tribute fit for royalty.

Some people also reported owning some rather unusual taxidermy, including tigers, cobras, piranhas, pufferfish, parrots, and even penguins. (We’re just going to assume they’re all legally obtained.)

Other interesting collections from the survey include gnomes, uranium glass, clowns, vintage handkerchiefs and porcelain pigs

How Much Junk Do We Actually Have?

Beyond the oddball collections, the survey revealed just how much extra stuff people own—and how they feel about it. Americans admitted that about 34% of their belongings are non-functional—things they don’t use or need.

Americans said 34% of their stuff is non-functional and are things they don't often use or need, such as collections or memorabilia

Here’s a breakdown of what’s lurking in our homes:

13% – Pure junk
21% – Things we don’t need but haven’t let go of
27% – Sentimental memorabilia (we get it, some things are hard to part with!)
10% – Other people’s stuff that somehow ended up with us
29% – Collections or joy-sparking items (we see you, collectors!)

Despite all this, nearly half (47%) of people have no idea how they accumulated so much, and over a quarter (27%) feel embarrassed by it.

47% of people are not really sure how they've accumulated so much over the years and 27% are embarrassed about the amount of junk they own

Where Does All This Stuff Go?

When you run out of closet space, the natural next step is… to get creative. Survey respondents revealed some very unconventional storage solutions, including:

Chimneys (Hopefully not active ones!)
Air vents (Because nothing says “great storage spot” like your HVAC system.)
Freezers (That’s one way to keep things preserved.)
Hollowed-out trees (For the true nature lover.)
Buried underground (Is it storage or a treasure hunt?)

And if that’s not enough, 20% of people are using storage units, while 10% still have belongings at their parents' house. (Mom and Dad, if you’re reading this, we promise we’ll come pick up that old stuff… eventually.)

The Great Declutter: Americans Plan to Tidy Up This Spring

The good news? Most people want to declutter. Over 56% plan to do some serious cleaning this spring, with the average person aiming to toss out a whopping 34% of their belongings.

56% of people are planning to declutter in the springtime, with the average respondent looking to toss a staggering 34% of their stuff

But here’s the catch: It’s not a quick job. The survey found that:

The average person estimates it would take 14 hours to clear out their unwanted items.
17% say it would take them a full 40-hour work week to get it all done.
Some would even be willing to pay $1,300 just to have it all disappear magically.

The average respondent would pay more than $1,300 to have all their clutter magically disappear

The Struggle of Letting Go

Of course, decluttering isn’t always easy. Nearly 64% of people aren’t sure what’s donatable and 80% want their unwanted items to go somewhere environmentally friendly. That’s why many turn to donation centers, resale shops, or junk removal services to ensure their stuff finds a second life.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your clutter, you’re not alone. The key is to start small, set aside dedicated time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help—whether it’s from friends, family, or professionals.

That’s where College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving® comes in. Whether you’re tackling spring cleaning, clearing out a storage unit, or finally saying goodbye to that “maybe I’ll use it someday” pile, we can help. We’ll sort, remove, and even donate or recycle as much as possible—so your unwanted items don’t just end up in a landfill.

After all, no one really wants to be the person storing old trinkets in their chimney.

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