The average UK home contains over £1,000 of unwanted junk, and according to research gathered by storage solution company, Space Station, more than two-thirds of people have found something strange clearing out their homes.
False teeth, an umbilical cord and a vintage car are just some of the strange and wonderful items Brits have found, along with 28% of over 65’s finding old money. Vlatka Lake, storage expert at Space Station, reveals the strangest items that have been found in new homes.
Vlatka said: “With the property market booming, many Brits are thinking about selling their homes, moving into new homes and clearing out their storage areas.
“People use self-storage for a number of different reasons, and our research has revealed some unexpected and truly strange items. Here at Space Station, we’re always on the lookout for the most interesting and wonderful items that come into our units! When a unit is ready to be re-rented, our staff are on hand to ensure that it’s emptied, cleaned and ready for the next rental, without any leftover ‘baggage’.”
1. An umbilical cord and clamp
One of the strangest and most bizarre things found was an umbilical cord and clamp found by one individual living in Nottingham. Research found that 1 in 20 from the North of England, found an old family secret in their new home.
2. Live WW2 grenade
People in the South East of England had the highest figures of finding something illegal in their home when compared to other regions. With one individual from the West Midlands finding a live WW2 grenade while having renovation work done to their home. The police were called to dispose of it and thankfully, no one was hurt. When it comes to the
3. An urn
Another strange finding, but a common one, was an urn under some floorboards in a rented property in London. Of the people that were surveyed 19% of those residing in London found something left behind from the previous occupier of a house.
4. A mannequin head and torso
One person from the South West of England found a mannequin head and torso when cleaning out their grandparents' home.
5. Vintage car
Probably the nicest thing to be found was a vintage car in the North of the UK. Vintage cars have proven popular with petrolheads over the years, so finding something like this in a storage unit could prove financially beneficial. Research shows that one in eight (12%) 18-24s said that they’ve found something rare or valuable when moving into a new home. In 2020, the average sale price for a classic car was £38,984 3 and continues to rise with the cost-of-living crisis.
6. False teeth
Here’s one thing you don’t want to find when clearing out an old relative’s home, their false teeth! One family in Edinburgh found a few sets of their uncle’s false teeth.
7. Mummified cat
This wasn’t a common response, and I think you can agree that it’s a rare find with one unlucky individual finding a mummified cat in their new home in Nottingham.
8. Previous owners’ underwear
Found behind an immersion heater was a pair of used underwear thanks to the previous owners at a property in Cardiff.
9. 1970’s prescription
One young woman in Glasgow reported that she found a 1970’s prescription when clearing out her new property. Thankfully, she disposed of the out-of-date prescription immediately.
