Unearthing Hidden Treasures:
The Remarkable Hoarding Clean-Up Journey in Vancouver
A Powerful Partnership for Extreme Hoarding Clean-Up
Two Vancouver-based companies; Good Riddance Professional Organizing Solutions and 1st Hoarding Clean Up (a Division of 1st Trauma Scene Clean Up) have combined their respective skills to work jointly with clients living in extreme hoarding conditions. This line of work has taught their staff to expect the unexpected. Last week provided an astonishing hoarding clean-up experience for the two companies – one with a silver lining.
The Hoarding Clean-Up Begins
Preparing a Home for Sale
Good Riddance and 1st Hoarding Clean Up partnered to clear a two-story Vancouver home in preparation for its sale. The owner moved several years prior, but the house remained jam-packed with hidden family possessions. The team was told to be on the lookout for valuable collections in need of rescuing, amongst the overwhelming domestic disorder. The team put in 2 full days, filling 5 dumpster bins with the lion’s share of the house’s contents, 1 room full of donations, and 1 trailer full of chemicals and other recyclable substances, all the while meticulously cataloging and cleaning items worth preserving for storage.
A Treasure Hunt Beneath the Surface
Discoveries in the Basement
What made this project different from typical hoarding clean-ups was the possibility of hidden treasure. There were rumors that the owner’s father had buried a fortune in gold and silver over 50 years ago. Initial discoveries — including a large metal box full of silver dollars found in a cold room — hinted at bigger finds to come. More bags of silver coins were soon recovered behind a dresser and under piles of old clothes.
The Unearthing of a Fortune
On the second day, the team focused on the main floor, uncovering vintage toys and art glass — but no precious metals. It wasn’t until late afternoon, when they began digging into the basement floor, that the real discovery was made.
By 4:00 pm, the crew emerged from under the house with dirt-covered riches. A fortune originally stored in a wooden box (now disintegrated) and glass jars (many shattered) was found embedded in the earth. Gold bars and silver coins were pulled from the ground, then laid out on the front lawn for sorting and safekeeping. The recovered treasure, dating back half a century, totaled in the hundreds of thousands of dollars — a remarkable rediscovery of a family legacy.
Hidden Valuables: A Common Find
It’s not unusual for hoarding clean-up technicians to come across hidden cash and valuables. “Often our clients are next of kin, extended family, or administrators of the estate. They will have heard stories over the years, and when we find their treasures, it brings to life what was once only suspect,” says Chantelle, Operations Manager for 1st Trauma Scene and Hoarding Clean Up.
The Risks of Hoarding Wealth
Apparently, hoarding gold and silver is not uncommon — even today. People often go to great lengths to disguise their wealth, like painting silver bars red to resemble bricks.
“Even if you don’t trust financial institutions or feel you need instant access to your assets, storing large amounts of cash and valuables at home is not recommended,” says Good Riddance’s Susan Borax. “We work with a lot of older clients who are unable to remember where they’ve stashed important documents and valuables. Metal detectors make it easier for thieves to find their quarry,” she cautions.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Discovery
Neither Good Riddance nor 1st Hoarding Clean Up expects to encounter another discovery of this magnitude. “I still remember my first find of $47,500 in one-hundred-dollar bills. I thought that was a lot of money,” said one staff member. “This was by far the largest monetary unearthing for our staff. We haven’t stopped talking about it.“
About 1st Trauma Scene Clean Up
1st Trauma Scene Clean Up was founded in 1998 by professional firefighter and ex-military medic Brian Woronuik and has become BC’s premier bio-hazardous clean-up company. 1st Hoarding Clean Up, a division launched in 2001, provides compassionate help to hoarders and their families when their environment becomes unmanageable.
“It is important that we do not simply enter the premises and begin to throw everything out. We will develop a plan with all parties involved to organize and declutter the dwelling. There will be no surprises along the way,” says Brian. Whether it’s a studio apartment or a three-story mansion, 1st Hoarding Clean Up delivers logical, practical solutions to reclaim the space.
Supporting Families Through Crisis
Brian notes that families are often overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn. “We help educate them, step-by-step, through the clean-up process, establish insurance claims, remediate the home, provide resources, refer therapists and counselors, and answer the questions clients don’t know to ask.”
Through strong partnerships with North America’s most trusted associations and professionals, 1st Hoarding Clean Up and Good Riddance ensure clients receive the help they need — when it matters most.
