Woman Moves into ‘Hoarder’s Home’ and Finds Surprising ‘Vintage Treasures’ (Exclusive)

A woman on TikTok is sharing her fashion finds after moving into a house that was previously owned by a hoarder. 

“I bought a house from a man who’s a hoarder, totally sight unseen, and became responsible for everything inside,” Sydney Lima, 30, of Jersey City, N.J., said in a TikTok video uploaded on Aug. 5. 

“Luckily for me, though, everything inside ended up being some really, really incredible vintage treasures, which included tons of vintage clothing. So today I’m starting a series where every day I style one piece from our house until I get through it all,” she continued, before showing off her look: a colorful plaid dress that she had altered by her seamstress.

Lima paired the look with a lacy white slip and black kitten heels, along with a black purse and a chunky necklace. 

The video has since garnered over 194K views. The content creator has stayed true to her word and continues to share posts about her vintage finds, with her latest one marking the 38th installment in the fun series. 

Lima tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that she had a few conflicting feelings when moving into her new home, but “the excitement always outweighed it.” 

“The buying process was probably the hardest part for me because it all happened so fast, and there were so many unknowns about the house. But even then, we had such great support around us, and the excitement of beginning the journey completely overshadowed any nerves or uncertainty,” she shares. 

When asked about her favorite finds, Lima says, “Every piece we found felt like such an incredible treasure in its own way, and as someone who loves fashion and vintage, it’s so hard to choose. If I had to pick, though, the vintage slip skirts and dresses would be at the top of my list.”

The TikToker notes that she has “always loved” finding slip dresses at the thrift stores because “they’re some of the most elegant and feminine pieces you can have in your closet, so discovering these was truly special.”

Many of the slip dresses, she says, were still in their original packaging. “Opening each box felt like peeking into a time capsule from the mid-1900s, and the fact that almost all of them fit me like a glove was the best surprise,” she gushes. 

Before purchasing the house, Lima knew it was owned by a man who was a hoarder. “So, our expectations were pretty low — we thought we’d find mostly junk,” she says. “To our surprise though, as soon as we stepped inside, we realized he was more of a passionate collector.”

While Lima’s TikTok posts are focused on the fashion items she has uncovered, she shares that the house was filled with vintage and antique items, including a vinyl record collection, Disney memorabilia and iconic Playboy magazines. 

The home also has “a ton of personal items belonging to the man we bought the house from, like family photos, yearbooks, documents and more.” Lima has discovered that the man’s parents owned the house before him, so he’s lived there for his entire life. 

“We feel truly honored to have all of his belongings and are doing our best to give them a new life. We’re so grateful to know his family’s story and to have this special, personal connection to it,” she says.

When it comes to filming outfit videos for her followers, Lima says, “Every day that I put an outfit together, I think about how the pile of clothing hasn’t gotten any smaller. Realistically, I think I’ll still be doing this series this time next year — and I’m not mad about it!”

Other finds include an extensive collection of vintage T-shirts. The fashionista notes that she still owns about 100 of them after going through and selling the ones she wasn’t interested in. “We also have tons of blazers and jackets tucked away in storage, which will be perfect for putting together outfits for colder days,” she says. 

The video series has been a fun experience for Lima as it has helped her connect with people like her and explore her own personal style. The series has also left an impression on her followers, especially those who “feel a bit intimidated by vintage styles or aren’t sure how to style them.”

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“The response has been far beyond what I ever could have imagined — and in so many ways! I’ve reached an audience of people who share my love for vintage clothing, and many have taken pieces off my hands to give them a new life,” Lima says, adding that she doesn’t plan on ending the series anytime soon.

“One of my favorite things that has come from the views is when a post sparks a conversation between strangers — whether someone recognizes a logo on a T-shirt and reconnects with an old memory, or offers suggestions on how to style certain items differently,” the content creator says.