Clearing out Kiwi homes 'YOUR JUNK IS MY TREASURE!'

Hoarding’s on the increase, but Fionna’s here to sort the good from the garbage

- Donna Fleming

It’s not a job for the faint-hearted. Decades of rubbish piled high, dead rats (and live ones), human waste… In the 17 years Fionna Gotts has been running a waste removal and house clearance company in Auckland, she’s seen some pretty horrific sights.

“The worst one I ever saw was in Ponsonby. It was overrun with rats, the bathroom floor had rotted, you couldn’t use the toilet and there was waste everywhere,” she recalls. “I’ve also seen a house so full of rubbish, the owner lived under an awning in the garden because he couldn’t get inside.”

Yet as grim as the job can be, Fionna loves what she does. As the CEO of Junk Run and its subsidiary House Clearances, her job not only involves clearing out properties that look like they should be on TV series Hoarders, but also dealing with deceased estates, and saving useful and treasured items from ending up in landfill.

“It can be very stressful at times, but it’s also very rewarding,” says Fionna. “It’s good to feel like you are making a difference.”