Strange things Americans inherit from loved ones

(Photo by Eric Prouzet via Unsplash)

A statue of Abraham Lincoln, a butter knife made of solid gold and a talking fish — these are just some of the things Americans say they’ve inherited from a loved one.

A new survey of 1,200 U.S. respondents conducted by Talker Research on behalf of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? asked people to name the most interesting possessions passed down and saw Roman artifacts, ‘a jacket from a well-known 70’s country music outlaw’ and ‘a giant garage-sized painting of a dog’ named.

One respondent said they received ‘a bale of cotton signed by John Wayne.’

The results emerged as part of a wider study into how Americans accumulate items and organize their home, which found that, when it comes to inheritance, most take a less-is-more approach.

In fact, the majority (51%) of Americans would rather inherit a select few items from a loved one than everything they own.

Nearly half of Americans surveyed (49%) say they'd actually rather inherit nothing at all than have to deal with a relative's belongings.

Just 20% of those surveyed said they’d choose to inherit every belonging a relative has over selected or special items handed over with notes and proper connection from the former owner.

“Our research shows that inheritance is often less about accumulation and more about connection,” said Brian Scudamore, Founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. “The items people treasure most tend to be the ones with a story behind them, whether that’s a handwritten note, a shared memory or a piece of family history.”

The results emerged as part of a wider global study, which also saw respondents from Canada and Australia surveyed and showed people place much more significance on sentimental value than on simply acquiring more stuff.

That might be because 45% of Americans feel they are running out of space in the home and it’s leading to frustration.

In fact, the majority of respondents (65%) say they’re frustrated by how their stuff is organized at least weekly or more.

(Photo by billow926 via Unsplash)

Over half (52%) are frustrated by their belongings not being organized in some way multiple times a week and one in four (26%) say it’s a daily grievance.

And while many of us are experiencing frustration from our things, it’s not from a lack of effort — in fact, one in six (16%) says they declutter their home every single day and 43% feel they do it at least weekly.

But to really tackle sorting their entire home properly and organizing all belongings, the average American believes they’d need 14 full days to fully clean, organize, donate and dispose of unwanted items throughout their place.

No wonder then that the thought of adding to the stuff we own or the prospect of having to do it for a loved one takes a toll. Over half (58%) have had to clear out a relative’s house in the past and of those, the majority (56%) said dealing with all of their belongings made it difficult to fully grieve.

“What I’ve learned from 37 years in the business is that the things people leave behind are never really just things — they’re memory, identity, and sometimes, unfinished conversations,” added Scudamore. “We’re not just here to help with the physical side of clearing a home. We’re here so families don’t have to face that weight alone.”

12 OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS INHERITED

• A bale of cotton signed by John Wayne
• A pure gold butter knife
• Roman artifacts from 300 AD
• A jacket from a well-known 1970s country music outlaw
• A giant garage-sized painting of a dog
• A Tiffany stained-glass lamp
• A pair of lamps in the shape of legs
• A talking fish
• A clear glass donkey that doubles as a beer mug
• Marionettes from the 1800s made of clamshell paper
• An antique dentist chair
• A statue of Abraham Lincoln

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed a combined 2,200 respondents, including 1,200 Americans who are reported on above. The survey also included 800 Canadians and 200 Australians; all respondents have access to the internet. The survey was commissioned by 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between May 22 - May 27, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.