Interview with Paula Sutton, Vintage Clothing and Decorative Interiors Expert

Why did you want to be part of Millionaire Hoarders? 

I'm a nosy vintage lover! I love looking through people's treasures and the possibility of discovering something valuable. What’s almost more exciting than a sale is hearing the stories behind these vintage treasures and finding out more about the collectors. 

In this series I get to know people, learn why they’re a collector, and understand what makes them tick. They might collect for a sentimental reason, like someone they loved or respected has owned an item, or their collection might have been sparked by an accidental discovery of something they were drawn to. 

The show allows me to visit lovely homes; Bola’s, for instance [in episode 1], is like Aladdin’s cave. Her home is a treasure trove and I saw her dress and glasses collections, as well as her vintage cars. 

The pleasure for me in making Millionaire Hoarders was meeting the contributors, chewing over their stories, and, at times, shedding a few tears. Those tears weren’t because we didn’t sell anything, they’re from learning the reason why they’re collectors. 

On the night before filming how excited were you by the prospect of trawling through these homes? 

I’m so excited to meet the person, because I always wonder about the person behind a specific collection; who are they and what’s their story? Who has a garage stuffed with wedding dresses? And Bola is visually amazing, so you want to meet her and find out her story. You're always going to be excited, because there’s always an extraordinary story. 

Is the pleasure of the show as much as finding a rarity as it is hearing all these stories? 

Absolutely. The backstories are always incredible and on many occasions you're almost in tears because the story is so poignant. You hear people's hopes and dreams and, sometimes, those hopes and dreams don't materialize. The collectors just want to talk about why they’ve collected something and what that collection means to them. To give them an outlet for their story is a real pleasure and honour because, sometimes, who else do they tell? 

Do you think audiences will be amazed by how some items aren’t as valuable as they’d expect? 

There is so much emotion attached to what people collect and that really comes out in the show. Unfortunately, just because you love something or something means a lot to you, the value you place on the item doesn't necessarily translate into the real world or to other people. 

What people have to weigh up is what means more to them; is it worth selling an item or collection, or is it better to keep them and treasure them forever? Those pieces are priceless to them, but in the outside world they might go for little or nothing. My job isn’t to convince people to sell, it’s to convince people to do what’s right for their hearts. I sound like a sentimentalist, but you can't help but become one. 

These collections and homes can sometimes be massive, so do you worry you’ll miss a treasure? 

There's always the fear that you'll miss something. What tends to happen is people will show what they’re willing to let go of, so you have to have one eye on what they’re showing you and another on everything else. Have they really missed something, or do they not want to sell that piece? There’s a lot to negotiate and manoeuvre around; you have to read the signs and their emotions to understand what’s actually going on. Their motivation isn’t always money. 

What do you hope the audience takes from the series? 

I hope the audience sees that it’s okay to own things for sentimental value alone - it’s not always about the money. However, you never know what treasures you have hidden away in cupboards or attics. Have a little poke around and see what you have; find out what’s been handed down or passed onto you and keep your eyes wide open, because you never know what you're going to find.