In Catalonia, Maria Andrés and her family have launched Pompina Home Reborn, a company that turns home clearances into public markets held inside properties. The idea came from their own experience of decluttering before a house move, and it lets people buy furniture and other items that owners no longer want or cannot take with them.
Andrés said the family first tried a small market with friends before the pandemic, when they sold their own home. They realised the service was uncommon in Catalonia, where the usual approach is to hire someone to remove everything without knowing where it ends up. She said the model is more common in Madrid and the United States. More Catalonia news
One of the aims is to give objects a second life. Andrés said this benefits the owner, who knows the items will not simply be thrown away, and the buyer, who may find something useful for the home. She also said the process can be easier than listing items one by one on platforms such as Wallapop or Vinted, where sellers still have to deal with messages, collections and shipping.
The service is often used by people in difficult situations, including those moving to a care home or to another city. Andrés said these homes often hold a lifetime of memories, so Pompina Home Reborn advises owners not to be present during the markets because the process can be emotionally hard. The company supports clients throughout the clearance and sets aside personal items such as photos and documents.
The markets are not set up like a normal shop. Andrés said visitors are entering someone’s home and seeing what they own, without a shop-window style display. She said each property brings different items, from an antique stereoscope to horse carriages with lamps and seating seen at a recent Sabadell market. Buyers come from different age groups and backgrounds, including younger people furnishing a first home, older buyers and foreigners who value sustainability.
Prices are kept below market value so the property can be cleared efficiently. On the final day, prices are reduced further, then any remaining significant items are offered to second-hand dealers. After that, the company contacts NGOs, and recycling is only the last resort. Pompina Home Reborn says it has not yet needed to use that option. The markets run from Friday to Sunday lunchtime, with Friday visits by appointment and longer browsing times at weekends. The company finds properties through word of mouth, owners do not pay for the service, and Pompina Home Reborn takes a percentage of sales.
Andrés said the work has changed the way she thinks about possessions, because people often realise how much they accumulate over a lifetime. She also said furniture can be hard to sell, while crockery, glassware and well-kept clothing tend to do better. The company says it is trying to make home clearances more humane, while giving unwanted items a new use.