Bobby Berk's New Show 'Junk or Jackpot' Helps Collectors Love Their Spaces Again

Whether you're a minimalist or a maximalist, everyone owns items that hold sentimental value. HGTV's new show, Junk or Jackpot, produced by John Cena, focuses specifically on collections that have gotten way out of hand. And who better to help collectors sort out their spaces than Bobby Berk?

We spoke with the designer to find out what it was like working through each massive collection on the show and how he was able to help homeowners declutter effectively. If you’re a collector yourself, Berk even has tips on displaying your collection in a way that doesn’t scream clutter and when it’s time to part with your items.

The Emotional Challenges of Collecting

In Junk or Jackpot's initial six-episode run, Berk helps six different collectors whose hoards have grown so large that they have no room for their own lives alongside them. After walking through their collections, Berk works with each homeowner to help them physically and emotionally part with their belongings, leaving their houses with enough space to live the life they really want.

Collectors in particular struggle with the fact that each item in a collection is, in some way, connected to something that they love—a film, a book, a time period. Berk needed them to see their collection from a new perspective. Notably, the collectors on Junk or Jackpot were struggling in other parts of their lives because of their collections.

“What I really wanted [homeowners] to learn was that these collections were something that at one point really brought them joy…but this thing that had once created so much joy and happiness for them was actually now the source of stress and anxiety,” Berk told us. “I guarantee you, most of your friends are overwhelmed when they come to your house if you have too much stuff."

Learning to Let Go

Berk needed each homeowner to understand that their collections couldn’t serve a purpose when overwhelmingly large. "When someone has too much stuff, they are no longer able to enjoy any of it,” Berk says. The collectors featured on Junk or Jackpot were at a point where they could no longer see, use, or even remember the items they had in their house. 

Additionally, it was important to Berk that the collectors he worked with were able to keep their most sentimental items. “I obviously never ask them to part with the things that meant the most to them," Berk says. "I ask them to part with the things that really didn’t have an emotional meaning to them."

In fact, Berk says that this perspective is what helped a lot of collectors on the show. “[When] you have so many things, you’re not going to remember the things that you wanted to part with,” Berk says. “So, [the collectors] started to realize, 'You know what, you’re right. I’m not going to think about those things again.'”

Wrangling Your Own Collections

If the overwhelming Junk or Jackpot collections look a little too familiar, it might be time to pare down on your collection using Berk’s advice. “[Don’t] let your collection become so extensive that you no longer know what you have,” he says. “That’s not collecting anymore.” 

Berk has a simple way to tell when a collection is overloaded: assess how your collection makes you feel. “When you have too much stuff…it doesn’t bring you joy,” Berk says. “It’s just a source of anxiety and stress.” 

If you have a large collection that you’ve decided to keep, Berk says it should never be on display all at once. “Learn to display it as if it were an art gallery,” Berk advises. Keep part of your collection in a closet or in a storage unit and rotate the items on display regularly.

How to Watch Junk or Jackpot

Don't miss this soon-to-be hit; Junk or Jackpot premieres on HGTV on Dec. 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.