Houston's Clothes for Sale

The singer hasn't paid bills dating to 2005. The storage company decides to auction off her clothes.

There is nothing like a clutter clear out to start the New Year. Whitney Houston, whose life has been in chaos the past few years, probably hasn't got the time or energy.

So someone else has cleaned out her wardrobe for her. But it wasn't a personal assistant or stylist.

Countless racks of clothes and stage costumers are being auctioned off to pay a 76,000 storage bill.

The 43 year old singer is said to have failed to pay fees dating back to 2005.

So the storage company is selling off a range of items, including designer outfits presented to Miss Houston from Dolce, Gabbana and Giorgio Armani.

Even a selection of her underwear is said to be up for sale at next week's auction in the US.

"There's some pretty personal stuff in there," said auctioneer Steve Newmark.

"Her underwear is in there. I was marvelling at the waist of some of these (Clothes). They were pretty small," Other items include a Versace silk screen print dress, 29 bustiers, 13 sequinned wristbands and dozens of rhinestone belts.

A Schimmel grand piano will also be auctioned along with a multi-tier concert stage set, drum kits and keyboards.

Also among the haul is a Boston Music Award for outstanding male vocalist. That belonged to Miss Houston's former husband, Bobby Brown. The lawyer representing the storage company said Miss Houston's legal adviser had been "very co-operative, but he doesn't have a cheque to write us".

Fans and professional impersonators will be among those keen to pick through the remnants of Miss Houston's once glittering career. The singer has a well-documented drug problem. Last year photographs taken by her sister-in-law Tina Brown showed Miss Houston's 3million suburban home littered with drug paraphernalia.