Cher cleans house with charity auction

Singer and actress Cher plans to auction off nearly 700 furniture pieces, jewelry, clothing and other personal items to make room for redecoration in her home, she announced Monday.

The legendary entertainer said a "nice percentage" of the proceeds will go to the Cher Charitable Foundation. The auction is expected to bring in more than $1 million, said managing firm Sotheby's.

"I'm truly excited about it, having had this stuff for so many years," Cher told The Associated Press. "I'm only keeping about five items from everything I have."

Among the items being auctioned off are a 2003 H2 Hummer, original costumes, an oak reading table and a circa 1865 brass bed.

Cher says she decided to refurbish her home after finishing her "Farewell" tour and plans to add a combination of Moroccan and Tibetan styles to her house after the auction.

"When I got off the road, something happened and I said, 'You know, I think it's time to do something different,'" she said. "But my house is so full that there's no way to do something different unless I totally change it."

Several pieces will go on display at Sotheby's branches in Chicago, New York and London. The full exhibition will open at the Beverly Hilton on Sept. 29 with bids starting Oct. 3.