Just say AMAZ-NO and ween ourselves off our mail order addiction

Everybody should take a two-week break from ordering from Amazon and other online retailers to help make the world a better place to live in.

A British waste and recycling company says that by weening ourselves off our addiction for mail order shopping, we could save tonnes of waste packing, not to mention tonnes of CO2 emissions while safeguarding local jobs.

Cardboard waste collection company Divert.co.uk wants more people to shop locally, rather than relying on an environment-destroying mail order industry.

“We’re talking millions of packages being sent out every single day in this country alone,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall, “and being a waste company we have to deal with the mind-boggling fall-out”.

What’s the problem?

The Covid pandemic and the ease of buying things with just a couple of clicks has got much of the country used to shopping from home – to the point that it is damaging the environment and other sections of the economy.

Around 90% of Brits are Amazon customers, and the company is now the UK’s largest courier service, accounting for some 15% of the 5.4bn parcels sent in the UK annually.

Each parcel means more packaging going to waste, and another van journey for a courier. That is, according to Divert, wasted resources all over the place – “Especially when the order is for an everyday item which could just have easily been purchased at a local shop,” says Mark Hall.

And Amazon is just one online retailer operating in the UK, with the fast fashion industry equally responsible for tens of millions of parcels, many of which come with plastic packaging which is not easily recycled.

Factor in the news that up to a quarter of all e-commerce purchases are subsequently returned, you are doubling the amount of wasted packaging and CO2 emissions. And that’s before you realise that many returned items – especially clothes – are simply destroyed. Everybody loses.

“If we all took a break from Amazon, Asos and all the rest, we would be saving so many resources,” says Mark Hall. “We’ve got to break this addiction to convenience.”

What’s the plan, then?

Divert.co.uk is nothing if not relentlessly optimistic, and that’s why we are putting the idea of No Mail Order Fortnight out there, otherwise known as AMAZ-NO (if Amazon’s legal people don’t mind).

We want to ask the public to go a whole fortnight without buying anything online.

That will mean a whole lot of pressure taken off a number of things – such as council household waste collections and overflowing bins; not to mention pressure on supply chains and the use of diesel fuel to shift those millions of parcels around the country.

Instead, says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall, we should return to our old habits of shopping locally and supporting local businesses.

Many local shopping centres are still far quieter than they should be as society bounces back from the pandemic, and local shops represent something that should be supported, he says.

“This way you’re helping local jobs, while also preventing all that waste of packing and unnecessary delivery journeys.”

And in the case of clothes and shoes shopping, you actually get to try them on before you buy, feel the quality, and see the items without deceptive photography tricking you into an ill-advised purchase.

“That means a far smaller chance of an item being returned and sentenced to landfill,” says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall.

It’s a simple message: Give up the mail order to save resources and shop greener.

Lack of public toilets is putting public health at risk

In a public service announcement, we never thought we’d have to make, the public is urged not to use litter bins as toilets.

But it’s something a waste collection and recycling company is tackling head-on because of the public health risks involved – especially to put-upon refuse collectors.

Divert.co.uk puts the majority of the blame on drunken late-night revellers, but also partially on the lack of public toilets in town and city centres all over the country.

“Public urination is a scourge that ruins many a Friday and Saturday night out, but also the Saturday and Sunday mornings of the people who have to clear it up,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall.

“We estimate that 1 in 4 bins has pee on or in it come Sunday morning”

“This needs a two-way fix – more public loos for nights out, and a change in people’s behaviour.”

The Pee Problem

On any given weekend night, town centres are filled with well-lubricated revellers, looking for any one of three or more things: something to eat, a taxi or bus home, and a toilet.

We’ve no opinion on the taxi or the food (except, of course, to recycle your food waste correctly), but it’s the toilets that crank our gears.

Stuck for somewhere to empty their bladders, the average drunk will instead use anything or anywhere they deem appropriate.

This, unfortunately, means, shop doorways, alleyways, or – increasingly – bins.

And somebody’s got to clean it all up in the morning.

Doorways and alleyways can be hosed down of urine, vomit and faeces, but have you ever had to deal with a bin that is swishing about with human urine? You can trust us – it’s not pleasant.

It’s a hazard to public health, and most of all it is a genuine hazard for a refuse collector whose job is unpleasant enough as it is. And that’s before we mention the unbagged nappies and dog mess…

The Pee Solution

That’s why Divert wants easy, cost-effective solutions, such as those used in European cities known to be party locations.

With far fewer public toilets available due to budget squeezes, and the impracticality of keeping them open late at night where they might be misused by undesirable elements,

Amsterdam, for example (and we can now list a recent visit as a work fact-finding mission) drops portable urinals at key locations in the city centre on weekend evenings, and collects them again first thing the next morning.

It’s cheap, effective, and there’s a far lower chance of earning yourself a charge of outraging public decency and a trip to see the local magistrate.

Portable urinals in town centres are a rare sight in the UK – they were tried in some locations but were largely withdrawn for various reasons. You’re more likely to see TARDIS-like portaloos instead, which are unsightly and very unpopular with people who take pride in how their town centre looks.

And with the invention of an effective pop-up female urinal this year*, it’s possible there may be “peequality” in town centres after closing time.

But before that all happens, we need a big change in people’s behaviour on nights out. And that’s the tricky task of stopping public urination at source.

Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall has this appeal for late night revellers: “Please don’t pee in rubbish bins, in the street, or shop doorways. You’re grown-ups, at least try to behave like one.

“As my mum used to say before a long car journey: Tie a knot in it if you have to.”

Here’s why the Jubilee ISN’T rubbish

In a difficult year, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations are one true positive moment at a time when everything else is… well… rubbish.

And that’s why one refuse and recycling company is going flat-out to do its part with patriotic bins for the long holiday weekend.

British waste collection company Divert.co.uk will be (literally) rolling out union flag wheelie bins to mark the occasion, as well as corgi-branded dog poo bins for jubilee walkies.

“These are tough times for everybody,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall, “So we want to give people something to smile about as part of this national celebration.

“And yes, it’s patriotic bins. Bins that would totally look the part on the curb outside Windsor Castle on bin day.”

By the way, bin day for Windsor Castle is THURSDAY, but this is subject to changes caused by Bank Holidays.

Clean for the Queen

Divert.co.uk is taking a two-pronged approach to celebrating the Jubilee.

First, it is providing wheeled waste bins decorated with Union Flags (Yes, we know the difference between a Union Jack and a Union Flag, our uncle was in the Royal Navy) which will brighten up any street where they’re doing their job.

“Let’s face it, you’ve got to great lengths to get your street or shop front looking the business for the big day,” says Mark Hall, “and the last thing you want is a giant olive green wheelie bin bringing down the tone.

“Even bins deserve to celebrate a remarkable monarch.”

Secondly, Divert.co.uk is going to be decorating dog poo bins with PJ, the official corgi emoji of the Platinum Jubilee.

PJ is an emoji and a gif image of a cute corgi in a crown, unveiled this week by the Royal Family’s social media team.

“It’s the perfect image to celebrate the Queen’s love of animals, and as a responsible dog owner, she’d be the first to pop a poo bag into a PJ-branded bin on royal walkies”, says Mark.
And as a bonus, Divert.co.uk is thankful to the Royal household for choosing purple as the official colour of the Jubilee celebration – the exact same as our own corporate colours!

Divert.co.uk’s Big Jubilee

While it’s easy to be cynical about these once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, Divert.co.uk recognises that millions of people across Britain will be celebrating the remarkable reign of Her Majesty.

And that means extra work for those of us who have to clear up the mess afterwards, because even the most respectful Jubilee event is going to leave a mound of litter and waste.

“We’re really looking forward to the big party,” says Mark, “and we’re equally looking forward to seeing the public using our unique Union Flag and PJ the Corgi dog bins”. 

All we ask is that people remember to separate their recycling – there’s going to be more bottles and empty cans than ever before, and we’d really like to see them go into the right bins.

“But most of all – enjoy yourselves. Leave it to us to help get rid of your rubbish”.

Our empty bottles and cans will stretch around the world

As the country goes into full-on celebration mode for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, spare a thought for the people who are going to be clearing up after all those street parties.

One British waste and recycling company has been crunching the numbers, and expects the country to get through enough beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks for the empties to stretch right around the planet.

And according to waste collection company Divert.co.uk, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with enormous amounts of rubbish and food waste being generated over the long Bank Holiday weekend.

“This is one of the most extraordinary events in this country’s recent history,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall, “and it’s right that we forget our troubles for a few days to party hard for the Queen’s jubilee.

“But that means Britain’s rubbish collectors are going to be working as hard as ever to keep the streets clean for the Queen – so try to make our jobs easier if you can!”

Jubilee recycling – by numbers

If the last two major royal events (the marriages of William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan) and the Euro 2020 football finals are anything to go by, then Brits are set to consume record amounts of booze and party food.

During just one football match during last year’s Euro finals (England’s 4-0 win over Ukraine), it’s estimated that 23,000,000 pints of beer were drunk in British homes alone.

To put that in perspective, those 23m pints in tins and bottles laid end-to-end would have reached from London to the North Pole.

And that’s before we factor in the wine drinkers. Retailers estimated some 4,000,000 bottles of bubbly alone were sunk during Harry and Meghan’s wedding, so it’s safe to say that the grand total for all wines would be in the ballpark of 10 million.

Laid end-to-end, those empties would reach from London to Istanbul.

And those estimates were based on events which lasted for single days. With the Jubilee holiday set to last for four days (and subtracting a small proportion for Sunday’s expected rain), Divert expects those levels of waste to be easily beaten.

Then there’s the soft drinks for the millions of kids and non-drinkers who will also be celebrating.

That being the case, we fully expect that Britain’s empties will stretch 40,000 kilometres (24,000 miles), which is the circumference of the world.

“All we ask,” says Divert’s Mark Hall, “Is that you recycle all your empties sensibly. We want this party to be as green as possible.”

Dealing with the Jubilee rubbish mountain

The Jubilee celebration isn’t all about drinking ourselves silly – there’ll also be street parties and picnics and home barbecues marking the Queen’s amazing 70 year reign.

That means there’ll be no end of food waste, food wrappers, and mile upon mile of plastic jubilee flag bunting.

Food wastage is likely to surpass that seen over the average Christmas week, Divert’s Mark Hall fears. That’s over seven million tonnes of food.

“There’s only so much coronation chicken and roast swan you can eat”, he says, “So buy sensibly, and make sure you recycle your waste food sensibly.”

As for more festive waste: One company specialising in party supplies says that they were in danger of running out of Union Flag bunting, plastic table cloths, hats, fancy dress outfits, and other favours.

While – unsurprisingly – there’s not a great deal of official data on the sales of flag bunting and other ephemera, Divert expects that the amount of bunting going into bins next week could easily rival the 40,000 kilometres of empty bottles and cans.

“And the trouble with that it that much of it is single use plastic,” says Mark Hall. “And that means dumping millions of Union Flags in landfill. Hardly the patriotic image that we want to see.”

Why not, then, keep hold of your used bunting and flags for the next big British celebration to come along, Divert suggests.

“There’s the World Cup coming up later this year, and you never know…” says Mark.

Nobody wants your dirty recycling, thank you

If you don’t wash your recycling, it just gets burned or buried in a big hole in the ground.

That’s the stark message from a waste collection company that’s doing its very best to encourage greater recycling.

According to Divert.co.uk, too much-contaminated refuse in a lorry of supposedly “recycled” waste could mean that the entire load is rejected.

“It’s usually because people are too lazy to rinse out jars and containers,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall, “but with the higher cost of living, we think people aren’t rinsing them out to save money on their water bills”.

What’s the problem?

Despite virtually every household and business in the UK having a special bin or bins to put their recycling in, the sad fact is that we’re just not very good at it.

If fact, the recycling rate for England has stalled at around 44% for the last few years, meaning that more than half of all rubbish still goes to landfill, or sent is for “energy recovery” (the harmless-sounding term for “setting fire to your rubbish to generate electricity and stacks of CO2”).

And the greatest problem from both domestic and commercial waste is contamination.

For paper and cardboard, it means that it can’t be recycled if the load is filled with takeaway cartons that still contain pizza crusts and food leftovers.

The same goes for recycling plastics. It can’t be recycled if it’s mixed in with other sorts of waste.

And if a lorry-load of paper waste is deemed to be too contaminated for recycling, it gets dumped.

The level for paper waste contamination is very low – about 3% – meaning that just a few households or businesses throwing food waste in with the cardboard in the belief that “they’ll all sort it out at the other end” could mean tonnes of waste heading for the furnace instead.

They can’t sort it out at the other end – that’s your job!

For plastics and glass it’s exactly the same. A quick rinse under the tap could mean the difference between recycling and landfill.

“Contaminated waste means time, effort and money wasted all down the line,” says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall. “And let’s not forget the loss of resources that could have been used again”.

What’s the solution?

The solution, of course, it to take better care of your recycling. But it’s not as simple as that.

“Yes, we should all try not to put food waste in your paper recycling, and to wash out containers, but these are difficult times,” says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall.

With utility bills going through the roof, many households and businesses are looking to say money wherever they can.

That means those of us on water meters are watching out for every last drop, “And why waste water rinsing out an empty tin, jar or plastic packet?”

Mark suggests dunking your messy recycling in the washing-up water at the end of the wash, or perhaps have a bucket of water outside the back door for just that purpose.

Or – and controversial opinion here – if you can’t clean your recyclable goods, then don’t. All we ask is that you instead put it in with your general waste where it won’t contaminate the recycling for the rest of your street.

“We recognise that people are struggling with just about every aspect of life at the moment,” says Mark Hall, “so sometimes we have to think outside the box.”

“And if that box is filled with leftover chippy tea, then put it in the rubbish bin, please.”

PLEASE NOTE THIS SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE ANY LONGER

Waste company to rent out wheelie bins as cold tubs

Heatwave! Waste company vows to keep you cool on a budget. Why suffer in the heat when you can rent a bin?

Record temperatures across the UK have lead to a rush on all the usual supplies like fans, ice cream,
beer, and paddling pools, meaning that they’re hard or almost impossible to get hold of.

But one waste company has plentiful supplies of one essential ready to go: Brand new and clean
wheeled bins for rental as cold tubs – just fill them with water and slide yourself in!

UK waste collection company Divert.co.uk says it’s the ideal solution to cool down, and the best part is that when
the sun goes in, you can simply send it back.

“We’re absolutely certain this will be a big hit with families up and down the UK,” says Divert.co.uk
spokesperson Mark Hall, “and with prices from £10 a week, we’ve got deals for every budget.”

A big bin is absolutely the perfect shape for a cold tub, and one thing’s for certain, he says: “You
won’t be shivering at our prices.”

Keeping yourself wheelie cool this summer

With summers getting hotter, cold tubs are the up-and-coming garden accessory for celebrity
influencers, but the prices can be shocking.

“Cost and installation can come to over £1,000, and that sort of money makes us shiver,” says Hall.
So this is a 100% genuine and unique offer available to households and businesses in the UK.

Instead of all that cost and bother of a purpose-built cold tub, you get a low-cost alternative for a
tiny fraction of the price, with free installation. You literally wheel it into your garden and fill her up!
And when you’re done with it, you just give us a call and we’ll take it away.

Delivery is fast, and there’s no need for a crane – something which always adds to the cost and
inconvenience of a hot/cold tub installation. All you need to supply is the water and optional ice.

What you’ll get is the bin of your choice, clean and sterile, with lockable wheels for your safety.

“And because these are industry standard wheeled bins, they won’t puncture or leak, meaning you
and the family get 24/7 entertainment,” says Mark Hall.

And best of all, our bins will come thoroughly cleaned and sterilised, “so there’s no chance you’ll be
bathing in bin juice and banana skins,” he says.

“So that’s what all the really cool people are going to be doing this summer,” he says.

One happy customer Trucker Mark Taylor from Addingham said ” After a day sitting in my cab, it gets a bit sweaty down there, so this cold tub works wonders, how often do I need to change the water?”

What about the health benefits?

You mean apart from staving off heatstroke as Britain sizzles in forty degrees of heat? (That being
104F in the old money)

An icy cold plunge can help with a number of ailments and complaints.

For example, icy water can help to reduce muscle pain and soreness after intense activity, and that’s
a technique used by athletes and celebrities alike. Exactly what you need after a sweaty day’s toil in
the heat.

But that’s not all, they can also help you to feel less fatigued, reduce inflammation, and help you to
de-stress. And what with absolutely everything that’s happened in the last couple of years, a good
de-stress is exactly what the doctor ordered.

And near-instant delivery means that that de-stress can be yours even sooner than expected.

Just be advised that sudden submersion in very cold water can be risky so common sense is advised.

If you’re still unsure it’s always best to check with a healthcare professional first.

“Because at the end of the day you’re taking a freezing dip in a wheelie bin.”

But as Hall says, “We’ve got absolutely loads of clean and sterile bins ready to go, so why not rent
them out to people crazy enough to submerge themselves in icy water for the fun of it?.

“Although instead of crazy, we’d say ‘sensible’ in the current heatwave,” says Mark adding: “I know
where I’d rather be right now, and it’s not in this office.

“I need to be in a nice cold ice cold bin.”

PLEASE NOTE THIS SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE ANY LONGER

PLEASE NOTE THIS SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE ANY LONGER

Local waste collection company hits 2,000 customers and adds to its fleet

A York-based company is celebrating its 2,000th customer as it looks to add to staff levels and its fleet of distinctive purple vans.

Divert.co.uk, which launched at the beginning of 2021 as a bulk rubbish removal and recycling company for businesses and domestic customers, vows to donate and recycle as much waste as possible while keeping its prices as competitive as possible.

It’s a philosophy which has caught the imagination of the Yorkshire public, to the point that the company is soon to buy another van for its fleet and to increase stuff numbers.

“We’re delighted at the reception we’ve received from Yorkshire people,” says managing director

Adam Bailey, “and we’re returning that faith by offering more jobs to locals.”

Why use Divert?

Divert launched last year out of the success of BusinessWaste.co.uk – the commercial waste company founded by Adam Bailey, David Adams, and Mark Hall, which was named one of the UK’s fastest-growing companies by The Sunday Times.

The new company offers a unique service to both domestic and commercial customers across the White Rose county – collecting bulk waste at a cheaper rate than rivals, while going the extra mile to dispose of it as ethically as possible.

“We aim to send the bare minimum to landfill,” Adam Bailey explains. “If it can be donated or recycled, we’ll make sure it’s donated or recycled. It’s an ethos we carry right across our refuse businesses”.

With a surge in fly-tipping over recent years, Divert’s fully-licensed service is sorely needed, the company says.

The future’s green, and also purple

The surest sign of Divert’s success is the sight of its distinctive purple vans across the local area. And it’s a sight that’s going to be more commonplace as this local success story expands to meet a
growing demand.

“We’re taking on a third van in the very near future,” says Divert’s Adam Bailey, “and there’s plans for many more”.

These vans need drivers and support staff, so Divert is pleased to announce further job opportunities for local people in Yorkshire.

“This year we’ve already employed six new drivers and waste operatives, and now we’re looking for four more staff members” says Bailey.

** Staff include the 3 local heroes https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/20051779.divert-co-uk-men-praised-acomb-road-crash-first-aid/ **

How to use Divert

Booking a collection is quick and easy. Everything is done online at divert.co.uk, generating instant prices to make customer interaction effortless.

Spokesperson Mark Hall says “We’re committed to providing a friendly service which is convenient and great value for money, all while getting the job done properly.

“Our competitive prices cover everything including labour, so you won’t get stung by any nasty hidden charges.”

And unlike the horror stories we hear from people who have asked fly-by-night merchants to pick up their rubbish – only for it to be dumped in a hedge or behind an industrial estate, all the paperwork is legal and above board, so customers can be assured that once their rubbish has gone, that’s the last they’ll hear about it.

“We’re fast, cheap, green and entirely trustworthy, because a good reputation means new customers and more jobs,” says Mark Hall.

“Get used to our purple vans, because you’ll see a lot more of them.”

Photo Left to right – Kieran Sherriff, Brad Sherriff, Adam Bailey, Paul Deighton, Michael Hernandez

Spend the day litter-picking, get free money

Local authorities should reward people who pick up litter and bring back plastics, glass and metals for recycling.

With grass verges and hedgerows all over the country bursting at their seams with litter, councils should seek to reward people who’d like to make a difference, says one waste and recycling company.

That’s why waste collection company Divert.co.uk is proposing a low-cost scheme where people can collect litter, and get paid the going rate for recyclables they turn in.

“There are people all over the country who could use that little extra cash,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall, “and offering them organised rewards will help them out, boost recycling rates, and make the places where we live so much better.”

So what’s the big idea?

It’s council organised litter picks, with corporate sponsorship.

“We’ve been shocked while out and about this spring at the level of casual littering in both town and countryside, and there just doesn’t seem to be much motivation from anybody to do something about it,” says Divert’s Mark Hall.

Divert.co.uk has seen whole village hedgerows stuffed with empty energy drink cans, flung there by local teenagers and other ne’er-do-wells.

“That’s becoming a monster problem,” says Mark, “and I fully intended that pun”.

There are also empty bottles, both plastic and glass, which are fully recyclable, but currently being eyesores that are also a risk to local ecology.

“We want to see local authorities stepping up, and asking people to go out there and bring back recyclables, and if civic pride isn’t reason enough to help out, there should be the offer of cold, hard cash too,” says Mark.

And if hard-up councils can’t afford this, there’s a huge opportunity for a big name company to be associated with the programme through sponsorship. Everybody wins, says Divert.

“Imagine a fully organised local event on a Saturday where families get out and clear up the place where they live, work and play,” says Mark Hall. “It’s community spirit, and ideal for a corporate sponsor to help with the funding.”

Yes, but people will game the system, won’t they?

Wherever there’s an attempt to reward people for doing a good deed, people will always try to game the system to the advantage. This is why, as a rule, we are not allow to have nice things, says Divert.

Back when Tesco was offering Green Club Card points for every item recycled, some customers cut cans and plastic bottles in half so they’d count double. As a result, Tesco halved the reward, and once again we weren’t allowed to have nice things.

So what if people turned up with bags of empty cans and bottles they’ve already collected?

And we’ve thought about it and say this: Who cares? It’s still litter off the streets and waste going to recycling, no matter where it has come from. Just don’t go stealing recycling out of other people’s bins or bottle banks because that’s still actual theft in the eyes of the law.

We’ve also thought about whether any scheme should pay scrap value for the thousands of empty laughing gas canisters lying around parks, the result of youthful misadventure with inhaling Nitrous Oxide for kicks.

And the answer is, of course, a big ‘no’.

“Yes,” says Mark Hall, “we do need people to clear this mess up, but to offer money for them would be to encourage their use. It’s a fine line between reward and lawlessness.”

But it’s an idea whose time has come, says Divert. “Some of our older colleagues remember the 5p back on the empty bottle of pop, and we ought to try it again.”

“It’s all about pride in our local area, and doing the right thing”, says Mark, “and this is doing the right thing.”

Stop lugging your junk from house to house

Moving to a new house is one of the most stressful events in life, and people make it even worse by bringing all their rubbish with them.

But a UK-based waste disposal company says you can make this process a little bit easier by ditching all of your junk and giving yourself a lot less to unpack and store in your new home.

Despite this common-sense solution, an online survey conducted by Divert.co.uk has found that it takes on average three house moves before people finally get rid of something that they don’t need.

“Save yourself the time and energy of packing and moving things you obviously have no use for and get rid of them,” says Divert.co.uk’s spokesperson Mark Hall.

“The last thing you want is to be unpacking in your new house wondering how all of your junk has followed you there.”

Crap in the attic

Specialists in rubbish, Divert.co.uk, carried out an online survey and uncovered that it takes on average three house moves before people can bring themselves to part with their unwanted items.

Considering that the average number of years spent living in house for those buying with a mortgage is 10 years*, a large number of home owners have been lugging their junk from house to house for the best part of three decades.

Hall: “Three decades is far too long to hold onto things that serve you absolutely no purpose, before you know it you’ve got a house packed to the brim with outdated trash”.

Raymond in Manchester tells us, “I have a set of golf clubs in the garage because I thought I’d get into it at the weekends…twenty years ago.”

“They cost so much I can’t bear to throw them away”

The survey also discovered that nearly a third of all house-to-house-hoarders don’t even bothering unpacking the boxes anymore when they move.

Shelly in Weymouth confesses, “the boxes literally go from attic to attic.”

The divert.co.uk survey (850 households) found these items were the worst offenders for lurking in the loft for years:

Old children’s toys – Even though the kids have left home and have children of their own.
Paperwork from last century – All the paperwork for the cars you owned in the 90s, mixed in with some old floppy discs for good measure.
Suitcases – Especially ones that haven’t seen the light of day since Benidorm in ’99
Exercise equipment – A long time ago a New Year’s resolution was made and hundreds of £££ was spent on gym equipment which was used twice, then promptly shoved into the garage because it took up too much space.
Christmas decorations – Every year seems to warrant buying more decorations, even though you have enough tinsel in the loft to wrap your whole house. 
Hall: “People have a strange attachment to items that they could happily go years without even looking at, all because it might’ve cost them a small fortune 25 years ago.

“But the simple fact is, if it’s useless and you’ve been hauling it around for years, then it should go.”

Remove before you move

According to Divert.co.uk, the moving process needs to start long before you start shoving your worldly possessions into boxes – it should begin with a good old-fashioned life laundry.

Hall: “Step one of any house move should be to decide what actually makes the cut and gets to come with you before you start stuffing it all into boxes.

“If you can’t picture unpacking it and using it in your new home – it’s time to part ways.”

Not only will parting with your junk save you precious packing time and money on shifting it all, but it can also help to protect your next home from potential hazards.

Overcrowded attics can act as fuel for fires, potentially allowing flames to spread and cause more damage – whereas clutter in garages may encourage a pest infestation.

So what can you do with all your unwanted stuff before you move?

“If it’s worth money, trying flogging it online or at car boot sales, you could put the money towards the move or something nice for your new home. The rest could be donated to local charities or sent to the recycling centre if it’s in really bad shape.”

After all, you want your new home to be the perfect living space, and not an overflowing storage space full of unwanted relics from the past.

Ever wondered where all your spare change goes? The mystery has been solved – and it turns out that it’s down the side of your beloved sofa.

Research undertaken by rubbish disposal experts Divert.co.uk has revealed that there’s a suspected £10 million worth of change hidden down the sofas of unsuspecting Brits – enough to feed the average family of 4 for 3,019 years, buy 667 average-price family cars, or pay for 2,086 family holidays.

Citizens of ten cities in the UK were asked to rummage down the sides of the sofa for spare change and report their findings – and it’s sofa-sitters in Leeds who are sitting on the biggest gold mine, with an average of £3.07 down their sofas, while those in Brighton have the least, with a paltry £0.32p on average.

How much money can you find down the side of your sofas? [data averaged]

Aberdeen

£2.57

Birmingham

£1.02

Brighton

£0.32 (lowest)

Cardiff

£0.79

Glasgow

£1.63

Leeds

£3.07 (highest)

London

£1.70

Manchester

£2.91

Oxford

£1.22

Sheffield

£1.86

As you can see, results varied enormously – Leeds,Manchester, and Aberdeen unearthed plenty of forgotten treasure, while those in Brighton, Birmingham, and Cardiff were left less flush by their exploration.

And, according to the research, the type of sofa you have matters too. Leather sofas were the most likely culprits for eating up those loose coins, with one respondent adding “I think it’s the shiny texture – everything just slides down the side never to be seen again… until the window cleaner turns up and you need change!”. Those with the popular pillow-back style sofas were also more likely to find loose coins, citing the less structured shape as the reason their shrapnel disappeared down the back.

On the plus side – or not, if you were hoping for a furniture-based windfall – if you have an IKEA sofa, noted for their Scandivanian firmness, you’re much less likely to have found spare change underneath (as well as enjoying the benefits of great lumbar support, of course).

“It’s basically an adult piggy bank,” said one student landlord who responded to the survey. “Except they forget to empty it – along with the fridge and the shed – at the end of the university year, so I usually end up with at least a fiver when clearing my student houses out.”

It seems this landlord isn’t the only one benefiting from the curse of the coin-stealing sofas. York-based barman, Alec, said: “I can easily make £20 a week just from the end of the night cleaning – drunk people chuck their change in their pockets, sit on the sofas and it all spills out.”

Mark Hall, spokesperson for Divert.co.uk, said:

“If you hate the ‘adult piggy bank’ effect of your sofa, there are certainly more effective ways to stash your spare coins – who remembers the giant whisky bottles we used to pound fifty pence pieces in?

“Some suggest keeping a small purse – or chewing gum bottle, to disguise it from thieves – with spare change in your car to use for parking. Others swear by a small bowl next to where you leave your keys to empty change out as soon as you come home. You could even make it a household challenge, using different jam jars with your name on to see who saves the most in spare change, or attempting to reach a total to buy a round in the pub at Christmas.

“Of course, failing that, you could buy an IKEA sofa and move to Brighton, where change seems to stay in your wallet and pocket more willingly!”

Other items found down the sofa included;

Pens

Children’s toys

Crumbs

Dog toys

Buttons

Remote controls

Learn how to dispose of your sofa and contact us to get your old sofa collected today