JOIN THE DECLUTTERING MOVEMENT AND DONATE PRE-LOVED ITEMS TO THE BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

JOIN THE DECLUTTERING MOVEMENT AND DONATE PRE-LOVED ITEMS TO THE BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

~ Charity retailer offers perfect sustainable solution for the nation’s decluttering enthusiasts and encourages the public to continue with their generosity in donating unwanted items ~  

Been inspired by Marie Kondo’s decluttering philosophy? But don’t know what to do with pre-loved items that no longer truly spark joy? The British Heart Foundation is encouraging those having a clear-out to donate quality items help them raise vital funds for life-saving research.  

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has said it’s seen a rise in shop donations this month following the hit Netflix show, ‘Tidying up with Marie Kondo’. It’s now urging more people to join the movement.

In the hit Netflix show, Marie Kondo, a world-renowned tidying expert shares her innovative ‘KonMari’ method for clearing out clutter, encouraging her clients to choose joy, in a series of inspiring home makeovers.

Although the exact reasons for the rise in BHF donations is unclear, the UK’s biggest charity retailer believes the programme has had an impact on its recent increase in stock, adding that its shops are the perfect “sustainable solution” for people inspired to declutter their homes.

The BHF says the reaction to the show is reflective of a growing awareness of sustainability issues among its supporters, many of whom are motivated to donate their quality items to avoid them ending up in landfill. 

The spike in shops donations also coincides with the charity’s Bag it. Beat it. campaign in which the BHF challenges the nation to donate their pre-loved items or challenge their friends, family and colleagues to have a declutter. 

With 750 clothing and furniture shops nationwide, the BHF are always happy to receive good quality unwanted items – such as clothing, shoes, toys and books, as well as larger furniture and homewares. 

Donating to BHF shops couldn’t be easier – donors can simply visit their nearest shop or take advantage of the BHF’s free collection service. Alternatively, you can now also donate unwanted furniture and electrical items through any Alexa-enabled device.

Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said:

“We’ve been humbled by the rise in donations to our 738 clothing and furniture shops across the UK over the last month – all of which will help us fund more life-saving research.

“I’m sure people have been inspired by Marie Kondo’s popular decluttering mantra, seeing our shops as the sustainable solution for disposing of pre-loved items and preventing them from ending up in landfill. January is a popular time for having a clear-out, which is why we run our Bag It Beat It campaign, encouraging the public to donate any good-quality items to us and to take advantage of our free collections service.

“We’re extremely grateful for the generous donations so far, but our shops can always benefit from more high-quality donations.”

Kate Ibbotson, Declutter Expert and Professional Organiser from A Tidy Mind – who is supporting the Bag It. Beat It campaign – said:

“When you declutter your home, you’re actually becoming more focused on what brings real value to your life. It’s a process of becoming more intentional about your choices. We all have limited space and every item stored should be worth the space it takes up; either because it’s useful – like a potato peeler, or it’s associated with a positive feeling – like a letter from a loved one. Decluttering is also about letting of unnecessary duplicates and assigning a home to everything.

“Once you have cleared clutter and can find everything, the result is a much calmer home. It can sometimes feel daunting and stressful to get rid of large bulky items, however the BHF has made as easy as possible to donate to them with their free collections service. You’re more likely to feel relaxed at home, have energy for creative activities and it can have a knock-on effect of improving relationships, as well as a warm feeling from donating to charity.”

Last year, BHF shops turned unwanted items into £30 million that could be spent on research to improve the lives of those 7 million people across the UK struggling every day with heart and circulatory diseases – whilst saving 70,000 tonnes of items from ending up on landfill.

To find your nearest BHF shop or to arrange a free collection please visit www.bhf.org.uk/shop