A quarter of people won’t part with their favourite teddy bear or their child’s first pair of shoes, a survey by Back Market found. More than a fifth admit to being a hoarder
Brits are sentimental hoarders, clinging to everything from kids’ drawings to painful shoes and “lucky” t-shirts.
Around a quarter still won’t part with their favourite teddy while a similar proportion keep their child’s first pair of shoes. One in 10 hang on to old love letters from exes too.
Old tech is also too hard to bin, with many stashing away phones, laptops and even retro iPods. A third of us admit hiding items from partners to stop them being chucked, according to research by refurbished tech marketplace Back Market. The survey found a quarter have clung on to their first games console and 15% still have an iPod with all their favourite tunes on it.
And more than a fifth of people admit to being a hoarder, while three in 10 admit that there are certain items that they simply can’t part with. One in 10 believe that certain old items provide luck or good fortune, while 37% insist that something not being in perfect condition is exactly what they love them.
Nearly six in 10 (57%) of Brits admit to feeling guilty about replacing tech that still works. And 15% of those surveyed said they experience extreme guilt whenever they do this.
The research also found the lengths some adults go to keep hold of their favourite old belongings, with a third admitting they’ve deliberately hidden items from their partner to stop them being sent to the charity shop. A quarter have had items hidden by their partner as they are deemed too ugly or embarrassing.
The survey found 44% of people say they have lived with a magpie partner that completely refused to throw anything away. And more than a third admit to taking matters into their own hands by secretly hiding or donating their partner’s old things they couldn’t stand or even swapping the item out for a newer version.
The findings come as Back Market launches its Ugly Computer and Obsolete categories. It means customers can buy fully working laptops, with visible wear as well as resources for keeping older out of date tech working and out of landfill.
The firm’s chief marketing officer, Joy Howard, said: “We’re seeing a clear shift in how people think about their devices. For years, tech was about having the newest thing. Now, it’s about whether it works for your life. People are starting to question why they’re replacing devices that still do everything they need.”
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