Unwanted Christmas presents, dusty kitchen gadgets and mountains of unread books are amongst the key junk items which are cluttering up and devaluing British homes, according to a new study which reveals that we are a nation of hoarders – harbouring unused items worth an average of £400 per household.
Books top unused household items
The survey of 2,000 British adults by property website needaproperty.com found that books top the list of unused household items closely followed by piles of DVD’s and unloved sports and exercise equipment. Over half of the adults surveyed (52%) cited books as the biggest clutter culprit with celebrity biographies and cookbooks being singled out as the tomes which were most likely to be left unread and gathering dust.
Top 10 biographies and cook books to remain unread
The study names and shames the ten biographies and cookbooks released over the last year which are most likely to remain unread with Gordon Ramsay and Gwyneth Paltrow topping the culinary junk list while Sir Alex Ferguson, Katie Price and Morrissey all feature highly when it comes to unloved biographies.
Top Ten Unread Biographies | Top Ten Unread Cookbooks | |
1. | Alex Ferguson – My Autobiography – 31% | Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Home Cooking – 19% |
2. | Katie Price – Love, Lipstick and Lies – 19% | Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great – 15% |
3. | Morrissey – Autobiography – 14% | Masterchef Cookery Course – 12% |
4. | Amanda Holden – No Holding Back – 12% | The Hairy Bikers – The Hairy Dieters: Eat for Life: How to Love Food, Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good – 11% |
5. | Mary Berry – Recipe for Life: My Autobiography – 12% | Nigella Lawson – Nigellissima: Instant Italian Inspiration – 11% |
6. | Joan Collins – Passion for Life – 10% | Jamie Oliver – Save with Jamie: Shop Smart, Cook Clever, Waste Less – 10% |
7. | Harry Redknapp – Always Managing – 10% | Michel Roux – The French Kitchen: 200 Recipes from the Master of French Cooking – 10% |
8. | Mike Tyson – Undisputed Truth:My Autobiography – 9% | Valentine Warner – Good Table – 10% |
9. | Vinnie Jones – It’s Been Emotional: My Story – 9% | Paul Hollywood – Paul Hollywood’s Bread – 9% |
10. | Sharon Osbourne – My New Autobiography: My Story – 9% | Rachel Koo – Little French Kitchen – 9% |
Top ten unused household items cluttering our homes:
1. Books – 52%
2. DVDs – 49%
3. Sports equipment – 42%
4. Board games – 33%
5. Sandwich makers – 28%
6. VHS / cassette tapes – 24%
7. Baking utensils such as cake tins, cookie cutters, moulds – 20%
8. Food processor – 20%
9. Coffee machine – 18%
10.Sewing machine – 16%
Scott Green, CEO of needaproperty.com who commissioned the study said: “Our findings suggest that the average homeowner could free up a space similar to a single bedroom if only they threw out the junk that remains unloved and unused! A good de-clutter would benefit us all whether we are planning to move or stay in our houses, however anyone considering selling should take heed of the fact that 45% of people say that piles of junk would put them off buying a home.’
For the Top Ten tips for de-cluttering your home from a de-cluttering expert click here