BHF Scotland wants unused clothing to help boost sales of their charity shops and fight heart disease
Scots have at least three items of clothing they’ve never worn and five items that no longer fit, according to a leading charity.
A survey for British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland delved into the nation’s innermost wardrobe habits and found that most of us hold on to clothes we no longer need or have never worn.
The survey coincides with a BHF campaign Bag It. Beat It encouraging people to beat the wardrobe bulge by clearing out the clutter and donating their unwanted to its shops to help fund life saving heart research.
Over a third of Scots (38%) admit the top three items they struggle to part with the most are shoes, jeans and tops, and on average each item they own is worn just 15 times.
Interestingly, nearly one in five (20%) feel guilty about how much money they spend on clothes, with almost the same number (19%) admitting to lying about their spending habits to those closest to them. Over one in 10 (11%) even admit their wardrobe spending habits have got them into debt.
BHF supporter and fashion blogger, Poppy Dinsey, founder of What I Wore Today, has today revealed her top tips to combat those expanding wardrobes.
This survey reveals that many Scots are long overdue a clear out - Carole Mitchell
Poppy said: "A one-in, one-out policy may seem a bit extreme when it comes to wardrobe management, but I do try to have a clear-out twice a year to keep on top of things. I try to be completely honest with myself and if I haven't worn something in 12 months, it goes straight in the donation bag.
“I organise my wardrobe and drawers by garment type - all long sleeve tops are in one drawer, all trousers are in another - that way I can easily find my favourite pieces. If it's not a favourite, it doesn't belong there! I'd much rather someone else got some joy out of wearing something I no longer use, especially when it means I get some much-needed space in my wardrobe and it can help the BHF to save lives in the process."
Almost half of Scots surveyed (49%) said the idea of downsizing their wardrobe does appeal, with almost one in three people (31%) admitting they actually don’t struggle to part with their clothing. When probed about their current de-cluttering efforts though, the average person could only admit to having a clear out once a year.
Carole Mitchell, regional manager for BHF Scotland shops, said: “We all have items that we can’t bear to part with, but this survey reveals that many Scots are long overdue a clear out!
“Of course we don’t all have piles of unworn clothes in our wardrobes, but every little helps. By simply donating one item that you’ve never worn or that doesn’t fit to your local BHF Scotland shop, you’ll be making your wardrobe more manageable and helping to fund our life saving heart research."
Last September, over one million bags of unwanted items were donated to BHF shops across the UK as part of Bag It. Beat It. For more information and to find your local BHF Scotland shop visit www.bhf.org.uk/bagit
