How charity shop dump and running made us a nation of ‘reverse shoplifters’

When it comes to leaving unwanted clothes and books at charity shops, we all know the rules, who hasn’t been guilty of a fly-by drop at the local Oxfam store? Jonathan Margolis confesses to being part of a growing problem and asks: where CAN you get rid of stuff you don’t want to just chuck in the bin?

For some charity shops, between 30 and 50 per cent of donations have to be rejected (Getty/iStock)

It’s a cold, wet December afternoon and I’ve spent the day filling three giant bags to take to a charity shop.

It’s the latest big push in a massive, year-long rationalisation of stuff – a result of the classic midlife scenario of two households merging. Last year my new partner and I moved into a small house together, each with decades of possessions. The quiet days between Christmas and the end of the new year feels like the perfect time to do a clear up and clear out.

The plethora of things we need to be rid of are pretty good quality, mostly duplicates. There’s a limit – basically, one - to the number of lemon juicers, fish kettles, CDs of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and unread copies of A Brief History of Time we’re going to need for our remaining years together.