Summer Vacation: About 70% Avoid Going Out, Heat and High Prices Turn Home Time into Opportunity to Confront Unwanted Items

Bookoff Group Holdings Ltd. (Headquarters: Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, President and CEO: Yasutaka Horiuchi, hereinafter referred to as Bookoff) conducted the "2026 Summer Vacation Habits and Home Organization Awareness Survey" (1,010 valid responses) to understand how people spend their summer holidays. The survey revealed that while approximately 67% of people are refraining from going out during the summer vacation due to the intense heat, high prices, and crowds, the extended time available is becoming an opportunity to organize unwanted items that are usually put off. In line with this summer of confronting unwanted items, Bookoff will propose ways to let go of unwanted items through its diverse reuse services, including stores, mail-in purchasing, and collection boxes, which can solve problems and circulate items to those who need them.

【2026 Summer Vacation Habits and Home Organization Awareness Survey】

Survey Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Valid Responses: 1,010

Survey Method: Internet Survey

Survey Target: Men and women aged 20-50 residing in Japan

Approximately 67% of consumers are refraining from going out during summer vacation. Against the backdrop of intense heat and high prices, how to spend time at home is becoming a new area of interest.

In this survey, approximately 67% responded that they would "spend time at home" during summer vacation, revealing a trend of refraining from going out. Reasons cited include the usual crowds during long holidays, as well as "heat" and "high prices," suggesting that going out itself poses psychological and economic burdens. The impact of the intense heat is particularly significant; the Japan Meteorological Agency's 3-month forecast (Note 1) predicts temperatures nationwide to be higher than average from June to August, and in April 2026, days with a maximum temperature of 40°C or higher were defined as "extreme heat days" (Note 2).

As concerns about heatstroke due to the heat are expected to further increase, the desire to spend the long summer vacation comfortably at home is spreading, making how to enrich time spent indoors a new area of interest.

Approximately 86% organize unwanted items during time at home. Extended holiday time becomes a trigger for action.

The most common way to spend time at home during the long summer vacation was "cleaning and organizing rooms" at approximately 65%. This significantly surpassed responses such as "exercising" and "starting a new hobby," indicating a strong desire to use the extended time for home organization. Furthermore, of those planning to clean and organize, approximately 86% responded that they would "organize items that are no longer used." This suggests a desire not just for general cleaning, but to review unwanted items lying dormant in the home.

The extended time of the long holidays is becoming an opportunity to organize unwanted items that are usually put off and cannot be addressed.

"Clothing and accessories" are the most common unwanted items at approximately 74%, followed by "books, manga, and textbooks" at 55.8%, and "CDs, DVDs, and game software" at 47.5%. The key is to provide options that encourage the first step towards letting go.

The most common category of unused items was "clothing and accessories" at approximately 74%, followed by "books, manga, and textbooks" at 55.8%, and "CDs, DVDs, and game software" at 47.5%. This suggests that even when people clearly identify unused items, they are hesitant to take action to let them go.

The most common reasons for not letting go were "it's a waste" and "it can still be used," both at approximately 47%. This indicates that even if people want to organize their homes, hesitation about letting go itself becomes a hurdle to action. One option that can resolve the hesitation about discarding still-usable items is reuse, which circulates items to those who need them next. By circulating still-usable items to those who need them next through reuse shops and flea market apps, it not only resolves the feeling of "waste" but also becomes a smart choice that contributes to reducing waste and resource consumption.

On the other hand, the reality is that many consumers feel burdened by the effort and distance involved in reuse, with "trouble with listing on flea market apps" at approximately 26%, "trouble with sorting" at approximately 23%, and "no nearby reuse shops" at approximately 22%.

Bookoff, whose mission is to "provide a fun and enriched life to many people" through its reuse business, will promote the circular economy by making reuse a common practice for consumers through services tailored to lifestyles, such as familiar reuse shops like "BOOKOFF," "Bookoff Mail-in Purchasing," which allows items to be let go without going out or sorting, and "R-LOOP," which allows items to be let go along one's daily route.

Hand over a wide variety of unwanted items together in a cool, comfortable environment at BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR, with 55 stores nationwide.

The large-scale general reuse shop "BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR" allows you to hand over a variety of items that have become unwanted through home organization, including clothing and accessories, which were the most frequently mentioned unwanted items, as well as books, CDs, DVDs, trading cards, hobbies, precious metals, sports equipment, and outdoor goods. As of the end of May 2026, there are 55 stores nationwide, and the spacious, air-conditioned stores are cool and comfortable even in the intense heat, making them easily accessible even during a summer of avoiding going out.

By expanding stores where a variety of items can be handed over together to locations close to consumers, we aim to reduce the burden of effort and distance involved in bringing items in, making it easier to bring in unwanted items.

Choose to let go without going out on a hot summer day. Mail-in purchasing allows you to let go from home even if there are no stores nearby.

Amidst the harsh summer heat, as well as the hurdles of listing and distance to stores when letting go of items, the "Bookoff Mail-in Purchasing" service allows you to hand over items from the comfort of your home by simply packing them in a box and handing them over, with free shipping and no sorting required. Since shipping companies can pick up items for free as early as the next day, there is no worry about unwanted items remaining in your possession for a long time when you want to declutter your home.

For those who want to let go of items at their own timing without waiting for pickup, the mail-in purchasing "Drop-off Shipping Service" (Note 3) is also available, allowing you to ship from post offices, some convenience stores, and PUDO stations. In the three and a half years since its launch, this service has been used over 100,000 times in total and is chosen by those who do not have stores nearby or want to let go of items incidentally while out and about. In addition, if the quantity is large and difficult to pack and ship yourself, "On-site Purchasing" allows staff to visit your home to handle unwanted items all at once.

【Bookoff Services to Let Go of Items According to Your Lifestyle】

Feature

Location

Boxing

Web

Reception

URL

Mail-in Purchasing

At your home

Just hand over

Home

Required

◎

https://sell.bookoff.co.jp/

Drop-off Shipping

Service

Without waiting for pickup

Let go at your convenience

Post office /

Some convenience stores, etc.

Required

◎

https://sell.bookoff.co.jp/online/mochikomi

On-site Purchasing

Center

No boxing required

We will take them

Home

Not required

◎

https://www.bookoff.co.jp/sell/popup_centerflow.html

In-store On-site

Purchasing

From your home

Staff will

Provide peace of mind appraisal

Home

Not required

In-store /

Phone only

To alleviate the burden of carrying out unwanted items from home organization and going out in the intense heat, and to encourage "easy organization while staying at home," we will be holding a special campaign around August 8th, "Reuse Day," which many people have during their summer vacation, on the Bookoff Official Online Store.

Regarding the Special Campaign

Those who participate in the quiz on the campaign page, which will be released later, and use the distributed coupon code will be eligible.

Campaign Period: Friday, August 7th, 10:00 AM - Sunday, August 9th, 11:59 PM

Campaign Details: 1 30% UP on purchase price when selling books, comics, and hobby items through home delivery purchase.

2 ¥250 discount for purchases of ¥2,000 or more (applies to all items).

Official Online Store: https://shopping.bookoff.co.jp

Bookoff is committed to promoting the circular economy by developing diverse reuse services tailored to the concerns and lifestyles of people when organizing unwanted items, and by providing opportunities for consumers to easily engage in reuse.

"R-LOOP," a collection box for unwanted items installed along daily life routes, allowing for easy disposal during regular shopping.

As a means to dispose of clothing and fashion accessories, which were the most common unwanted items, during regular shopping, there is the "R-LOOP" collection box installed in commercial facilities and other locations. By simply placing unwanted clothing, toys, stuffed animals, and other miscellaneous items into the boxes installed in familiar places in daily life, it is possible to connect them to reuse and recycling without hassle. After collection, they are inspected and then reused at "Jalan Jalan Japan," a overseas reuse shop of the Bookoff Group. An amount corresponding to the quantity connected to reuse is donated to an NPO, and clothing that does not meet our standards is recycled by partner companies.

Furthermore, in April 2026, we will begin a demonstration experiment to install "R-LOOP" in some FamilyMart stores, which are familiar to consumers. We provide opportunities for consumers who were forced to discard items due to reasons such as "no time to bring them to a reuse shop" or "trouble with listing and packing on flea market apps" to easily dispose of unwanted items along their daily routes and circulate them to those who need them next. Even during the summer when people are avoiding going out, it is possible to connect items to circulation during regular shopping or commutes to work.

R-LOOP Official Website: https://www.rloop.jp/

Reference

※1 Japan Meteorological Agency "National 3-Month Forecast June-August" https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpd/longfcst/kaisetsu/?term=P3M (May 2026)

※2 Japan Meteorological Agency "Name for Days with Maximum Temperature of 40°C or Higher Decided as 'Extreme Heat Day'" https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/press/2604/17a/40degree_name.html (April 2026)

※3 "Drop-off Shipping" is a service that allows you to ship your items from post offices, Lawson, PUDO stations, and family lockers after applying for Bookoff's home delivery purchase (uses the e-shipping service destination specified delivery provided by Japan Post Co., Ltd.).

Bookoff's Options for Disposing of Items

Bookoff operates its domestic BOOKOFF business, as well as premium service businesses such as the in-department store purchase specialty store "hugall," which is handled by staff with high customer service skills and specialized knowledge, the purchase consultation counter "Rehello by BOOKOFF," and "aidect," which handles jewelry reform, repair, purchase, and sales. Overseas businesses include "BOOKOFF USA," which engages in reuse locally, and "Jalan Jalan Japan," which sells items not sold in domestic stores in Malaysia and other countries. In addition, through activities that spread the importance of reuse by donating books, such as the "SustainaBook Project," the box-type unwanted item collection system "R-LOOP," "Bookoff Home Delivery Purchase," which allows those without stores nearby to dispose of items from home, and the service "Kimochi to." which allows you to donate the appraisal value of unwanted items to a program of your choice to support someone, we offer options for disposing of items, from everyday items to those cherished across generations, to circulate them to those who need them next.

Instagram "Smile Circulation | Hints for Sustainable Living"

Reuse is about connecting "smiles" created by not letting the value of things disappear. We share companies' sustainable initiatives on Instagram and deliver hints for living that circulate smiles into the future.

https://www.instagram.com/smile.circulation8/

About Bookoff Group

BOOKOFF began in 1990 with the Chiyoda store (Kanagawa Prefecture) of 35 tsubo. Under the management philosophy of "Contributing to society through business activities and pursuing the happiness of all employees in both material and spiritual aspects," we have grown with over 60 affiliated companies and currently operate approximately 840 stores domestically and internationally. The number of domestic users is approximately 88 million annually, and the number of items bought and sold annually exceeds 680 million. As of 2026, in addition to the premium service business with stores in department stores and affluent residential areas, we are actively engaged in overseas business in the United States, Malaysia, and other countries. We will continue to strive for sustainable business as a leading company in reuse.

Corporate Site: https://www.bookoffgroup.co.jp

Service Site: https://www.bookoff.co.jp

Official Online Store: https://shopping.bookoff.co.jp

Circular Society as Envisioned by Bookoff: https://www.bookoffgroup.co.jp/sustainability/top/creating-shared-value/

From "∞," which symbolizes circulation, we will issue sustainability press releases on the 8th of every month.

Inquiries regarding this matter: https://www.bookoffgroup.co.jp/contact_us/top/contact-us-02/