Top Challenge in Disposing of Large Furniture and Appliances During Moving or Spring Cleaning is 'Unable to Move Items Myself'; 65.5% Express Interest in Home Visit Buyback Service with On-the-Spot Cash Payment

How Do People Handle Unwanted Items from Moving or Spring Cleaning?

When moving or doing spring cleaning, what causes the most stress?

For large furniture and appliances, you have to figure out how to move them, where to store them temporarily, and how to dispose of them—all on your own. This often leads people to postpone disposal with thoughts like, "I’ll deal with it later," leaving items piled up in corners of the room.

So, what specific challenges do people face when disposing of unwanted items, and what methods do they choose?

To explore this, we conducted a joint survey with the recycling shop 'Recycle-Off,' targeting 400 men and women nationwide who previously responded that they had disposed of unwanted items. The survey focused on 'unwanted item disposal during moving or spring cleaning.'

※When quoting this press release, please:

· Clearly state the source as 'a survey conducted by NEXER Group Inc. and the recycling shop Recycle-Off'

· Include a link to Recycle-Off (https://recycle-off.com/)

Survey Overview: 'Unwanted Item Disposal During Moving or Spring Cleaning'

Method: Online questionnaire

Survey Period: August 26, 2026 – September 2, 2026

Respondents: Men and women nationwide who previously indicated they had disposed of unwanted items

Valid Responses: 400 samples

Survey Questions:

Question 1: How did you dispose of unwanted items during moving or spring cleaning? (Multiple answers allowed)

Question 2: Have you ever faced difficulties disposing of large furniture or appliances?

Question 3: What specific difficulties did you face? (Multiple answers allowed)

Question 4: When hiring a company for disposal or buyback, what factors influenced your choice?

Question 5: Please explain your reason.

Question 6: If you knew a home visit buyback service existed—where staff come to your home and pay cash on the spot—would you use it?

Question 7: Please explain your reason.

※Percentages are rounded to the nearest hundredth, so totals may not sum to exactly 100%.

74.0% Disposed of Unwanted Items via Municipal Bulky Waste Collection

First, we asked how people actually disposed of unwanted items during moving or spring cleaning.

The most common method was 'disposed via municipal bulky waste collection' at 74.0%.

This was followed by 'disposed as regular trash' at 58.3%, and 'took to a recycling shop' at 38.0%.

Other methods included: 'hired a junk removal service' (19.5%), 'gave to family or friends' (13.8%), 'sold via flea market apps or online auctions' (11.5%), 'used a home visit buyback service' (9.5%), and 'other' (2.0%).

It's clear that most people rely on standard disposal methods like municipal bulky waste collection.

The transparency of costs and procedures, along with ease of use, likely contributes to its popularity.

At the same time, a notable number of people chose resale or reuse—such as taking items to recycling shops or selling via online platforms—instead of simply discarding them. It appears people select disposal methods based on the condition and type of item.

46.5% Reported Difficulties in Disposing of Large Furniture and Appliances

Next, we asked whether people had ever faced difficulties disposing of large furniture or appliances.

'Frequently' was selected by 10.5%, 'sometimes' by 36.0%, totaling 46.5% who reported facing difficulties. In contrast, 'rarely' was selected by 34.5%, and 'never' by 19.0%.

Nearly half of respondents have experienced some difficulty in disposing of large furniture and appliances.

61.8% Cited 'Unable to Move Items Myself' as the Main Difficulty

So, what specific challenges did they face?

Among those who reported difficulties, we asked what aspects were problematic.

The top response was 'unable to move items myself' at 61.8%.

This was closely followed by 'disposal costs are high' at 61.3%, and 'unclear disposal methods' at 46.8%.

It's evident that 'moving items,' 'costs,' and 'understanding disposal methods' are major hurdles. Even when people want to get rid of unwanted items, they often find it difficult to manage alone.

In particular, the issue of 'inability to move items' isn't just about physical strength or manpower.

There are various burdens involved—such as whether the item can fit through staircases or doorways, or whether transportation can be arranged—throughout the disposal process.

27.3% Chose Junk Removal Services Based on 'Pricing'

Next, we asked what factors influenced people's choice when hiring a company for disposal or buyback.

The most common factor was 'pricing' at 27.3%.

This was followed by 'ease of use' at 25.0%, with these two factors together accounting for over half of responses.

We collected some reasons from respondents:

Those who chose 'pricing':

· I wanted to dispose of items with as little cost as possible. (Female, 30s)

· I’m concerned about how much it will cost. (Male, 30s)

· I want to get the highest possible buyback price. (Male, 30s)

Those who chose 'ease of use':

· They come quickly for buyback, and will dispose of items that don’t qualify for appraisal. (Female, 30s)

· It’s helpful if they’re nearby and respond quickly. (Female, 30s)

· Considering things like membership registration or unwelcoming atmospheres, ease of use is most important. (Female, 40s)

Alongside concerns about cost, many emphasized the importance of simple procedures and fast response times. For unwanted item disposal, not only price but also 'how hassle-free the process is' appears to be a key factor in choosing a service.

65.5% Would Use a Home Visit Buyback Service with On-the-Spot Cash Payment

Finally, we asked whether people would use a home visit buyback service—where staff come to your home and pay cash on the spot—if they knew it existed.

'Would definitely use' was selected by 9.5%, and 'would use if the opportunity arose' by 56.0%, totaling 65.5% who expressed interest. In contrast, 'probably wouldn’t use' was selected by 19.3%, and 'would not use' by 15.3%.

We collected some reasons from those interested:

Reasons for wanting to use the home visit buyback service:

· It’s less hassle, and I don’t have to move items myself. (Female, 30s)

· It’s helpful when they transport large, heavy items I can’t carry. (Female, 30s)

· I don’t have to go anywhere myself. (Male, 30s)

· Turning unwanted items into cash, and getting paid right there, is great. (Female, 40s)

· I want to leave everything—like heavy items I can’t carry down from the second floor—to professionals. (Female, 40s)

From the responses, the main appeal of home visit buyback services appears to be 'not having to move items myself' and 'reducing effort.' Especially for large furniture and