Op shops inundated with items following release of Netflix show 'Tidying Up with Marie Kondo'

Op shops and thrift stores are being inundated with people dropping off unwanted goods - and a new Netflix show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, is believed to be driving the trend.

The show has become a huge hit on the streaming service since its release on New Year's Day.

Eight episodes hosted by Japanese organising consultant and author Marie Kondo each feature a different family, who Kondo helps declutter their home.

Social media was buzzing with Marie Kondo references, tweets and memes.

Marie Kondo is a guru in the unlikely territory of tidying. Photo / KonMari

Hundreds of Herald readers had posted on Facebook about how the show had inspired them to clean up and biff anything they didn't need.

"Started watching this with the kids yesterday and they are all hooked on folding clothes," one person commented.

"I've done that this week! You should see my garage!," another said.

Others suggested it was a good time to nab some of the goods others were discarding.

"Time to stalk the opshops," one person mused.

There were also calls for people to take the items discarded in their decluttering missions, and donate to hospice shops or Red Cross stores.

Takanini Red Cross manager Sheryl Harris believed the show could be linked to an influx of drop-offs, following an uber-busy holiday period.

Kondo's approach of keeping only what you need and organising it in the most space-saving way seems perfectly tailored to tiny Japanese apartments. Photo / Washington Post

"A lady was saying to me that she'd been watching some show on Netflix about cleaning up, and she came and brought all her stuff down here," Harris said.

"Donations have been continuous every day since a few weeks before Christmas, and we're still going now."

Harris hadn't personally heard of the show, but said she was now "curious" and might look into it.

Things at the store had been hectic and space sometimes became an issue, but Harris said high volumes of donated goods was "always" good news.

"Of course it is - any donation is greatly appreciated."

This time of year was great for donations, Harris said, as they often had an influx which then saw them through quieter times later in the year.

Several other Red Cross branches contacted by the Herald said they, too, had received a lot of donations over recent weeks.

Two store managers said this was typical around Christmas.

People often had a clean out over the holidays, and unwanted Christmas presents were also a frequent source of donated goods.

Kondo's Netflix show was based on her 2012 book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.