How Trinket Trading became social media's favourite new offline trend - where to find your nearest box

Gen Z typically spend nine hours a day on their phones. It sounds high, but not particularly scary, until you realise that's approximately 136 days a year spent online.

For some, that's a frightening enough concept to ditch screen time altogether, and seek out new ways to recreate on the little things that supercharge our dopamine.

Their current activity of choice? Trinket trading.

It's something many of us will have engaged in growing up - whether that's trading Pokémon cards or Tamagotchis - and as more of us crave connection in a world powered by screen time, tat is officially back.

Trinket Trading Boxes have been popping up in cities all over the world in recent weeks, quite often overflowing with weird and wonderful objects for people to add to, and take from.

The contents of the small, metal boxes, which are often found fixed to lampposts or fences, can include anything from stickers, to collectible figures, to hair clips - think stuff you find lying around in a drawer, untouched for years.

Some people are even making their own crafts to add to the boxes for others to enjoy.

The unspoken rule? To take something from the trinket box, you should add an item of your own.

AZC/USA Today/iStock

In fact, the boxes have proven so popular that some creators behind them have put out pleas for people to grab some more goodies, as they end up overflowing with trinkets.

Social media users are documenting their pilgrimage to find their nearest box, with half of the fun being tracking it down.

"I was seeing it in America and I thought it was really cool", says Meg (also known as @alottameg on TikTok), telling us that previously running a charity shop opened her eyes to just how severe our overconsumption can be.

"We're just buying and buying and buying and then throwing away", the creator notes. "I like to collect things, lots of people like to collect things, and I think this is just a more ethical way to do it, especially now that charity shops are completely full."

Despite being active for less than a week, Meg's trinket trading box, set up outside London's Museum of Homelessness has triggered a new wave of self-confessed crap collectors proudly showing themselves off on social media, and gives people a chance to donate to the Museum's work.

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"The other day there was a statue of a Yorkshire terrier placed on top so that was cool", she adds, confirming that she's since had to install three new shelves due to the sheer volume of trinkets being added to the collection - and an 'overflow' box has even been spotted.

Other quirky items trinket traders have brought along include dehydrated peas, Wallace and Gromit collectibles, and a PEZ sweet dispenser.

"People want to get offline and be part of a community but struggle to actually get out there and be part of a community", Meg says of why the trinket trade has become so popular. "Having a place that you can go that's out of the house and maybe meet new people, make new friends is very exciting for people."

Here are the locations of some Trinket Trading Boxes we've spotted online...

The Museum of Homelessness, London, UK

Meole, Shrewsbury, UK

YAY! Tiny Shop, Orlando, Florida, USA

Durham Cathedral, Durham, UK

15th & South, Philadelphia, USA

Chestnuts Park, London, UK

BxArts Factory, New York, USA

Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Honor Oak Park, London, UK

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