Putting your house number and road name on the lid of your wheelie bin - rather than the side - makes it much easier for bin crews to return it to the right property, according to a former council worker turned influencer.
Known as The No1 Binman on TikTok, he has more than 210,000 followers and roughly four million likes on the platform. In a recent video, he explained why lid labelling makes a big difference when crews are handling several bins at once.
Why the lid works better than the side
Delivering the advice with his trademark tongue-in-cheek style, he joked: "Yeah, because bin men's eyes don't roll like everyone else's." He then demonstrated why looking around the side of a bin is impractical during a fast-paced collection.
"If you're pulling two bins like this... you've got two in this hand, two in that hand. You can't look round the sides, can you? Because you're looking forward to seeing where you're going," he explained. "That's why you need to add your number [and road name] to your lid."
Councils already recommend the practice
The idea is not just a social media trend, as several local authorities already recommend it. Buckinghamshire Council and Cumberland Council both advise residents to mark containers with their property name, number, or street.
Clear labelling also prevents bins from being accidentally misplaced after collection. Derby City Council notes that unnumbered bins frequently end up at the wrong properties, while Southampton City Council urges residents to use at least a house number to avoid confusion.
How to try the trick at home
The No1 Binman summed up his point by offering custom solutions to his viewers: "Just add in the comments if you want one, a little basket down here, and then the bin will go back to where you got it from." He finished with another swipe at demanding residents: "Amazing! Because no, we can't see round corners. We're not amazing like everyone else, apparently."
For households wanting to give the trick a try, a simple weather-resistant sticker or permanent marker is usually enough. However, residents should check their local authority's guidelines first, as some councils have specific requirements for official markings.
