According to a new study, 40% of homeowners fear facing clutter in their homes.
We surveyed 2,000 homeowners with garages to find out how they deal with clutter, and found that nearly a third (29%) of respondents struggle to keep their homes tidy. I found out that
82% consider themselves organized people, but find managing a household mentally taxing.
Almost half of respondents said that keeping their home tidy has an impact on their mental health (48%), and 80% feel more motivated when their home is less cluttered.
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Similarly, 73% said they felt overwhelmed when their home was cluttered.
Many people are trying to get ahead of this sentiment, with 35% of those surveyed even claiming that organizing is ‘a lot’ fun, but a quarter feel the exact opposite (24%) .
The survey, conducted by OnePoll for The Container Store, found that one in seven homeowners admit that their home is currently disorganized.
On average, homeowners currently have 25 items out of place in their home, and half of respondents are putting off finding a place to put them.
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Where does clutter live? According to respondents, the most difficult storage areas in the home to organize are the garage (46%), closets (24%), and drawers (20%).
The top items currently taking up the most space in Americans’ storage spaces are home and holiday decorations (41%), old documents (34%), and clothing or shoes (29%).
Because they have so much ‘junk’ in their homes, 46% of people say they would feel embarrassed if guests could see the current state of these areas.
Unsurprisingly, those surveyed cited these areas as the most common places to store “junk” (garage: 52%, in drawers: 34%, closet: 32%).
35% said it’s been at least a few months since they cleaned out a “junk” area in their home, and 23% said they tried cleaning out their garage at least a year ago.
“For many homeowners, the garage, like any other classic ‘storage area,’ can be an afterthought,” said Gretchen Gunk, executive vice president of strategy and analysis at The Container Store. I am. “These spaces hold a world of possibilities that will surprise you in terms of how useful they can be. Ideally, you’ll want to declutter your home’s storage areas before they become too cluttered and become even more overwhelming. But sometimes you have to deal with an already cluttered space in your home.”
Garages in particular are a concern for respondents, with 37% saying their garage is currently a nightmare.
As a result, 21% of homeowners avoid entering their garages altogether.
Respondents use their garages to store needed items (60%) or random items (58%), but 43% say their garage storage system doesn’t meet all their needs .
“Garages are not ‘one size fits all,’ which is why we offer custom spaces and complementary organizational solutions to meet your specific needs,” said Gank. “To determine what kind of organizational system is best for you, we recommend outlining your goals for the space. That is, what you need to store and what you can do with the free space. What do you want to do and how can you make the most of the space? Do you have space to work with?
“Design services like the ones we offer can help you plan with or for you. Additionally, our new Custom Spaces line, Garage+ by Elfa, helps you maximize your space. We’ll take advantage of it, solve your storage challenges, and make you fall in love with your garage again.”
Items that take up the most space in the “Junk” area
- Home and holiday decorations — 41%
- Old documents — 34%
- Clothing/Shoes — 29%
- Small tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.) — 25%
- Souvenirs/souvenirs — 25%
- Books/Manuals — 22%
- Wire/cable — 21%
- Accessories — 20%
- Cleaning supplies — 15%
- Photos — 13%
Research method:
This random double opt-in survey of 2,000 American homeowners with garages commissioned by container store while March 12th and March 19, 2024. The survey was conducted by market research company OnePoll. The company’s team members are members of the Market Research Association and are corporate members of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Public Opinion and Market Research (ESOMAR).