AVON, OH — Home organization may be a popular lifestyle trend these days, but the current generation of young consumers struggles mightily with staying organized, a recent poll has found.
According to a national survey conducted by Pollfish on behalf of Duck brand, the majority – nearly 75% – of the Gen Z and millennials (ages 16 to 42) polled say they need a better organizing system at home.
“Americans are embracing a ‘less-is-more’ lifestyle and prefer clutter-free spaces, but it’s clear they have challenges when it comes to tidying up,” said Angee Mantell, insights & innovation product manager at Shurtape Technologies, LLC, the company that markets the Duck brand of consumer home and office products.
Among the survey’s findings were the following:
- Clutter is Chaos: While about half of Gen Z and millennials clean and organize up to an hour a day, they still have an issue with clutter. Specifically, the survey found that the kitchen counter is the biggest clutter hotspot – and car or house keys are the top misplaced items. Among their worst organizing habits, 54% of the younger generations throw everything into a “junk drawer,” while 40% say they don’t hang up their purse or jacket. Additionally, their top challenges to staying organized, they report, are too much clutter and not enough room.
- Personal Preference: A quick and easy installation is at the top of their priority list when it comes to purchasing an organizing system, but Gen Z (29%) also favors stylish and modern aesthetics. Among the products they’re willing to try, Gen Z is more likely to use shelves, while millennials chose a wall organizer.
- Space-Saving Solutions: More than 75% of survey respondents feel they have limited space to store items and 70% wish their backpacks, jackets and hats were better organized.
- Family Dynamics: Living with disorganized family members is another major challenge, survey respondents reported. For example, less than half of Gen Z and millennials say their spouses and children pick up after themselves, and more than 40% wish their significant other was neater/tidier at home. Most Gen Z and millennials (nearly 64%) feel they are the best at staying organized at home compared to others they live with.