Life at Home Report 2022
“Life at Home Report” is one of the biggest and most distinctive global researches that we conduct to find out what life at home means today – and how we can help make it better. Last year we spoke to 37,000 people living in homes of all shapes and sizes across 37 countries, including 1010 in Estonia.What makes us feel at home?
We found that no matter where or how we live, it comes down to the same 7 essential ingredients: security, comfort, belonging, ownership, privacy, enjoyment and accomplishment.If our home reflects us, we’re
almost twice as likely
to believe it’s a source of
mental wellbeing.
almost twice as likely
to believe it’s a source of
mental wellbeing.
But only about
7 in 10
feel our home reflects who we are.
We don’t think that’s good enough.
7 in 10
feel our home reflects who we are.
We don’t think that’s good enough.
“Creating a home that reflects us is not that difficult. It doesn‘t necessarily require renovation or buying new furniture. One can simply bring in more colours and add a personal style by using textiles (cushions, curtains, rugs) and other accessories.”
Pedro Castro, IKEA interior designer
Pedro Castro, IKEA interior designer
Top 3 concerns in Estonia
#1 National economy (65%)#2 Household finances (51%)
#3 The standard of living (46%)
As belts tighten around the world...
It’s a fair bet that we’ll spend more time at home to save on expenses. If the cost of living significantly increases in the near future, people expect that these areas will be negatively impacted:56%
say they’ll save on hobbies
and interests outside the home.
and interests outside the home.
8%
believe it will stop them from
starting or planning family life.
starting or planning family life.
1 in 10
expect negative impact on relationships
with the people they live with.
with the people they live with.
During times of deep uncertainty, we continue to turn to our home as a place of comfort and security. 2 in 3 of us in Estonia feel more positive about our home compared to this time last year.
Things that matter, matter
At its best, home acts like a mirror to our identity. In practice, this means that when we look around our home, we see our unique personality reflected back. Whether it’s through photos of past adventures or personal space for hobbies.Things related with our memories are among the most important aspects letting us feel at home. From furniture to fridge magnets, all our possessions become memory-filled scrap books, celebrating our unique sense of self and serving a higher purpose than that for which they were designed.
Tips for personalizing your space
Our interior designer shares ideas on how to bring more personality into your home.When asked what makes their home feel like a reflection of who they are, here’s what people say:
43%
say it’s having space for needs
and interests.
and interests.
31%
say it’s things that help remember
past memories and experiences.
past memories and experiences.
41%
say it’s people they live with.
Possessions can be a source of tension
We base our identity on different things, but we don’t always see our home possessions through rose-tinted glasses. Sometimes, they become a source of household tension. Too much stuff and clutter prevents our true identity from breaking through into our home.IKEA interior designer Pedro Castro shares tips on how to display your beloved items neatly without cluttering all surfaces:
- Display your treasured memorabilia and souvenirs from trips on a wall shelf with additional lighting.
- Pebbles brought back from the seaside can be put in vases or deep picture frames.
- Use a magnetic board instead of placing souvenir magnets on the fridge door.
Main frustrations about our homes are:
Having to do household chores
We can have different perspectives of what “mess” is compared to people we live with, and we all do things in a different way. Assuming creates misunderstandings. This is why, according to the psychologist Rita Rätsepp, making agreements ensures that everyone gives a similar contribution. Joint contribution increases the sense of well-being of the whole family.
We can have different perspectives of what “mess” is compared to people we live with, and we all do things in a different way. Assuming creates misunderstandings. This is why, according to the psychologist Rita Rätsepp, making agreements ensures that everyone gives a similar contribution. Joint contribution increases the sense of well-being of the whole family.
Having too many things without a designated place.
“Go through all your belongings and decide what you really need and which of them you haven’t been using for a while or no longer have fond memories of. Then, sort all that’s left by activities or rooms and put into boxes. They take up less space and make all items easier to find.”
Pedro Castro, IKEA interior designer
Pedro Castro, IKEA interior designer
An untidy or unclean home.
An untidy home creates frustration. To keep the home tidy, psychologist Rita Rätsepp encourages to share household chores with all family members. If one member of the family cooks, others can keep the kitchen tidy after dinner. If someone takes out the trash, others can vacuum the floors. To avoid the routine, responsibilities may be changed from time to time. Most important is that everyone feels they have made a similar contribution to the best of their ability. Even children can participate to organize their toys or help with easier tasks. Most of us have household chores we like and which we don’t like. The one’s we do not like, can be done in turn. Thus, the first and foremost thing is to talk and consider the needs of others.
An untidy home creates frustration. To keep the home tidy, psychologist Rita Rätsepp encourages to share household chores with all family members. If one member of the family cooks, others can keep the kitchen tidy after dinner. If someone takes out the trash, others can vacuum the floors. To avoid the routine, responsibilities may be changed from time to time. Most important is that everyone feels they have made a similar contribution to the best of their ability. Even children can participate to organize their toys or help with easier tasks. Most of us have household chores we like and which we don’t like. The one’s we do not like, can be done in turn. Thus, the first and foremost thing is to talk and consider the needs of others.
Home remains a gendered space
When it comes to scrubbing sinks and mopping floors, there’s still a clear gender gap in our homes.Women are more likely than men to feel represented within the home – but are also more likely to get saddled with maintaining the places we live in.
1 in 4 women in Estonia are frustrated about having to do household chores, such as laundry, cleaning, cooking, compared to just 1 in 10 men.
How to minimize a gender gap when it comes to chores?
The well-known singer Hanna Martinson shares how she and her partner share household chores. There is definitely something to learn from it.
4 tips on how to share household chores at home
Do you feel exhausted because of the seemingly endless household chores? Psychologist Rita Rätsepp talks about sharing a household burden between all family members.
"Many of our home-related habits come from our childhood home. Different expectations of household chores create misunderstandings. A calm conversation might be a way to strengthen family relations and resolve problems. Therefore, it should be regularly discussed, what chores are done by whom. Chores can be done also in turn. Frustration can also be resolved also by smart home appliances. Sharing responsibilities will require not only taking responsibility, but also knowing how to hand it over to others."
Rita Rätsepp, psychologist
Rita Rätsepp, psychologist
What makes an ideal home?
When we look to the future and think about our ideal home, we often picture a place where we can cast off our shoes, wipe the stresses from our minds and zero in on the things that bring us joy and satisfaction.62% believe the most important aspect in an ideal home is the ability to unwind and relax.
35% say an ideal home should help to be physically or mentally stronger.
31% say an ideal home should allow living sustainably.
Home is a place where we can be our weird and wonderful selves.
1 in 5
of Estonians have talked
to their plants in the
last 12 months.
to their plants in the
last 12 months.
23%
of us have faked plans so we
can stay at home.
can stay at home.
Only 3%
care what other people
think about how we live
our lives at home.
think about how we live
our lives at home.
