Life at home: Alone, together

IKEA recently released its annual Life at Home survey that captures insights from people across 35 countries. The goal is simple — what does life at home mean today and how can it be made better? There has also been a specific focus on India as it is one of the leading markets for IKEA. Below is my perspective on some of the key insights from the report.

Is there anyone who doesn’t like to spend time at home? Home for us is a sanctuary that protects us from the outside world. Home is a reflection of our personality, irrespective of whether we own the place or rent it.

Kyu ki har ghar kuch kehta hai (every home has a story to tell).

The home furnishings, artefacts, layouts, and the like are an extension of who we are and they reflect our personality. The reality is that more often than not we are always sharing space with others — spouses, children, parents or friends. This means that sometimes, the things we love (and the things we hate) are a source of household tension.

India is no different. Indians rate clutter and space management among the top issues when it comes to living at home. Constrained spaces in urban areas are a major source of tension, leading home dwellers to experience a deficit in the sense of belonging. In multi-member households, we’re looking for an equilibrium that allows us all to be ‘alone, together’.

An equilibrium that allows us all to be ‘alone, together’

I believe in India and for that matter the larger South-East Asian community, culture also plays a role when it comes to the generation of clutter at homes. Due to the constrained and difficult upbringing of our parents’ generation, hoarding mentality is a critical variable at play.

Moreover, the inheritance of objects from previous generations (loyalty) and the mindset of maximising the utilisation of objects (longevity) are the other variables at play.

What do you think about this? Would love to hear your perspective.

Join the discussion here.

~ Sajid

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Sajid is a Strategy Consultant who works at the intersection of human behaviour, business design and innovation strategy. He blogs at sknotes and tweets @sajidkhetani.