Home Improvement and Home Organization TrendTracker 2014

HOME IMPROVEMENT
& ORGANIZATION
TRENDTRACKER 2014
Riedel Marketing Group

Table of Contents
ABOUT THE TRENDS ………………………………………………………………….............................3
WHY WE CONDUCT THE SURVEY WITH THE HOMETREND INFLUENTIALS PANEL ………….4
HOMETREND INFLUENTIALS PANEL DEMOGRAPHCS ……………………………………………..5
HOW WE GATHER THE DATA ……………………………………………………................................6
HOME IMPROVEMENT TRENDS………………………………………………………………………… 7
 Past year home improvement projects.
 Anticipated home improvement projects.
 Home improvement growth trends.
 Types of home improvement projects being done.
HOME ORGANIZATION AND STORAGE …………………………………….…………………..………11
 Emotional impact of being disorganized.
 Changes in how organized consumers are feeling.
 Reasons for changes in attitude about how organized home is
 Changes in the amount of home organization or storage solutions being purchased.
 Types of home organization and storage solutions being purchased.
 Past year garage make-over, remodeling, and/or re-organization project.
 Anticipated garage make-over, remodeling, and/or re-organization project in the next year.
 Type of garage make-over, remodeling, and/or re-organization project planned for the next year.
APPENDICES ………………………………………………………………………...………………………18
 About the author
 About Riedel Marketing Group
 Riedel Marketing Group contact info
2

About the Trends
 Home Improvement and Home Organization TrendTracker 2014 focuses on longer
term attitudinal and behavioral trends and changes in home-related activities that
are having – and will continue to have -- a profound impact on the housewares industry.
When consumers make changes in their home-related habits and practices, their needs
change – and the types of housewares products they buy and use change.
Housewares manufacturers ignore these trends at their own peril. They run the risk of
missing out on new growth opportunities, falling behind more trend-savvy competitors,
and eventually going the way of the buggy whip makers who failed to adjust to a new
trend that made their product obsolete.
 Because we focus on the gradual shifts in consumer attitudes and behaviors, the major
trend themes that we track and monitor don’t typically change dramatically from
year to year. The drivers or underlying trends that impact consumer attitudes and
behaviors do not come and go in a year or two. For example, as they have for the past
several years, the economy, mobile technology, and social media are still driving
changes in consumer attitudes and behaviors.
4

Why We Conduct the Survey with the Hometrend
Influentials Panel
 HomeTrend Influentials are home owners who like their homes to look up-
to-date and like to keep their fingers on the pulse of what is new for the
home. They are constantly redecorating and making improvements to their
homes. They enjoy talking with their family, friends, and co-workers about
what’s new for the home and they are sought out by friends and family for
advice on what to buy for their homes and what to do to their homes. They
are very active in community, civic, and political activities. They readily try
new food, household cleaning, laundry, and housewares products that they
see advertised or in stores and they eagerly recommend the products that
they really like to others.
 HomeTrend Influentials pick up on new home-related trends and embrace
new home goods much sooner than the rest of the U.S. population. As
such, these influential consumers are the bellwether for predicting changes
in the behaviors, habits and practices, and attitudes of mainstream
Americans. If HIPsters embrace a new product, very likely it is going to be
embraced by mainstream Americans within a couple of years. If HIPsters
reject a new product, very likely the product is not going to be embraced by
mainstream Americans either.
Home Improvement & Organization TrendTracker 20145

HomeTrend Influentials Panel Demographics
 Female: Although 5% of the HIPsters are male, the panel skews
predominantly female.
 Early to mid 40's: Although a few are over 55 years of age, 20% of
HomeTrend Influentials Panel members are between the ages of 25 to 34
years old, 39% are between 35 to 44 years old years of age, and 31% are
between the ages of 45 and 54.
 Middle/upper class: 34% of HomeTrend Influentials Panel members have
household incomes of less than $100,000, 37% have household incomes
of between $100,000 and $150,000, and 28% have household incomes of
more than $150,000.
 Employed: More than three quarters of HomeTrend Influential Panel
members are in workforce. Two thirds of those in the workforce are
employed full-time.
 Married: 87% of the HIPsters are married.
 Children living at home: 57% HomeTrend Influentials Panel members have
children at home.

How We Gather the Data
 The primary source of insight used to identify the major trends of 2014 was
primary consumer research conducted by Riedel Marketing Group with
the company’s proprietary HomeTrend Influentials Panel (HIP).
 Three in-depth online surveys were conducted with the HomeTrend
Influentials Panel in October 2013.
 In addition to conducting primary consumer research with the HomeTrend
Influentials Panel, we glean insight from an array of other resources
including business publications, other market research companies and
consultants, and trade associations.
 Housewares TrendTracker 2014 is written and edited by RMG Senior
Partner A.J. Riedel, a highly regarded marketing authority, forecaster of
consumer trends, and advisor to many housewares companies. Riedel has
been tracking housewares and home goods trends since 1999.
Home Improvement & Organization Trend Tracker 20146

HOME IMPROVEMENT TRENDS

Americans will be doing more home improvement
projects over the next couple of years than they have
since before the recession.
Yes
44%
No
56%
44% of HomeTrend Influentials did at least
one major home improvement or
remodeling project in the past year.
Yes
52%
No
48%
52% of HomeTrend Influentials are
planning to do at least one major home
improvement or remodeling project in the
next year or so.

Sales of home improvement products are trending up.
 Lowe’s Companies, Inc. third quarter sales increased 7.3%. Comparable
sales for the quarter increased 6.2%. 1
 Home Depot’s revenue for the company climbed 7% to $19.47 billion from
$18.13 billion exceeding Wall Street’s expectations. 2
1 http://www.homeworldbusiness.com/Financials/Lowe's-Reports-Sales-Earnings-Growth-In-Q3/23166
2 http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/11/19/home-depot-earnings/3637345/
“The home improvement industry is poised for persisting growth in the
fourth quarter and further acceleration in 2014.” Robert Niblock,
Lowe’s chairman, president and CEO

Cosmetic improvements such as painting and
replacing flooring and remodeling the bath or kitchen
are the most popular home improvement projects.
What major home
improvement or
remodeling project(s)
did you do?
What types of home
improvement or
remodeling projects are
you planning to do?
Paint multiple rooms or the exterior of the house 48% 38%
Landscape 38% 29%
Add or remodel the bath 32% 30%
Replace flooring 32% 38%
Remodel the kitchen 30% 21%
Install built-in closet organizers or built in cabinetry 20% 17%
Add or expand a room 10% 8%
Replace multiple windows 18% 12%
Replace or majorly repair the roof 18% 12%
Finish/remodel the basement 6% 12%

HOME ORGANIZATION TRENDS

Home Organization is major source of stress for
Americans
 Eighty-four percent of recently
stressed Americans say they worry
that their home isn't clean or
organized enough.
 Within that group, 55 percent called
it out as a source of recent stress.
 Among all those who experienced
some level of stress about home
organization, nearly a third
expressed being very or extremely
stressed by their homes.
 And it wasn't just a stressor for
women: 81 percent of men and 87
percent of women who reported
experiencing anxiety over home
upkeep.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/home-organization-stress-
survey_n_3308575.html?view=print&comm_ref=false
Worrying that their home isn’t clean or
organized enough is the fifth most
common stress trigger among recently
stressed Americans.

Not surprisingly, people feel more organized after they
have done home organization projects. They feel less
organized when they don’t have time to keep up with
the clutter.
More
organized
44%
Less organized
16%
About the same
40%
44% of HomeTrend Influentials are feeling more organized
than they did a year or two ago.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
don't have time
have too much clutter
change in household composition
don't have enough storage space
in the midst of remodel/move
other
The reason HomeTrend Influentials are feeling
less organized is because they don’t have
enough time to get and stay organized.
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
cleaning out /getting rid of junk
am spending on organization projects
have more time to clean and organize
moved recently
bought products to keep things organized
have gotten a handle on staying organized
remodelled
have more storage space
other
The reason many of the HomeTrend Influentials are
feeling more organized is because they have been
spending time on home organization projects.

Americans are purchasing more home organization
and storage solutions than they did a year ago.
Yes
39%
No
61%
39% of HomeTrend Influentials purchased more home organization or storage solutions
than they did a year ago.
Home Improvement & Organization Trend Tracker 201442

They are buying more containers with stacking lids
than any other type of home storage product.
A larger percent of HomeTrend Influentials
purchased containers with lids in 2013 than did in
2012.
2013 2012
Containers that stack with lids 71% 60%
Wall-mounted hooks/hanging solutions 43% 48%
In-drawer organizers 43% 39%
Closet shelving/systems 39% 61%
Dressers/book shelves and other
furniture with storage
33% 50%
Filing boxes and/or cabinets for
paperwork
25% 31%
Storage bags 20% 16%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Containers that stack with lids
Wall-mounted hooks/hanging
solutions
In-drawer organizers
Closet shelving/systems
Dressers/book shelves and other
furniture with storage
Filing boxes and/or cabinets for
paperwork
Storage bags
71% of HomeTrend Influentials
purchased containers with stacking
lids.

Americans are tackling their cluttered garages ...
Yes
24%
No
76%
24% of HomeTrend Influentials did a make-
over, remodeling, and/or re-organization
project in their garage in the past year.
Yes
42%
No
58%
42% of HomeTrend Influentials plan to do a
make-over, remodeling, and/or re-
organization project in their garage in the
next year.

… And buying storage and organization products so
that they can get their garages organized.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Add shelves and/or hooks to the walls
Purchase containers to store small and large items
Epoxy the garage floor
Add overhead storage
Install a workbench and/or cabinets
Other
54% of HomeTrend Influentials are planning to add shelves and/or hooks to
the walls of their garage in the next year. 39% are planning to buy storage
containers.

About the Author
A.J. Riedel, Senior Partner of Riedel Marketing
Group (RMG), is a highly regarded marketing
authority in the housewares industry, the top
forecaster of housewares trends, and an
advisor to many housewares companies. A.J.
has 24 years of experience and an excellent
track record in the housewares industry. Her
knowledge and understanding encompasses
market dynamics, channels of distribution,
housewares consumers, and trends impacting
the industry, and marketing issues in the
housewares industry.

About Riedel Marketing Group
For over 22 years, Riedel Marketing Group (RMG) has been providing housewares
companies with market and consumer data and insight that helps them make informed
product and marketing decisions with confidence. Housewares manufacturers, ranging
from large Fortune 500 corporations to smaller privately owned companies, seek our
expertise. Past and current clients include Cuisinart, Jarden, Newell Rubbermaid,
Progressive International, Chef’N, Jokari, Dexas, Bradshaw International, and the
International Housewares Manufacturers Association (IHA).
 Specializes Exclusively In Housewares: RMG is the only market research
company that specializes exclusively in the housewares industry.
 Knowledgeable about Housewares Industry: I understand market dynamics,
channels of distribution, consumers, history and trends, and marketing issues.
 Expertise in Research and Analysis: I have extensive experience with online
surveys, product concept tests, market and competitive assessments, and home-use
tests.
 Actionable Insight: I answer not just the “what” questions but also the “so what”
(what are the ramifications of the data) and “now what” (what do we do as a result of this
study) questions.
 Proprietary Consumer Panel: RMG is the only market research company with a
proprietary housewares-focused Market Research Online Community (MROC).
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Riedel Marketing Group Contact Information
 602-840-4948
 5327 E. Pinchot Ave., Phoenix AZ 85018
 ajr@4rmg.com
 www.4rmg.com
 www.twitter.com/AJRat4RMG
 http://www.linkedin.com/company/riedel-marketing-group
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