Cleaning House How Americans are Refreshing Home, Body, and Mind in 2022
A Suzy Research Whitepaper
May 2022
Table of Contents 3
Introduction Out with The Old
4
The Whole Home How Consumers are Gearing Up for a Spring Refresh 5
The Kitchen Food and Beverage
6
The Bathroom CPG and Personal Care
7
The Home Office Financial and Work From Home
8
The Living Room Electronics and Tech
9
The Backyard Gardening and The Outdoors
10
The Kitchen Sink What Else Can We Learn with Suzy?
11
Conclusion In with The New
Introduction Out with The Old Spring has sprung, and with it comes the annual tradition of spring cleaning. According to The American Institute of Cleaning, nearly 8 in 10 Americans participate in spring cleaning -- and they anticipate they’ll be doing more than usual this year. But over the years, spring cleaning has taken on even more significance. Even before the pandemic, movements like minimalism and sustainable living and shows like Tidying Up with Marie Kondo have popularized the ideals of letting go, organizing, and starting fresh. Then, in 2020, keeping one’s home clean and organized became a necessity -- not just for people’s physical health, but also for their mental health. Studies have shown that decluttering can help ease stress and anxiety, making cleaning an important act of self care for many during the pandemic.
At Suzy we’re interested in just how far consumers plan to take the spring cleaning mentality…
In addition to tidying up, how else are consumers refreshing their living spaces, their bodies, and their minds? And are consumers using the spring to start fresh, try new things, buy new products? Spring can be a good opportunity for brands to pitch their value to consumers -after all, what comes after “out with the old” is “in with the new.” Knowing how consumers are updating is especially important for brands to understand where those opportunities lie. That’s why we ran a series of surveys in late April asking a representative sample of Americans questions about their seasonal behaviors. What we found was that the spring cleaning mentality extends far beyond dusting and donating. More than a third (37%) of consumers said they viewed spring as a time to reset. In this whitepaper, we explore six key areas. First, we look at the whole home -how consumers think about spring cleaning holistically. We then moved through each room in the house, asking about consumers’ thoughts on trying food and beverage trends, swapping out their CPG and personal care items, re-evaluating their finances and work situations, decluttering their digital devices, and upgrading their gardens.
The Whole Home How Consumers are Gearing Up for a Spring Refresh Spring cleaning took on a new life during the pandemic. Not only have consumers been spending more time at home, but cleanliness has become a top priority. Despite the spread of COVID slowing and lockdowns lifting, many of the changes consumers made in 2020 and 2021 look like they’re here to stay. Almost two thirds (64%) of respondents to our survey said they spend more time at home than they did before the pandemic. Just 4% of employers are making their employees return to the office full-time, according to Forbes, meaning a large chunk of the workforce will still be hybrid or fully remote for the foreseeable future.
With consumers now hyper-aware of germs in their homes, heightened sales of cleaning products are unlikely to go back to 2019 levels, per Chemical & Engineering News. According to our survey, 48% of consumers said they clean more frequently now than pre-pandemic, while 41% clean about the same amount.
How do consumers plan to refresh? In the coming months, 71% of consumers plan to update their home in some way. Just over half (51%) are planning to do some spring cleaning. The most common plans are organizing (78%), dusting (77%), vacuuming (76%), and surface cleaning (74%). Only 40% of respondents plan to replace air filters, and only 26% plan to replace smoke detector batteries. 29% say they want to add more organization to their homes and exactly a quarter plan to do DIY projects.
Where are they refreshing their homes?
What are consumers buying for their home upgrades?
Bedrooms (29%) were the most popular room for upgrades. But with warmer weather approaching, gardens, patios, and other outdoor areas were close behind at 24%.
After the major home overhauls consumers undertook in 2020 and 2021 -- new home offices, investment in outdoor spaces, upgraded cleaning routines -- the 2022 spring cycle has mostly been about minor changes. Across industries, fewer consumers are buying brand new big-ticket items. When shopping for home goods and electronics, smaller purchases such as wall art, plants, and lighting topped the list each time, winning out over things like furniture and electronic equipment.
The Kitchen Food and Beverage In anticipation of the warmer months, we found many consumers were interested in cleaning up their eating habits and trying new cuisines. FOR MANY CONSUMERS, SPRING CLEANING ALSO MEANS CLEAN EATING
CONSUMERS WANT TO STEP OUTSIDE THEIR CULINARY COMFORT ZONE
Exactly half of consumers plan to eat more greens and vegetables, and more than a third (37%) plan to follow some sort of diet during the spring and summer months.
The majority (74%) of consumers said they cook at least somewhat frequently, and half said they wanted to try cooking new recipes. Respondents said they get inspiration for new recipes, foods, or beverages from their friends and family (46%), cooking videos (36%), cookbooks (30%), cooking shows (30%), and Instagram (29%).
The most popular diets were intermittent fasting and going “flexitarian,” a semi-vegetarian diet. 10% of consumers each planned to follow these diets. Fully vegetarian diets followed behind at 8%. Keto and Paleo diets seem to have fallen out of fashion, with only 7% and 4% respectively saying they planned to follow those diets.
Additionally, 22% said they were interested in trying to grow their own food this spring and summer.
HALF OF CONSUMERS WERE INTERESTED IN TRYING NEW FOOD TRENDS 31% IMMUNITY SUPPLEMENTS
34% NO
TRENDSPOTTING ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PURCHASING SUPPLEMENTS?
Next, consumers wanted to get trendy. In second place at 18% was a three way tie between CBD-infused foods, hibiscus-flavored beverages, and coffee alternatives.
66% YES
25% SLEEP AID
Just over a fifth were interested in canned cocktails. The ready-to-drink market exploded during the pandemic, and was valued at $782.8 million in 2021, per Grand View Research. That’s expected to continue, with a 13.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2030.
28% PROBIOTICS
16% of respondents said they were interested in non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits. Consumers may want to eat cleaner, but they still want to have a little fun.
The Bathroom CPG and Personal Care The beauty industry saw a dip in 2020 when people weren’t going out, but rebounded strongly in 2021 -- a trend set to continue. With sunny days and bare legs coming up, spring is also a key time for consumers to refresh their personal care and beauty routines. WE UNCOVERED FIVE MAIN TRENDS FOR CONSUMERS’ PRODUCT HABITS 1
SPF is king More than half (51%) of consumers are adding sunscreen to their routine for the spring and summer. Lip balm (46%) and hair removal products (39%) were next in line.
2
90% of consumers were interested in trying at least one type of new product this season Across all the categories we asked about, sunscreen was once again the most popular. Some items were less popular initially, but consumers still showed interest. For example, only 12% of consumers said they add self-tanner to their routine for the warmer months, but 20% were interested in doing so.
3
Word of mouth is the biggest driver for consumers to try new products 55% of consumers learned about new personal care and beauty products from friends, family, or coworkers. Social media was much closer behind at 51%, however, followed by YouTube (38%). 4
Consumers prefer to try before they buy Beauty and personal care shoppers mostly shopped via a combo of online and in store (59%) -but exclusive in-store shoppers far outnumbered those who only shopped online, at 33% versus 14%. About half (48%) of those who shopped primarily in store said they preferred to test the product in person before buying.
5
Personal care is self-care We asked consumers their top reason for using personal care and beauty products -- and despite stereotypes about the industry, enhancing their appearance came in third place, with 22% of consumers naming it their top reason. Nourishing and caring for their bodies (28%) and having a healthier appearance (27%) were more popular goals, mirroring the goals people had to take care of their bodies with healthy eating.
The Home Office Financial and WFH Offices were one of the biggest areas of change in people’s homes. But we wanted to dig into their financial behaviors -- another major part of the conversation around work. How are consumers thinking about their budgets? BUILDING OUT THE HOME OFFICE
CLEANING OUT THE BOOKS
Office furniture sales surged in 2020 as consumers decked out their newly-necessary home workspaces, but two years into the pandemic, much of the demand has died down. Only about half (51%) of respondents with a home office are planning upgrades, and those that are are more likely to make minor changes.
Spring is also just after tax season, which means it’s a perfect time for Americans to take stock of their financial situations. That’s become even more important now as soaring grocery and gas prices put more strain on consumers’ wallets. According to a Gallup poll this April, people are feeling worse about their personal finances than they were this time last year.
Smaller purchases like new decor (26%) and office supplies (24%) were most common, while more major overhauls like buying new furniture (20%) and upgrading internet connection (15%) were less common. The biggest step people with home offices planned to take was simply decluttering their desk, with 38% planning a spring office clean.
21% DIGITAL & PHYSICAL
23% APP/DIGITAL
INFLATION HIT HARD… CONSUMERS GOALS:
33% LOWER SPENDING
25% TRAVEL FUND
19% BIG BUY SAVINGS
Perhaps because of the rapidly-changing prices, respondents to our survey were generally on top of their finances. More than half (58%) review their finances at least once a week, and 81% review at least once a month. But that doesn’t mean there’s no auditing to do. These were the most common budgetary “spring cleaning” actions people planned to take:
64% YES
TRENDSPOTTING DO YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION SYSTEM FOR YOUR FINANCES?
36% NO
20% PHYSICAL
The most popular goal was to pay off debt (28%)
A fifth of respondents plan to spring clean their monthly finances by canceling unused services and subscriptions.
A quarter said they plan to review and update their budget, and another 22% plan to set financial goals, and 16% said they plan to create a new budget altogether.
The Living Room Electronics and Technology Electronics became a lifeline for entertainment and connection during the pandemic. Two years later, are consumers planning to update their electronic equipment? And how are they managing the technology they already have? TIME TO UPGRADE
DIGITAL DECLUTTERING
About two thirds (66%) of respondents are interested in integrating some sort of new technology into their homes. Now that many more consumers are hosting expensive office equipment in their homes and ordering packages online, it’s no surprise that security devices like doorbell cameras topped the list, with 34% of consumers showing interest. Smart devices like speakers and fridges (30%) and video game consoles (29%) followed in popularity. “Smart home” items in general were also a hot topic, especially those meant to help consumers be more energy efficient (29%) and clean (26%). In fact, 37% of respondents expressed interest in converting their home to a smart home.
Our phones and computers have almost become a space in themselves. But only 31% of consumers say they “spring clean” their devices at least somewhat regularly. Among consumers that do, here are the most popular actions they take:
47%
47%
38%
37%
33%
UNINSTALLING UNUSED APPS
CLEANING OUT EMAIL INBOXES
UNSUBSCRIBING FROM MAILING LISTS
ORGANIZING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
SCANNING FOR VIRUSES AND MALWARE
67% NO
TRENDSPOTTING DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THE METAVERSE?
33% YES
17% SOCIALIZING
19% GAMING
Ever since Meta’s rebrand, the metaverse has become a major marketing buzzword. But are consumers really ready for it? Based on our survey, 67% had little to no interest in the metaverse. Of the third who do have some interest in the metaverse, 52% were drawn to it because of gaming and 48% for socializing. For now, that means the marketing opportunities in the metaverse are limited in the audiences that they can reach -- but that hasn’t stopped brands from hopping on the trend early in an effort to stay ahead of the curve, especially brands that want to reach gaming audiences.
The Backyard Gardening and The Outdoors Outdoor spaces were a lifeline for people to spend time together during the pandemic. Like office furniture, outdoor furniture also saw unprecedented sales growth the last few years, meaning most consumers won’t be looking to upgrade anytime soon. BREAKING GROUND
TIME TO SPRUCE THINGS UP
Only 14% of consumers say they don’t have access to some sort of green space in and around their homes. Amongst the many who do, backyards were the most popular at 65%, followed by front yards (58%), and front porches (46%). Almost half (47%) of consumers plan to spruce up their outdoor areas this spring and summer. Here’s how they plan to do:
50% CUTTING THE GRASS
47% PLANTING FLOWERS
37% TRIMMING TREES AND BUSHES
Since gardens and porches often require continued upkeep outside of purchasing new items, smaller upgrades were more common. 40% of respondents didn’t plan on buying any outdoor furniture or accents whatsoever. Those that did usually preferred minor things like lighting elements (26%) and cushions (20%). For new outdoor furniture, consumers preferred big box stores (54%) and home improvement stores (49%) over online retailers (41%). 23% said they plan to buy big items like complete patio sets.
TRENDSPOTTING Outdoor kitchens and living rooms had been growing in popularity since long before the pandemic, as homeowners sought to maximize their square footage by taking advantage of their gardens -- and the pandemic accelerated this trend to the max. However, many consumers may have held off on one key room:
THE OUTDOOR OFFICE
With return-to-work policies still up in the air, it may not have seemed worth the investment. But now that many employers have instituted permanent flexible work policies, consumer interest in outdoor offices is up so much that Better Home & Gardens named them the top outdoor living trend in 2022. According to our survey, just over a third (36%) of consumers were at least somewhat interested in combining the two biggest pandemic-era home trends and creating an outdoor office to work-from-home in.
The Kitchen Sink What Else Can We Learn with Suzy? Spring is far from the only time consumers’ behavior changes -- people’s habits, needs, and desires shift all the time depending on a huge variety of factors. At Suzy, we know how important it is to keep a close eye on consumers’ shifting behaviors so that your brand can take advantage of these ebbs and flows.
Suzy uses a diverse, hybrid mix of qualitative and quantitative research to give your brand the ability to get the insights you actually need. If you need data fast, our live surveys and monadic testing can turn around results in less than 48 hours. If you want one-on-one insights, Suzy Live lets you speak to consumers to conduct in-depth interviews. If you need to conduct testing with real users, Suzy Home sends your product to a consumer so they can give you the best possible feedback.
So, what insights can Suzy help your brand with? Here are just a few examples of other questions you can ask with Suzy:
How often do consumers deep clean their houses outside of spring cleaning? How many consumers regularly declutter throughout the year, and how can your brand reach them at other times? Is there a way your brand can help consumers recycle, re-sell, or donate old items?
Are consumers more interested in getting rid of items altogether, or replacing them with new items? With sustainability and minimalism on the mind, how open are consumers to hearing from brands about new items when they’re trying to reduce their possessions?
If not this year, when do consumers plan to refresh their furniture, electronics, and other big-ticket items? Many consumers purchased new office furniture and technology during the pandemic, so this year may be a bit too soon. But consumers will want to upgrade eventually. When do they expect to do this?
Conclusion In with The New For many consumers, spring cleaning has evolved beyond dusting and organizing, and become something more -- a time to refresh and reset their bodies, minds, and homes. The pandemic piqued people’s interest in sprucing up their homes, and certainly made cleaning a far more necessary act. But it’s the other benefits -the destressing effects of decluttering, the chance to take stock of everything from diets to finances -- ensures that the spring cleaning mentality is here to stay. As consumers reset, brands have ample opportunity to meet consumers interested in trying new things and starting fresh. Plus, spring isn’t the only time consumers take a step back and reassess.
There are plenty of times for resetting through the year -- the winter holidays, summer break, back to school season. Each comes with new changes to consumer habits, and new opportunities to show your value to consumers. It’s just a matter of knowing where those opportunities are, and how to reach those consumers as they go through seasonal ups and downs. That’s why Suzy is here to help your brand get the most up-to-date information on how consumers are feeling, thinking, and of course, buying.
Want to learn more about Suzy? Reach out to us at suzy@suzy.com