Garage storage has been the fastest growing segment in the storage and organization category in recent years, the NPD Group reports, driven in part by larger cabinet-style collections in masculine colors such as silver or black, better quality and more prominent marketing. Vendors are also promoting more bike racks and ceiling-mounted shelving units.

The company also reports that men accounted for 64% of the dollar share spent on garage storage products (2007).

Looking ahead, the segment should be an area of growth for retailers. “Garage storage seems to be somewhat recession proof,” said Mark Delaney, NPD’s Home marketing director. “Consumers who plan on redoing their garage are doing so, regardless of what the housing market is doing.”

Source: HomeWorld Business, Mar 30, 2008

With baby boomers reluctant to give up their active lifestyles or youth, it’s no surprise that aches and pains are going right along with it. According to a study by the National Institute of Aging, baby boomers (born 1942-1959) were unlikely to report “excellent or very good” health as early as their early to mid 50’s… an early result of their efforts to stay active despite their age.  

The result? Boomers are looking for products that help them stay mobile, independent, free of pain and less stressed. These products, termed ‘universally designed’ due to their ability to work equally well among young, old and disabled… aren’t only winning at retail… they’re proving that the right products can reduce pain associated with age or disability without looking geriatric. If you’re not convinced that’s true, consider the growing popularity of recent fashion-forward products that also eliminate stress, bending, stooping and discomfort…

* higher dishwashers and washing machines 
* higher-height dining tables and chairs
* larger hardware, knobs rather than pulls
* drawers rather than doors below kitchen counters
* lift-top coffee tables
* massage chairs
* chairs and recliners with built-in lift mechanisms
* furniture with built-in power for re-charging portable electronics

Products that address memory loss and clutter are also proving important. “Everyone experiences some minor short-term memory loss, and poorer visual color and depth perception as they get older,” says says Dr. Melanie Horn Mallers, Professor of Gerentology at California State University, Long Beach. “Having an organized and compartmentalized home helps with memory loss and lack of clutter helps when, for instance, you have to walk through your living room at night.” Again, consider the growing popularity of fashion-forward products that eliminate stress and discomfort:

* drawer organization systems
* jewelry organizers
* cubby hole shelves and drawers
* smaller drawers to allocated specific items
* wall and furniture hooks
* portable/mobile storage containers that can be moved to point-of-use

U.S. sales of home organization products are expected to increase to $8.6B in 2011 (+4.5% per year). Bedrooms & closets will remain the leading category, with garage sales the fastest growing (+ 8.0% per year).

The following trends are driving the growth: 

 * ongoing introduction of products with more decorative styling and/or specialty features

* empty-nesters organizing their possesions into smaller homes

* children of baby boomers moving into small dorm room and first apartments 

Expected sales by category:

1. Bedrooms & Closets -  $2.52M (2006) - $3.24 (2011)

2. Family Rooms - $1.51M (2006) - $1.745M (2011)

3. Garages -  $1.4M (2006) - $2.06M (2011)

4. Kitchens & Pantries - $962K (2006) - $1.04M (2011)

5. Bathrooms & Utility Rooms-  $528K (2006) - $560K (20100

Total Demand-  $6.92M (2006) - $8.64M (2001).

Source: The Freedonia Group Inc / Closets Magazine, Oct ‘07

2007 was a challenging year for many retailers. A lot of products weren’t selling, but here’s a few that were (with sales increases over 2007), and what it could mean for home furnishing merchants:

Single serve coffee makers +55.6%. What it means? More single-households. Installing a shelf and power outlet for a small coffee maker in a bedroom or bathroom cabinet or drawer (like in a hotel) might be a popular idea.

Popcorn machines +31.9%. What it means? Consumers want to relax at home, probably watching TV on a comfortable sofa.

Kitchen island and carts (RTA) +25%. What it means? Islands can be sold separately from kitchens, don’t have to match kitchen cabinets, and don’t need cooktops or sinks.

Cookbooks + 15.6%. What it means? Bookshelves needed. 

Humidifiers + 13.9%. What it means? Air quality and mold are growing issues.

Espresso machines +10.0%. What it means? More entertaining and relaxation at home.

Wine accessories +9.2%. What it means? Places to house wine and wine supplies needed.

Storage & organization products +6.0%. What it means? Consumers have a lot of stuff, want to get organized, and often prefer portable storage to furniture.

Cocktail glasses +5.0%. What it means? More entertaining at home; bars and beverage centers needed.

Folding furniture +5.0%. What it means? Consumers need portable, space-saving solutions, or temporary furniture solutions at a lower price.

Sales data: HomeWorld Business magazine (Jan ‘08).

When asked by Better Homes and Gardens magazine what their top priorities in a home were, here’s what consumers answered:

A whopping 71% said an “all-new kitchen that looks great and is fun to work in”

43% said “the right amount and type of storage”

41% said “a master suite that feels like a luxurious hotel room”

They also wanted “well-designed spaces that consumers can personalize”, and “a separate and convenient sizeable laundry workroom”.

More information on consumer housing & home furnishing trends available in Room Planners’ International Builders Show ’08 report. www.roomplanners.com/order/.

Recent research indicates that consumers are less impressed with Wal-Mart’s furniture assortment than its other categories… this after the retailer expanded and upgraded furniture selections at $200+ in 2007.

Among 13 key store departments, furniture ranked #13 in both “opinion of price” and “conversion” (department stop vs. department purchase).

Raising prices in a touch economic climate may have had something to do with the low consumer “opinion of price” rankings, as suggested by another higher ticket purchase - vacuums - ranking #12 in “opinion of price”, after assortment was expanded to include a Dyson upright at $378.

But in some categories, price doesn’t appear to be the deciding purchase factor. Vacuums  ranked #12 in ”opinion of price”, but #7 in “conversion”, and storage products ranked #8 in “opinion of price”, but #2 in sales “conversion”, suggesting that price isn’t the only factor making a purchase decision about some products. The survey didn’t indicate what consumers liked or disliked about the highest and lowest rated departments. 

Source: Leo J. Shapiro & Associates / reported in HomeWorld Business Magazine (Feb 4/07). Survey conduced in Dec ‘07 included 600 U.S. households.

A home furnishing trade magazine recently published a lengthy list of what’s ‘in’ and what’s ‘out’, citing the expertise of retailers, trend trackers and a panel of designers.

Use-able luxury, green, the handmade… were understandably ‘in’, but who knew that ‘birds, elephants and donkeys were ‘out’, while birds, bees and pigs were ’in’. Or that coral (in any shade) is ‘out’, while spice red is ‘in’.  I do like the new trend to put chandeliers in every room - very ’in’, but apparently it means my kitchen pot-rack must go (on the ‘out’ list).

Trends come and go…. they keep consumers spending and the economy healthy. But the idea of tossing things we love… or feeling guilty that we own something on the ‘out’ list doesn’t seem to jive with the new freedom to find our own style, and to reflect our own personality in our decor. And with the growing respect for recycling and reclaiming from the past, are ‘out’ lists becoming offensive, and more than just a bit ’off trend’? Would trend experts be more ‘on trend’ to focus on what’s new, improved and exciting, and less on what’s ‘out’?

Getting organized continues to be important to consumers, as seen by just a few of the newstand cover stories on the topic in January.

Furniture retailers - Where are your organization messages? We’ve heard the “pay nothing til 2012 message”. How about helping consumers with furniture that improves their quality of life? Furniture manufacturers - let’s get serious about functional improvements in furniture before we miss this market phenomena. 

For more information: http://roomplanners.com/order/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

According to Kitchen & Bath Design News, the following products were  most frequently asked about  in 2007:

1. lazy Susan drawer system

2. drawer inserts (cutlery, knife, utensil)

3. hand-painted images on stone 

4. pull-up, waterproof power grommet

5. decorative glass cabinet inserts

6. swivel-base entertainment unit (bookcase on one side /plasma TV on the other)

6. wrap dispenser (plastic, wax, foil wrap)

7. aluminum cabinet doors

 8. microwave in a drawer

9. glass cabinet knobs

10. walk-in acrylic bath

11. glass tiles (with flecks of precious metals)

12. closet, pantry and garage organizers

Source: For the complete top 20 list with supplier names and images, see Kitchen & Bath Design News, Dec 2007

The trend continues … custom closets reinventing bedrooms and (hopefully) bedroom furniture.  Country Living Magazine reported this month that the average home has 6 closets…  but in new homes at least 2 of those closets are walk-ins - ranging in size from 4×6 to 8×9.  The article advised consumers “to make the most of this area by lining the closet’s perimeter with drawers, shelves, and hooks. “

Walk-in closets aren’t just for hanging clothes. The average walk-in closet features 20 feet of hanging space, and many (most) now feature cases and shelves to store what was once stored in free-standing dressers and chests.

The appeal of custom closets is easy to understand. Cosumers like to see all their choices in one place, at one time. Many of today’s closets are ellaborate dressing rooms. In newer, high-end homes, some of the walk-in closets are even larger than 8 x 9 and feature a reading chair, chaise lounge and central dressing tables (like a kitchen island).

The good news is that not everyone has space for furniture in their closet… making it important that dressers and chests  become more functional, and even to incorporate some of the smart storage features of custom closets.

For more information on designing smart storage bedroom storage, see room planners’ organized bedroom report at www.roomplanners.com.

Photo: Country Living Magazine, Dec 2007