SHOCKING STATS ABOUT STUFF
- heather78876
- Aug 18
- 2 min read
Have you ever questioned how you accumulated so many belongings? Here are some surprising statistics that might astonish you and inspire a journey toward a more organized home and a smaller shopping list, ultimately saving you money!

Shocking stats:
We waste half the food in our fridge
We spend on average $2,800 a year on clothes and accessories
Women spend 400 hours a year shopping
The average size of the home has tripled in the last 50 years, which means more rooms to fill than ever before
1/10 people rent storage units to store the overflow of items from their homes
There are 3,000 self-storage units in Canada
We use only 20% of our clothes
The average home has 300,000 items - most rarely used
Toys have increased by 500% in the last 50 years, yet kids play with only a handful
Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or oceans
1% of gifts received at Christmas are actually used 6 months after receiving them
4% of gifts received are immediately thrown away
46% of shoppers still owe from the previous Christmas shopping spree
$16 billion is wasted in unwanted gifts each year
A cluttered home causes stress. Studies have shown that living in a cluttered environment can lead to higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
A 2018 study found that the average product, including electronics, breaks after 2.6 years
The average man owns between 10-12 pairs of shoes and the average woman owns between 19-27 pairs of shoes
85 per cent of clothing in North America isn't even making it into a bin where it may get a second life, and is instead going directly in a landfill, according to SMART, a group that represents for-profit companies in the recycled textiles industry
The average woman owns around 11 handbags
A significant majority of Canadians, 91%, report that clutter negatively affects their lives, according to a study by the Professional Organizers of Canada. Furthermore, 83% of Canadians describe themselves as extremely disorganized.
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