The IKEA Life at Home report highlights that more than a third of people in Canada (35 percent) who felt more positive about their home in 2021, also saw their mental wellbeing improve. Photo Credit: IKEA

- Eighth annual IKEA Life at Home Report highlights elements of personal and shared spaces that can make for better living. -

Following a year of unimaginable change, IKEA set out to understand how people around the world adapted their life at home through the global home furnishing retailer's annual research project. More than uncovering the number of people in Canada who made a change to their home in the past year (60 percent), or the increased importance of green space or private gardens to the ideal home (35 percent and 33 percent respectively), the IKEA Life at Home report also highlighted that more than a third of people in Canada (35 percent) who felt more positive about their home in 2021, also saw their mental wellbeing improve. This, while nearly four out of 10 Canadians (37 percent) have experienced a negative impact on their mental health throughout the past year.

"Now we know the ideal home is a greener, spacious and more comfortable place to live, where we can be close to the people we care about and do the activities that make us feel good," affirms Kathy Davey, Head of Home Furnishing and Retail Design, IKEA Canada. "A happy home is great for the mental wellbeing of us all and we're excited to continue helping Canadians find ideas and inspiration that can help them create the homes that support the relationships and rituals that are most meaningful to them."

Although more than 40 percent of Canadian adults rated time alone as an important activity to maintain a sense of mental wellbeing at home, extended time at home brought many families closer together as nearly four in ten people in Canada (38 percent) said their relationships with their families had improved in the last 12 months. Some relationships didn't fare as well as more than a quarter of Canadians (26 percent) noted that their friendships had suffered during this time.

Beyond the home, communities and neighbourhoods played an important role in peoples' lives during the past year as almost three quarters of people in Canada (74 percent) spent more time in their local neighbourhoods.

More than 34,000 people from 34 countries, including Canada, shared their thoughts on mental wellbeing and life at home, reflecting on the impact of the last 12 months and how they feel about the future in the IKEA Life at Home Report.

- Top of the sleep-loving charts: 72% of people in Finland say sleeping is most important for achieving mental wellbeing, much more than Canada's 56% of people who embrace sleep for wellbeing.
- Finding home space for headspace: 16% of people in France, Ireland, and Canada note that where they live doesn't sufficiently meet their wellbeing needs.
- Seeking professional support: 35% of people in Portugal turn to their therapist to talk about their mental health and wellbeing, versus only one in five in Canada (20 percent)
- The world's decluttering hotspot: 38% of people in Australia say having a home that is easy to keep clutter-free has become more important to them, similar to the 37 percent of people in Canada who note "easy-to-clean" as a top feature of an ideal home.

SOURCE: IKEA Canada