• Viewpoints

Hit Habit Forecast is a regular column of the Hit Habit Makers, a group of young planners at Hakuhodo HQ that gamely stood up to say they were going to create hit habits—not hit products—as consumption shifts from purchasing things to purchasing experiences.
Analyzing social media accounts and purchasing data of highly sophisticated users and conducting analysis on popular articles, etc. in a variety of media that have their fingers on the pulse of social trends: this is the bold, new challenge of forecasting hit habits that are about to break.

Hello. I’m Kozue Muto of the Hit Habit Makers.

With more time at home and time to clean, I’m sure more people have been decluttering and making their homes easier to spend time in. So in this edition, I’d like to discuss “floating storage,” which makes effective use of space in the home to create stylish storage space.

First up, do people think they have enough storage space? Looking at the data below, we can see that regardless of the number of rooms they have, about 70% of all respondents are dissatisfied with the amount of space they have, and also that they have various issues.

Source: 12th Questionnaire Report on the Questionnaire on Storage, Haseko Group Branchera Club website

When I looked into storage in magazines and on social media etc., I found many special features on floating storage and social media posts with hashtags such as #stylish storage and #floating detailing how posters increased their storage space and made their space more stylish and easier to use.

So what kinds of floating storage are there?

The first thing that caught my attention was the bathroom and vanity. Used every day, items such as shampoo and conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap and a basin are often kept in the wet area. These were floated by hanging them efficiently on walls using magnets and suction clips that don’t fall off easily or damage the walls, making them easier to use in the place you need them. This also makes them dry quicker. The bottoms of shampoo and conditioner bottles, in particular, get slimy, and it’s a lot of work to keep them clean, right? Avoiding this, I think, is one of the benefits of floating them.

Next is the living room. Wastebaskets were floating beside dining tables. Wastebaskets are usually left on the floor. But by raising them, you don’t have to worry about tripping over them or having to lift them up to clean beneath them! That’s probably an even bigger bonus for homes that use robotic vacuum cleaners. There were also magazines floating like part of the decor using larger clips.

Finally, the bedroom. I found Bluetooth speakers and earphones, fan and air-conditioner remote controls and smartphones floating near beds. There were clever tricks taking advantage of the bed frame for using these while lying down. Also, in the social media posts of people living alone, they had floated stylish retro fittings and steel fixtures. This enabled the storage of jackets, t-shirts and other clothes, and hats and bags.

So why is “floating storage” hot right now?

I think it’s because floating things you use every day makes it easier to find and grab them. Plus, floating things opens up the spaces people have been using until now, making them appear more spacious; increases storage space; makes cleaning easier, and is more hygienic in wet areas such as the bathroom. Various issues with storage were mentioned in the questionnaire—that is was insufficient, dark, damp, hard to put things in/take them out and cramped—but it seems to me that they can all be solved with floating storage.

Another reason may be that time at home has increased. Space-saving storage has been around before now. But now people have the time to think about how to make their surroundings more stylish and actually do it. And, I think, being able to do the tidying up and decorating they wanted but were unable to do until now, they are now looking to make their homes comfortable places to be.

Finally, let’s think about business opportunities in floating storage.

Examples of floating storage business opportunities
■ Collaborations with apparel makers. Produce magnets and clips with stylish designs for storage.
■ Set up floating storage sections at furniture stores and home centers. Hold workshops that meet customer needs.
■ Create floating storage options for apartments and rental properties.
And so on.

I tried placing a rod above the bathtub to hold my basin. I’d always lent it against something. I feel it now dries better, probably preventing lime deposits, so I think floating it is much better in terms of hygiene. Next, I’m going to float my shampoo and conditioner!

Kozue Muto

Member of the Hit Habit Makers
Integrated Planning & Creative Division
Hakuhodo Inc.

Kozue Muto is a huge travel, movie and music buff. These days she mulls a lot about where she wants to go when the Go To Travel campaign to restart domestic travel kicks in. Her interests look set to increase as a result of discovering new aspects of things during life in isolation.