Auckland homeowners Catherine and Logan Moore thought they had planned ahead when designing their first family home, incorporating multiple storage solutions to accommodate their belongings. However, despite adding customised storage spaces throughout the house, they soon realised they still lacked sufficient room.
According to a report by Stuff, the couple, who have growing children and a passion for motorsports, face unique storage challenges. Logan, a racing car enthusiast and co-owner of a race car, needs space for tyres, engine parts and other equipment, while the family also requires room for children's clothing, toys and strollers.
"We put storage under the stairs, we moved the laundry to the garage, we put an extra cupboard downstairs," says Catherine. "But we still ended up thinking 'we've either got more stuff than we thought or less storage than we thought,'" as qquoted by Stuff.
The home's modern open-plan design, while visually appealing, has contributed to the problem.
“We went for that nice, big open plan space with the big windows flowing out to the deck, but it doesn't leave you with a lot of space to hide the storage," Stuff has quoted.
Even regular decluttering has failed to fully solve the issue.
“I like to be tidy and organised,” Catherine says. “It gives me a bit of stress and anxiety. We have good space, but it’s just being able to organise it all and find the right home for everything. We’re still trying to work out what to do,” as quoted by Stuff.
Experts say the Moore family's experience reflects a broader trend among New Zealand homeowners. According to a recent survey conducted by Mitre 10, storage has become one of the top priorities for home improvement projects, ranking second only to maintenance. Around 41 percent of respondents identified storage as a key concern, Stuff has reported.
Professor Kirsty Ross, head of the School of Psychology at Massey University, believes New Zealand's culture of resourcefulness plays a role in people's reluctance to part with possessions.
"There are obviously financial benefits to retaining things that we might be able to make use of," she says. "There's that practical element, which is also ingrained in our New Zealand identity, about being innovators, fixing things ourselves, DIY, and making use of things that we have around us," as quoted by Stuff.
Ross also points to the emotional attachments people form with their belongings.
"It's that balance between having a workable, liveable space whilst also keeping things around us that are meaningful and important, and that we often have really strong emotional attachments to," as quoted by Stuff.
For many households, garages have become storage hubs rather than parking spaces, often filled with family heirlooms, recreational equipment and items being saved for future use.
"I certainly know lots of people whose garages are full of things that have been passed down," she says, Stuff has quoted.
Ross notes that having extra storage can be beneficial during emotionally difficult periods.
"Storage actually buys you time in times of heightened emotions, which isn't something that we necessarily think about."
She also suggests that economic uncertainty may be influencing people's desire to hold onto possessions, Stuff has quoted.
"Making sure that our homes are ordered and organised and have things in them that bring us joy, that have connections to people and memories of the past, or that we can use and recycle [can make us feel like] this is our little corner of paradise that we can have some control over. And that's a real positive psychological thing," Stuff has quoted.
Mitre 10's findings indicate that homeowners' renovation priorities have shifted in recent years. While kitchens and bathrooms dominated renovation projects in the early 2020s, many New Zealanders are now focusing on improving organisation and storage within their homes. Younger homeowners, in particular, are placing greater importance on storage than aesthetics.
“The past few years have been tough for many, with cost-of-living increases, rising unemployment and now the fuel crisis all making headlines and cutting into budgets,” Mitre 10 chief marketing officer Jules Lloyd-Jones says, as quoted by Stuff.
“There’s a sense that New Zealanders are now focused on day-to-day necessities and creating some order where they are able to.”
The survey also revealed that although 39 percent of respondents felt confident tackling clutter in areas such as wardrobes and garages, about one-third were unsure where to begin.
For those feeling overwhelmed, Lloyd-Jones recommends seeking advice from professional organisers, local DIY stores or online tutorials.
“Channelling your inner Marie Kondo doesn’t mean giving up all the things you love, it means being clear about what brings you joy, and giving yourself an environment that lets you relax and enjoy life,” as quoted by Stuff.
While effective storage solutions can improve organisation, Ross warns that excessive storage can sometimes encourage people to hold onto unnecessary items.
"I've lived in a house where the storage was luxurious. It was amazing," says Ross. "When we moved house into a smaller one, I had four spare duvet inners, on top of the one that was actually on the bed. I didn't need them. But I could keep them [in the old house], so I did, Stuff has quoted.
“Too much storage can overwhelm people. You lose sight of why you're actually keeping things," Stuff has quoted.
The findings highlight a growing shift in homeowner priorities, with practical organisation increasingly taking precedence over cosmetic home improvements as families seek greater control and functionality in their living spaces.
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