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As Seen on TV: Survey Reveals Americans Really Do Store Sweaters in the Oven

Megan Johnson
Megan Johnson
Megan Johnson is a reporter in Boston. She got her start at the Boston Herald, where commenters would leave sweet messages like “Megan Johnson is just awful.” Now, she's a contributor to publications like People Magazine, Trulia and Architectural Digest.
published Jun 21, 2018
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It turns out Carrie Bradshaw’s not the only one who stores sweaters in her oven.

MakeSpace, a storage solution that combines technology with trained moving professionals, conducted a survey on the State of Stuff in America and found that there are real people out there turning kitchens into closets.

Here’s How Many People Are Storing Clothes in the Kitchen:

While you may have considered it an urban legend up there with “alligators in the sewers,” this method of dealing with abysmal apartment storage is very real. According to the survey, 15.4% of people said they use the inside of kitchen appliances like stoves and microwaves for storage.

But that’s not the only spot in the kitchen that helps closet overflow: Roughly 20% of survey respondents admitted to using the space under their kitchen or dining room table for storage.

Finding these stats highly relatable? You might want to read our tips for How To Safely Store Stuff in Appliances.

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Where Else in the House Do Closets Overflow?

The MakeSpace survey found the most common spot for stashing extra clothes was under the bed: 59% of people surveyed use the space there for storage. That’s hardly a shock given how many under-bed clothes organizers there are on the market. It’s a big, hidden space that’s close to the closet (and easy to get to when you’re getting ready).

Other spots around the house that are popular include the garage, which almost one-third of people (27%) are using for overflow storage instead of a place to park their car. Then there’s the 15% of people who admit to using their car trunk for extra storage. (Smart!)

While not all people have the luxury of an additional sleeping space, 63.4% of those surveyed said that they use a spare bedroom for extra storage.

The need to use every available inch as storage could be a sign of more than just shrinking apartments: In 1930, the average woman only had 36 pieces of clothes in her closet. Today, the average consumer has 120.

The survey was conducted online with Ask Your Target Market (AYTM) across 1,000 men and women in the United States between April 19, 2018 and April 20, 2018.

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