New IKEA research finds Canadians spend a full week each year searching for misplaced items, as IKEA launches its first 50th anniversary offers

BURLINGTON, ON, Sept. 9, 2026 /CNW/ -- IKEA Canada is kicking off its 50th anniversary year with a new look at how Canadians live at home – and how better organization could give us back some valuable time.

New findings from the IKEA Store & Organize Report 2026: Finding Meaning in the Mess reveal Canadians spend approximately 28 minutes a day looking for misplaced items at home – adding up to a full week every year.

Nearly a third (30%) say the kitchen countertop is the hardest spot in the home to keep clutter-free, while one in five (21%) have bought a duplicate of something simply because they couldn't find the original. Even the search for a phone charger takes approximately five minutes a day – more than 30 hours over the course of a year.

But while Canadians may spend plenty of time looking for their things, that doesn't mean we're ready to let them go. More than eight in ten (83%) keep items purely for sentimental reasons, even when they're never used or are tucked away out of sight. More than a quarter (27%) admit to holding onto mementos from past relationships, with men more likely than women to keep a little something from an ex.

"What we keep says a lot about who we are," says Meghan Willisko, Head of Home Furnishing & Retail Design at IKEA Canada. "It was never just stuff. At IKEA, we believe everyone deserves a home that works for them, and that a little organization can go a long way toward making room for what actually matters. That's what smart, affordable storage solutions are for."

Making more room for everyday life

As IKEA marks 50 years of helping Canadians create a better everyday life at home, the findings reinforce a simple idea: when everything has a place, less time is spent looking for it.

To help Canadians put that idea into practice – and kick off a year of 50th anniversary celebrations – IKEA Canada is rolling out its first 50th-anniversary offer alongside a season of storage deals designed to help Canadians organize their homes without stretching their budgets:

• 50% off the 4-drawer STORKLINTA chest of drawers, September 12–13 – quantities limited & conditions apply; the first of many 50th anniversary offers to come throughout the year.
• 15% back in IKEA gift cards on wardrobe purchases over $250, from August 27 through September 14.
• $1 breakfast, September 12–13 – with every dollar going to Breakfast Club of Canada; including a $50 coupon toward a future purchase in-store over $199.

All offers are available exclusively to IKEA Family members, which is free to join in-store or at IKEA.ca, while quantities last. Conditions apply; visit IKEA.ca/offers for full details.

Whether it's a kitchen counter that collects everything, a closet that could work a little harder or a drawer best opened with caution, IKEA's Store & Organize range is designed to help Canadians make better use of the space they have — without stretching their budgets.

The offers and report mark the beginning of a year-long celebration of 50 years of IKEA in Canada, with more ways for Canadians to take part still to come.

About the IKEA Store & Organize Report 2026

IKEA Store & Organize Report 2026: Finding Meaning in the Mess is based on a global survey conducted by YouGov in April 2026, covering 31,488 participants across 31 markets, including Canada. Findings referenced in this release are drawn from the Canadian sample. The full global report is available at ingka.com/reports.

Explore the top 10 Canadian insights from the report here: IKEA.ca/Store&OrganizeTrends

ABOUT IKEA CANADA

Founded in 1943 in Sweden, IKEA is a leading home furnishing retailer, offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them. IKEA Canada is part of Ingka Group, which operates 574 IKEA stores in 31 countries, including 15 stores and 13 Plan and order points in Canada. Last year, IKEA Canada welcomed 33.3 million visitors to its stores and 199.9 million visitors to IKEA.ca. IKEA Canada operates through the IKEA vision — to create a better everyday life for the many people — and does so through its local community efforts and sustainability initiatives. For more information, visit IKEA.ca.

SOURCE IKEA Canada Limited Partnership