IKEA Canada is marking its 50th anniversary in the country with a series of promotional offers and new research examining how Canadians organize their homes.
The retailer says its 2026 Store & Organize Report found Canadians spend an average of 28 minutes a day looking for misplaced items at home, equivalent to about one week a year.
The research also found 30 per cent of Canadians identify the kitchen countertop as the hardest area of the home to keep free of clutter, while 21 per cent have purchased a duplicate item because they could not find the original.
Phone chargers account for about five minutes of daily searching, according to the report, adding up to more than 30 hours a year.
At the same time, the survey suggests Canadians are reluctant to part with many of the things they own. More than eight in 10 respondents, or 83 per cent, said they keep items purely for sentimental reasons, even when they are never used or stored out of sight.
About 27 per cent said they hold on to mementos from past relationships, with men more likely than women to retain something from an ex-partner.
“What we keep says a lot about who we are,” said 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.”
The research is being released as IKEA Canada begins a year-long series of events and offers marking 50 years of operations in Canada.
The retailer’s first anniversary promotion includes 50 per cent off the four-drawer STORKLINTA chest of drawers from Sept. 12 to 13, although quantities are limited and conditions apply.
Other offers include 15 per cent back in IKEA gift cards on wardrobe purchases of more than $250, running from Aug. 27 to Sept. 14, and a $1 breakfast on Sept. 12 and 13. IKEA says proceeds from the breakfast will go to Breakfast Club of Canada, while the offer also includes a $50 coupon toward a future in-store purchase of more than $199.
The offers are available exclusively to IKEA Family members, with membership free through IKEA stores or IKEA.ca.
The company says its Store & Organize product range is intended to help customers make use of existing space through storage products for areas including kitchens, closets and drawers.
The IKEA Store & Organize Report 2026: Finding Meaning in the Mess is based on a global survey conducted by YouGov in April 2026 involving 31,488 participants across 31 markets, including Canada. The findings cited by IKEA are based on the Canadian sample.
IKEA Canada is part of Ingka Group, which operates 574 IKEA stores in 31 countries. In Canada, the company operates 15 stores and 13 plan and order points.
IKEA Canada says its stores attracted 33.3 million visitors last year, while its website recorded 199.9 million visitors.
The company says the anniversary offers and research are the beginning of further initiatives planned throughout the coming year as IKEA marks 50 years in Canada.
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