How we use (and abuse) our home in times of lockdown

The result of the survey conducted by Monapart in collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya yields interesting data to understand how we live (or survive) in these unique conditions and how we have hacked our living space, the home.

The «The home in times of lockdown» survey» carried out by Monapart together with the “Habitar” research group” from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya to around 1,000 participants, has yielded revealing data for analysing how we are using our homes in times of lockdown in this «new normal».

Survey sample

A sample of 938 people from across the country was surveyed. The most represented age group in the sample is 35 to 55 years old (59%), compared with 24.7% who are under 35 and 16.3% who are over 55.

50.21 per cent of the population live in owner-occupied accommodation, 46.41 per cent in rented accommodation and 3.41 per cent in shared rented accommodation. 

A 20% has a dog, whereas an 80% does not. 
 

The survey has been carried out by Monapart in conjunction with the «Habitar» Research Group of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, although the conclusions of this report are solely attributable to Monapart.

Housing type

85.7% are households comprising two or more people, and 90.5% are dwellings with two or more bedrooms; however, regardless of the number of members, the average number of rooms barely exceeds three with an average of 2.03 rooms in single-person households; 2.40 in two-person households; 2.97 in three-person households; 3.22 in four-person households; and 2.73 rooms in households with 5 or more members. 

44.51 per cent of homes have access to a balcony or terrace large enough to accommodate at least a table for six people, or have a patio or garden, whilst A 15.2% has no means of access to the outside (not even a balcony), and a 2.70% does not have a view of the sky from any room.
 

The hack from the home due to the lockdown

After almost 45 days living intensely in their home, 53.6% of those surveyed say they feel at home (46% of these live in rented accommodation) compared with 6.9% who state the opposite, regardless of whether or not they have made any alterations to their home.

A 23.2% acknowledges that they would feel more at home if they could make a few changes to the property, but who cannot carry them out now, while A 16,23% has indeed done so.

Uses of the home during lockdown (among % of respondents)

The rooms have expanded their uses. To the question of what different activities they are doing in each room, the results are: “keep-fit / yoga / dancing” in the living room or hallway; “work” in the study, dining room or bedroom; and “playing with the children” in the lounge, terrace, hallway.

A 49.4% has no communal areas in the building; a 21.12% has been banned from using them, but A 21.9% has continued to use the communal areas despite the ban and a 7.5% has opted not to use it, despite it being permitted.

The surveyed sample totals 938 households distributed throughout the national territory.

Featured answers

– “We've removed the plants from the balcony so we can take a chair out into the sun. We also do gymnastics in the living room.”

– “The dining room is NASA mission control for the children's homework, the hallway is the sports zone, and what used to be the multi-purpose room is now a brand new office.”

– “Playmobil in the hallway, dining room as a playroom, bedroom as a study and terrace as a dining room.”

– “The hallway and the corridor are the places where the shopping «rests» before moving into the kitchen. In the corridor is the basket of laundry that is going to be washed at 60 degrees. They are the prelude to the clean areas.”

– “In the kitchen, we've adapted a space for working. What's more, as it has a very nice light, we've hung quite large paper on the walls so we can write and paint. In the balcony we've set up a small hanging vegetable garden and in the living room we've prepared the «invented» elements, to do gym or play dancing.”

– “I practise ballet three days a week in the living room. During these sessions my boyfriend plays chess or does his stretches in the bedroom, so we give each other some breathing space. The balcony, as well as being a meeting place with the neighbours, has become my chosen spot for having video calls (both for work and personal ones).”

Staying at home for a long time has promoted a series of actions that hack the home. Thus, 54.1% has rearranged the furniture to adapt the rooms for multi-purpose use; 52.3% has got rid of items or put them away temporarily; 33.71 per cent of respondents have refurbished their balcony so they can spend more time there, and 26.91 per cent have set up a makeshift workspace. In addition, many people have taken advantage of these days to carry out DIY projects at home, paint part or all of their home, restore furniture or build bespoke furniture.

What have we learned after putting our home through an extreme “load test”?
Four main conclusions:

• A 15.4% believes that the corridors offer more scope than expected. People have done gymnastics, walked and skated there, and it has become a playground for the little ones.
• A 24.8% has found more than one place to set up an office, which has ended up being mainly the dining table or the kitchen, or makeshift arrangements in the bedroom or underused corners of the home.
• A 77% has realised that, despite spending the whole day at home, they have limited their use of the living room to the late hours of the day.
• A 17% now considers that an open-plan kitchen leading into the lounge-diner is not the best idea.

Future actions

Lastly, and in relation to potential future actions, The 57% respondent does not intend to make any substantial changes to their home compared with a 13.3%, which involves making changes to a room, and a 15%, which involves making alterations that may require minor building work.