Home Trends that Intersect with Cleaning

I want to thank and give credit to my friend Mary Ann Alig for inspiring this article. Mary Ann is a local realtor with Fox Roach. She writes a monthly real estate newsletter that is very helpful to me for many reasons.

First off, I'm a cleaning service owner and I clean for realtors. I need to know what realtors are thinking and seeing in the business landscape. This keeps me current and effective as a partner to the real estate and home staging professional. Secondly, I'm a prospective home buyer. Mary Ann shared her article, "What's Out and What's In for 2021 in Home Decor" to my local Believer's in Business networking group meeting a few weeks ago. I was so interested that I asked some follow-up questions. This article shares Mary Ann's 6 trends, plus 2 more that I had to share with you!

1. Barn Doors are Gettin' Put Out to Pasture - It looks like farmhouse chic has seen its peak. Barn doors will be replaced by pocket doors or classic French doors in 2021.
2. All White Interiors have Gone to the Dark Side - Sure, all-white kitchens have a clean, airy feel, but designers are looking to pump new life into the heart of the home with dark cabinetry and bold brass fixtures.
3. Shiplap is Sunk - The sun is setting on shiplap. This once-popular paneling trend is on the way out. While textured walls are still popular, stone and metallics are on-trend for the new year.
4. Matching Furniture Gets Kicked to the Curb - Just go for it!!!!
5. Accent Walls Lose their Luster - The accent wall’s moment in the spotlight is over. If you want to create a focal point, do it with linen or cloth wallpaper, which aligns with the textured wall trend.
6. Rose Gold's Forecast is Less than Rosy - The “pretty in pink” decor trend is done. Rose gold will take a backseat to brass in 2021.
7. Open Concept is Going Out - It's getting harder and harder to hide the dirt and clutter.
8. Multigenerational Homes are Not Going Away - The aging population, fear of nursing homes due to Covid-19, and boomerang adult children are causing many homebuyers to desire the space to accommodate the child-parent-grandparent living scenario. In fact, I found an article from Fast Company from 2019 stating that "But for complex reasons that still puzzle researchers, multigenerational households are now on the rise once more. As many as 41% of Americans buying a home are considering accommodating an elderly parent or an adult child, according to a survey conducted by John Burns Real Estate Consulting. Living with your parents (or your adult children) has plenty of potential benefits–everyone tends to save money, it can potentially benefit health outcomes, and you get to spend more time together."

How Does this Intersect with Cleaning?

I'm glad you asked! The obvious answer is that everything part of a home needs maintenance. Cleaning is maintenance. In my 16 years of cleaning houses, I have seen many of the trends that Mary Ann mentions, plus many others from prior decades. Some trends look appealing but are a monster to keep clean like white kitchen cabinets. Other trends are not safe for the occupants long-term like carpeted bathrooms. Mold and other fungus LOVE warm moist environments. What about open concept design? Mary Ann states that this trend is on its way out due to difficulty keeping the open area dirt & clutter-free. This isn't just an aesthetic thing. It's emotional and adds anxiety to homeowners.

The last trend is the most interesting to me. There is a 41% rise in multigenerational housing. I have definitely felt this over the past 16 years. More and more of the clients I meet have larger homes with suites or apartments built for their aging parents and kids' bedrooms with decor switched from their teenage years to their adult lives. If you're reading this and you're in business for yourself, it behooves you to recognize this last trend the most. You may want to evaluate your own business and see if there is anything you can do to serve this growing movement of multigenerational housing. Get ahead of the curve and niche to serve this group. I am speaking directly to the contracting world here as well, including my fellow cleaning professionals. How are you changing with the changing trends. I've always taught other cleaning owners how important it is to establish and build trust with your clients. I personally believe trust-building will become more important in this decade. Think about it. You've got a homeowner with their kids and parents in the same home. That's a lot of pressure on that homeowner. They need to know they can trust the company caring for all 3 generations of their family. 

I'm a huge proponent of change and making a habit of embracing it. Mary Ann told the group that "trends tend to change every 10 years". In my opinion, 2020 was a false start to the new decade as Covid-19 kept everyone on their toes. Therefore, I believe we are in the new decade of the Roaring 20's!