Remember when the Jetsons or 2001: A Space Odyssey seemed like a far-off and mind-blowingly amazing future? In some ways – like flying cars – we’re still a ways off but a whole range of others, like smart home technology and eco-friendly homes to video calling, we’re right in the middle of it.
Here, according to a recent exhibit at the Design Museum in London, are a few future living trends that will be part of our lives in 2020:
Living with others: With the cost of real estate and renting so high in big cities like London, Tokyo, New York and Toronto, many are opting to pool their resources and buy or rent larger homes than they might otherwise be able to do alone. Some banks are even customizing mortgages to adapt to this new reality. Others are opting for co-living, smaller apartments similar to student residences, where renters share common spaces like gyms, work lounges with free Wi-Fi, utilities and housekeeping.
Living with less: While co-living also falls under this category, this also includes trends like Marie-Kondoizing your home and living with less clutter as well as reusing and sharing items. For instance, Turo is a car-sharing company that allows private car owners to rent their vehicles to others when they’re not using them and make money in the process.
Living smart: Many of us are already familiar with smart home technology like smart thermostats that save energy and money and smart doorbells allow you to monitor who’s at your door 24/7. Megaretailers like Amazon and Walmart are also experimenting with services like auto-delivery where groceries are delivered right to your fridge and freezer or technology that sends out alerts to restock your milk or ice cream when it’s running low.
To see more 2020 living trends, click here.
What 2020 living trends are you most excited – or worried – about? Share your two cents in the Shop Talk blog community forum. Let’s talk!
Did you know? Living on the move
Some “digital nomads” are ditching a permanent home altogether and opting to travel full-time and work from wherever they are. Others are retiring on a cruise ship, which can cost less than living in an assisted living facility. (Source)