Clas Ohlson pays tribute to the Swedes’ list of home improvement projects with the world’s largest to-do list
The world’s largest to-do list is in Sweden. The items on the list represent the whole of Sweden's summer home improvement tasks, i.e. the things that we would like to get done during the summer. A survey conducted by Kantar Sifo on behalf of Clas Ohlson shows that renovating the patio is top of the Swedes' to-do list. Making a list increases the likelihood of getting things done, says Anna Bennich, a qualified psychologist, author and lecturer in stress and stress management among other subjects.
Currently, the world’s largest to-do list can be viewed in Sweden. The list, measuring over 60 m2, is hanging on a building facade at Odenplan in Stockholm. It shows what the Swedish people stated that they want to get done during their summer holidays. The survey, which is carried out by Kantar Sifo, shows that summer is not only a time for vacation, but also a time that a lot of people use to get their home improvements done. A total of 68 percent of people stated that they usually spend part of their vacation doing home improvements
“Holidays are a perfect time to renovate at home and it is no surprise that renovating the patio is on top of the list, it is there you want to spend your time on a nice summer day. We know from experience that a lot of people do not really know what they need and where to start, which can be a barrier to getting started. Bring your to-do list to one of our stores and we will help you find everything you need to check off your list and make your dream come true. With small, simple methods you can create wonders, and we are more than happy to help,” says Sofie Struwe, Commercial Manager at Clas Ohlson Sweden.
Why are lists so good?
The survey shows that two out of five Swedes use to-do lists, which is in line with Anna Bennich's perception of how inclined we are to put down our must do tasks on a list.
“During my lectures I have asked several hundred people about the different ways they handle their stress, and in line with the survey, almost half responded that they use to-do lists. The list fulfils a function in our rapidly changing world. Today, we handle more and more things in less time and we need to find ways to have control over them. We live in an "efficiency-romantic" time, which is both good and bad, and then strategies are needed to mentally let go of all the to-dos before the next list. Having the things written down is one such strategy. It is also satisfying to be able to tick things off, it makes it clear that we actually get things done and that in turn feels rewarding. It also usually increases the motivation to continue to tick them off, says Anna Bennich, a qualified psychologist, author and lecturer in stress and stress management.
The risk with the lists is when they are constantly added to from below with more to-do tasks, more must do tasks become endless. Then it is important to also put recovery activities on the list. If you have paid the bills, cleaned the patio, done the weeding and driven to the recycling centre, the next task may be to relax in the hammock for a while, read a book, lounging around or just say no to something. Recovery activities have an equally important place on the to-do list as the other tasks, if we want to stay healthy and feel good over time”, says Anna.
The most common to-do job in Sweden is to renovate the patio
The survey shows that the most common home improvement job for Swedes this summer is to renovate the patio. A total of 34 percent of Swedes have stated that they will build or repair their patio, deck or balcony this summer. The second most common improvement item is sprucing up the garden, which every third Swede is planning to do this summer. This could be, for example, weeding the flower beds, pruning the trees and mowing the lawn. Painting comes in third place, which every fifth Swede will devote the summer to.
Here is the entire list
1. Renovate the patio
2. Spruce up the garden
3. Repaint
4. Lay a new floor
5. Replace the roof
6. Refurbish rooms
7. Replace windows/doors
8. Clear the storage area
9. Renovate the bathroom
10. Revamp the laundry room
11. Refurbish the kitchen
12. Check the electrics
13. Repair the fence
14. Overhaul of the storage area
15. Put up new wallpaper
For more information and high resolution photos, please contact:
Johan Mårsell, PR & Communications, Clas Ohlson Sweden
+46 72 143 94 90, johan.marsell@clasohlson.se
Clas Ohlson was founded in 1918 as a mail order business in Insjön, Sweden. Today we are a retail company with customers in five markets, approximately 5,000 co-workers and annual sales of approximately 8.8 billion SEK. Our share is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. A lot has happened since the start in 1918, but one thing has remained the same over the years; that we want to help and inspire people to improve their everyday lives by offering smart, simple, practical solutions at attractive prices. Visit about.clasohlson.com/en to read about us and our passion for simplifying life in all kinds of homes.
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