Gen Z Is Using These Kitchen Appliances For Storage And Boomers Are Confused
Earlier this year a survey of 1,000 Australians between the ages of 18 and 29 uncovered that 69% of Gen Z respondents use their ovens and dishwashers for storage (via Westinghouse). Some older people are reacting to the results of the survey with a sort of self-righteous confusion.
Boomers have been commented on the results on Facebook. On one post, they are responding to the subject with plenty of emojis, "What is it with Gen Z," and "NO." Another post has helpful insights such as "Add [sic] they wonder why they can't afford a house," "Wow that's stupid," and "show [sic] how thick this generation is, [sic]." This is from the group that most likely is using the bottom drawer of their oven wrong.
Other articles from older writers, such as this piece from news.com.au, blame themselves for their parenting. In response to the survey, which included that 39% of respondents take their laundry home to their parents, the writer decries, "And who are their parents, enabling this developmentally stunted failure to launch?!"
Why is Gen Z using their ovens and dishwashers as storage?
Using ovens and dishwashers for storage didn't come out of nowhere. While this survey is from Australia, dishwashers are the least used kitchen appliance in the United States. Between 2007 and 2024, Americans worked around 10% more hours, leaving less time at home. It makes sense that time for housework, much less teaching housework, would decrease. Now that Gen Z is in the workplace, this increase in working hours plus the normalization of the gig economy and side-hustle jobs leaves little time to cook.
On top of this, as housing prices increase and 56% of Gen Z live paycheck to paycheck (via Deloitte) and 42% report they are barely getting by (via CNBC), people generally live in smaller homes. With smaller homes, it makes sense they'd have fewer dishes, making washing by hand the more reasonable choice. The spaces they move into often have a dishwasher and oven preinstalled, so there's simple efficiency in using them for storage. As one understanding "Boomer" put it on Facebook, "Yes, I live in an apartment where space is at a premium, that's where my aprons live."