Americans Leave Behind or Discard 42% of Their Belongings When Moving Out for the First Time, Talker Research Finds
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NEW YORK - Washingtoner -- When Americans move out of home for the first time, they leave nearly half their lives behind. A new study of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by Talker Research, commissioned by CubeSmart Self Storage, finds that the average person either leaves behind or discards 42% of their belongings when they first move away — taking just 58% of their possessions.

The research, carried out between January 29 and February 5, 2026, identifies the first move away from home as a defining behavioral moment — a point at which young adults are forced to make rapid, consequential decisions about what they own, what matters, and what to do with the rest.

The Scale of the Sorting Moment

The average American first leaves home at age 23. Despite this milestone, the emotional and physical ties to a childhood home are rarely fully severed. The study finds:

• 92% have left at least one belonging behind with their parents when they moved out
• On average, respondents leave nine boxes or large items at their parents' home after moving
• 27% say they have no plans to ever collect their left-behind belongings
• 44% have plans to retrieve their things — but aren't sure when they'll get around to it
• Only 30% plan to clear out their belongings from their parents' home within the next year

Why Belongings Get Left Behind

Storage constraints — at the new residence and in the vehicle used for the move — are the primary practical driver. But emotional and logistical factors play an equally significant role. Among those who left belongings behind:

• 41% left items for safekeeping
• 25% kept items at home in case they'd be needed later
• 25% wanted to keep a foothold in case they returned home
• 24% left items because their parents insisted
• 23% had simply forgotten those belongings existed

Meanwhile, practical constraints drove many of the discard decisions: 31% said their new residence didn't have space for all their belongings, and 20% were limited by how much they could fit in the vehicle used for the move. Thirty-eight percent said they adopted a strict essentials-only packing approach, and 30% chose to donate or discard items they no longer needed.

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The Parent Perspective

Two in three (67%) respondents in the study identified as parents themselves, offering a second layer of insight into the phenomenon. Among parents whose children no longer live at home:

• 38% say their child still keeps some of their belongings at home with them
• 58% of those parents say they don't mind holding onto the belongings, noting they have the space
• 44% believe their child will eventually come back to collect their things
• 30% actually welcome having their children's belongings at home — it gives their kids a reason to visit

The cross-generational angle extends further: 51% of parents with adult children who've left home have since moved house themselves — and 83% of those parents took their child's left-behind belongings with them to the new property.

While 74% of parents report they don't mind storing their children's things, 21% say they've had to push back and ask their adult children to come home and collect their belongings. (https://www.cubesmart.com/blog/post/trends-in-f...)

"Our survey found that the first move away from where you grew up is a big deal. In between all the feelings of excitement and newness, it also might be the first time young adults are going through their things and making a tough decision on what comes with and what stays behind."
— Annette Dunleavy, SVP of Marketing, CubeSmart Self Storage

ABOUT THE RESEARCH
This research was conducted by Talker Research, a specialist market research company whose team members hold membership of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR). Talker Research is also part of AAPOR's Transparency Initiative, which is designed to promote methodological disclosure. The survey used a random double-opt-in methodology to ensure data integrity and respondent quality.

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METHODOLOGY
Survey Name: TLK23501084 – Home is Where the Stuff Is / Storage Purge
Sample: 2,000 U.S. adults who have moved away from home
Fieldwork: January 29 – February 5, 2026
Method: Online, random double-opt-in panel survey
Commissioned by: CubeSmart Self Storage
Conducted by: Talker Research  |  talkerresearch.com
Full data: https://www.cubesmart.com/blog/post/trends-in-first-time-moving-and-residential-storage
Methodology: talkerresearch.com/methodology

ABOUT CUBESMART SELF STORAGE
CubeSmart is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust. CubeSmart owns or manages 1,516 self-storage properties across the United States. According to the 2026 Self Storage Almanac, CubeSmart is one of the top three owners and operators of self-storage properties in the U.S.

The Company's mission is to simplify the organizational and logistical challenges created by the many life events and business needs of its customers – through innovative solutions, unparalleled service, and genuine care. The Company's self-storage properties are designed to offer affordable, easily accessible, and, in most locations, climate-controlled storage space for residential and commercial customers.
Learn more: cubesmart.com

ABOUT TALKER RESEARCH
Talker Research is a specialist market research company conducting nationally representative online surveys across the U.S. and internationally. Its team members hold membership of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR). Talker Research is part of the Talker family of companies — the communications and research group behind the Authority Layer™ by Talker, a proprietary citation architecture designed to generate durable AI search visibility for brands.
Learn more: talkerresearch.com