With seven in 10 Americans feeling stressed by home improvements, getting organized is the key to less worry
As spring weather sets in, homeowners and renters alike set out to tackle home improvement projects in and around the house. Though they have a new-found spring in their step, many feel uncertainty about how and where to begin the sprucing up process, leading to feelings of stress and worry. In fact, a new Liberty Mutual Insurance survey of 2,100 Americans found that more than seven in 10 people feel stressed during home improvement projects. To help combat worries at home, as well as on the road, Liberty Mutual has partnered with expert organizer and designer Erin Condren, who will be designing actionable LifePlanner™ activity sheets that provide year-round support for some of the toughest challenges home and auto owners face.
The activity sheets will be rolling out throughout the year and aim to provide inspiration to help jump-start each new phase at home and on the road. Whether preparing for spring home renovations, summer travel, back-to-school or holidays, we all lead busy lives year-round, which can inevitably lead to stress.
“When we have a big project up ahead of us, getting started can feel daunting,” said Erin Condren. “My LifePlanners show people that they can conquer any task, big or small, with a little bit of inspiration. I love that Liberty Mutual is all about helping their customers worry less, and having a checklist like the ones we’re creating together is not only practical, but can turn feelings of worry into positivity. Focus on all the things you can do rather than on unspecified tasks that feel like they may never get done.”
Another helpful resource is Liberty Mutual’s new platform MasterThis™, which offers exclusive content from HowStuffWorks, including great learning materials and advice on everything including “Tackle Home Repair” and “Buying a Car with Confidence.” Videos, infographics, articles, listicles and interactive quizzes are organized by “MasterKit”, with each Kit helping home and auto owners address immediate needs so they can tackle those challenges with greater confidence. Erin, who just completed a large home renovation herself, understands first-hand the uncertainty that a major project can bring. Resources like MasterThis help readers prepare and answer any initial questions they may have about their project, and the activity sheets from Erin and Liberty Mutual can also help with planning and execution.
“At Liberty Mutual, we see our customers through some of the biggest times of their lives whether buying a house or a car, starting a family and more. While it’s exciting, it’s also a time where they have a lot on their plate, and they’re looking for practical solutions to help ease the stress,” said Emily Fink, chief marketing officer, U.S. Consumer Markets, at Liberty Mutual Insurance. “Having resources like MasterThis and our new partnership with Erin help provide our customers greater value and advice to tackle challenges they may face at home or on the road, ultimately helping them lead a life with less worry.”
Spring into Gear with These Tips from Erin
- Think Outside-In, Top-Down: The hardest part is getting started! If you’re not sure where your starting point is, Erin suggests looking to the exterior of your home. According to Liberty Mutual’s study, one in three projects Americans are taking on this year involves upgrading the outside of their homes. If you’re feeling good about the outside, but have no idea where to start inside, go for a top-down approach! Basically, start with the attic and basement, which are often the messiest parts of the home. Sort through those antiques and valuables to make sure everything is accounted for and to protect them from potential damage.
- “Techorate” to Add Value: Add some tech to your home décor! The same study from Liberty Mutual found that only one in four Americans have smart home technology, often because of the perceived high cost of these devices. The good news is that Liberty Mutual now offers a Smart Home Discount which can lead to additional savings on home insurance. Don’t forget to add smart home products like connected security cameras, locks or leak sensors to your basket, so you can make your house more secure helping you to worry less. Never be afraid to invest in your future.
- Look Back at All You’ve Done: The best part of completing a project is recognizing how far you’ve come! If you stay organized throughout your home improvement, it’s easy to see how much progress you’ve made. Don’t forget to keep track of any new high-ticket items you may have purchased (take a picture or note the price and purchase date in your LifePlanner.) If you’ve really upgraded, make sure to check in with your insurance company to adjust your level of protection as needed. It may not seem glam, but it always helps to plan!
For more advice and tips on everything from moving to home maintenance, car buying and more, visit Liberty Mutual Insurance’s new go-to resource, MasterThis.
About the Report
Liberty Mutual Insurance commissioned Qualtrics to conduct a quantitative survey in March 2017 to measure worries at home and on the road, and the impact on the lives of adults across the United States. The report included a survey among a nationally representative sample of 2,100 American adults 18 years of age and older. Overall, the findings from the report can be interpreted at a 95 percent confidence interval with an error margin of +/- 3 percent.
About Liberty Mutual Insurance
Liberty Mutual Insurance helps people preserve and protect what they earn, build, own and cherish. Keeping this promise means we are there when our policyholders throughout the world need us most.
In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, Mass., today Liberty Mutual is a diversified insurer with operations in 30 countries and economies around the world. We are the fifth largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2015 direct written premium data as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. We also rank 73rd on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2015 revenue. Liberty employs over 50,000 people in more than 800 offices throughout the world.
The fifth largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance. We are an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 15,000 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.
About Erin Condren
After finding herself a stay-at-home mom to twins, balancing cabin fever and a fluctuating sleep schedule, Erin Condren began designing and printing custom note cards from her home office to give as gifts for family and friends. With the launch of an official website in 2005, www.erincondren.com, her products spread like wildfire, brokering partnerships and collections with Staples, Target, Shutterfly, and TinyPrints and has doubled annual sales year after year through 2015. With features on “The Today Show,” “Ellen,” “E! News” and countless magazines and celebrity endorsements, Erin Condren’s personalized paper business aims to make every day stylized, organized and personalized. Our other tagline is: more than schedule each day, celebrate each day.
Media Contact:
Glenn Greenberg
617-574-5874
Glenn.Greenberg@libertymutual.com
Carolyn Evert
617-585-5790
cevert@360pr.com
