A millennial woman took to social media to reveal the messy home of her baby boomer mother and how it led her to minimalism.
Shonda Hopkins (@unselicitedhop) shared how her mom's cluttered space pushed her over the edge. “Baby Boomers wonder why their millennial kids are minimalists…” she wrote in the video.
“My mom's house is seriously scary! This is just a taster! Why does she need so much stuff! No space inside or outside…calling all the hoarders,” Hopkins wrote in the caption of the Instagram Reel, which has garnered 186,799 likes and 10.8 million views.
The video begins with her mom's bathroom, which is filled with bright yellow towels and silver wall hangings, before the next clip cuts to the dining room, where a sparkling silver table is adorned with navy blue dinnerware and gold baubles, with an ornate chandelier hanging above for an extravagant look.
Hopkins then walked viewers through a living room furnished with glass vases, a wall mirror, a sofa and several chairs.
This generational divide in home decor reflects a broader trend: According to Refloor's interior design trends blog, baby boomers tend to favor traditional, maximalist designs filled with sentimental items, while millennials are leaning toward minimalism, influenced by environmental consciousness and a penchant for clean, open spaces.
According to home and gardening publication Nature of Home, outdated home trends from the baby boomer generation include matching furniture sets, overly decorated décor, wallpaper and carpeted bathrooms.
Stock image of a maximalist living room. Daughter shows off her baby boomer mother's packed house. Stock image of a maximalist living room. Daughter shows off her baby boomer mother's packed house. egorr/iStock / Getty Images Plus
Viewers empathized with Hopkins' frustration and shared their own experiences growing up with baby boomer parents in their homes.
“When you turn 35, the hospital wants to give you something every time you visit. We don't want that. We love you and we don't need these bunny figurines to remind us that we love you. But after a few years of resisting, now we're grateful for everything we get and we donate or throw it away,” Stacey Cox said.
“Well, this is still boomer decor at its finest,” commented another.
“And they get angry when a toddler gets close to something,” Joe Matson added.
“I'm so relieved to see the towels have the towelmark on them. Must be awful to use them as toilet paper. Whew,” one viewer added.
“I've never understood why my mother set the dining room table when we haven't eaten from that plate or sat at that table since 2300 BC,” another viewer commented.
Newsweek reached out to Shonda Hopkins for comment via Instagram, but was unable to confirm the details of the incident.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, seeking common ground and finding connections.