Researchers have found the top 50 signs you are middle aged

Ditching flat-pack furniture, being happy to spend money on carpets, and booking more holidays are among the signs someone is middle aged, according to a study.

Those closer to reaching their mid-life will be happier spending time scouring garden and home stores for fun, are likely to care more about matching cushions, and want to invest in quality cutlery and crockery.

While others will spend longer planning major renovations than ever before.

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The study of 2,000 adults conducted by Robert Welch found for 52 per cent of those polled, being middle aged simply means someone is more likely to know what they want out of life.

Just over four in 10 adults say they have become more and more concerned about the upkeep of their property and its contents as they have got older.

While knowing the names of different crockery ranges is also a sign that someone is reaching the mid-forty mark.

A spokesperson at Robert Welch, a kitchen, dining and homeware designers, which commissioned the research, said: “Being middle aged is an era to celebrate and for many it is simply a time in our lives when we finally know who we are, and what we want out of life.

“This age group is an exciting one – people start to take a more sensible approach to life, whether that’s with their own health and fitness, looking after their home, or those around them.”

So, at what age does middle age start

Researchers also discovered middle age is now 47.

Many of those polled believe reaching middle aged means you take a vested interest in looking good – from joining a gym, to spending money on good food also feature on the list.

While knowing a little more about politics, taking a vested interest in plant names and refusing to eat without a matching knife and fork are also key signs of middle age.

Having a fridge packed with healthy vegetables, shopping in the butchers and green grocers and taking up crossfit or cycling are all commonly associated with someone who is more mature.

Understanding which wines accompany which foods and going back to school to prove you’re never too old to learn also feature on the top 50 list.

The spokesperson for Robert Welch, which carried out the study via OnePoll.com, added: “The survey results indicate that those who are middle aged are making intelligent choices, and spending their money wisely.

“It seems that middle age today is all about investment – investing time in things we really like to do, investing in nice things for the house, and investing in ways to enrich our lives.”

Top 50 signs you’re middle aged

You start to notice people at work aren’t ‘your age’, and could potentially be your children

You suffer fools less than you did previously

You start checking your face and body for grey hairs and wrinkles

You visit the opticians after realising you perhaps do need glasses after all

You realise you’re older than most of the authors, actors and musicians you like

You start considering a cruise holiday

Being happy to spend big money on things you know will last, like a garden fence or new flooring in your home

You accept you’re now a dress size bigger and there is nothing you can do about it

You love scouring the home and garden stores

You feel you know more about politics than ever before

You know exactly what you like to listen to on the radio, and won’t tolerate ‘new bands’

You book more holidays a year than ever before after realising life is too short

You’d rather spend money on home décor than anything else

Joining a gym to fight middle-aged spread

Spending money on changing the carpets becomes more important than spending money on clothes

At work you care less about speaking your mind and exerting your authority

When you leave the house you are super prepared for every eventuality

You take a vested interest in plants names and growing your own vegetables

You spend more on good food than opting for cheaper own-brands

You store all your energy for a big night out on the weekend, because you can’t handle it in the week

Being conflicted about whether to try and dress to match modern trends, or in what just feels comfortable

You ask for homewares for your birthday / Christmas

Accepting that the ‘speed awareness course’ is better than three points on your license

You know exactly what takeaways / dinner you like, and order the same every time

You convince yourself the finer things in life are worth the investment

You start planning major renovations to the home

Your fridge is packed with good healthy vegetables

You suddenly change your hair colour / get a new cut to create a ‘new you’

You know what wine accompanies which foods

You try to get on with your children’s friends and ‘be cool’ in front of them

You are obsessed with matching soft furnishings such as cushions

You start getting hangovers all over again

You invest in better quality pots and pans to upgrade your cooking experience

You invest in a new motor – sports car or some impressive motor home

You’d only go to a festival if you were ‘glamping’

You take up cycling / crossfit in a bid to get fit all over again

You suddenly start shopping in the butchers and green grocers

You start getting advice on what to wear from younger colleagues

You start investing in Botox or eyelash extensions to detract attention from the lines on your face

You decide to go back to school / train in something new to prove you’re not too old to ‘learn’

You know the names of different crockery ranges

You suddenly start hosting loads of dinner parties

You revisit your old haunts such as nightclubs and late night bars

You start drinking smoothies and cutting out bread, pizza and cakes

You start living your life on Facebook, documenting every event

You decide it’s time to get rid of all your IKEA furniture

You won’t eat with a knife and fork set that don’t match

You buy expensive cutlery or dinnerware in a bid to one-up your peers

You enter a sportive / race / event you would have entered some 20 years ago, to show you still can

Making more of an effort to go out clubbing before you properly get ‘too old’