While a lot of stuff and insufficient space is the perfect recipe for a cluttered disaster, sometimes a sufficient amount of space without proper organizational skills can be equally disastrous. The Living Room is easily the busiest in the house, so it is not surprising to find that it may need occasional decluttering intervention. Since this is a versatile space, it is crucial to consider workability, traffic, and aesthetics. So, living room storage is essential.
Living Rooms have evolved from just relaxation spaces to multiple functions such as playrooms, gaming centers, etc., so it is advisable to adopt multifunctional furniture to tie the room together. A great example is an ottoman- it can serve as a seating, storage, and relaxation stool all in one. You can also maximize wall space with floating shelves for books, decorative pieces, etc.
The secret to a decluttered Living Room is to make it clean, well-arranged, and inviting. Regardless of the numerous purposes the space currently serves, we have curated some basic, creative, and practical ideas to maximize space and minimize messes.
1. Employ Built-in Furniture
Built-ins are hands-down one of the best ways to maximize living room storage. It helps you to make the most of the free space, particularly with small living rooms. Fill the alcoves with shelves of different sizes and functionalities. For example, higher shelves can house books and decorations, and a lower and widely shaped shelf can serve as a table for a home office. Be sure to arrange the items neatly to prevent a cluttered look.
Building multiple-duty furniture, like tables with drawers or shelf spaces underneath, can help to eliminate clutter.
Aside from built-in shelves and tables, you can also have benches with your sofa – adding storage spaces below and beside it. You can paint the storage area with the same color scheme as the Living Room to blend in or use contrasting colors for an accent.
2. Paint the shelf spaces to create an accent.
Contrary to popular belief, shelves can be an exciting addition to your living room if you know how to spruce them up. Take your shelving situation to the next level by splashing the interior with color. Add elegance to your Living Room decor with this seemingly simple idea. Contrasting the color of the shelf interior with the decorative piece placed in it is also a great idea. Ensure to place ornaments of different sizes across the shelves to create movement. Arranging large items with smaller ones makes the design flow better.
3. Include poles for hanging decor.
Thinking outside the box is a necessary ingredient in decluttering your Living Room. While shelves are a brilliant space-conserving design, including a well-painted metal pole to hang your flowers and display decorative items can also be incredibly helpful. You can suspend your plants or baskets with books or other things with S-hooks.
4. Use Bespoke Designs for Media Storage
A multifunctional storage space containing the TV, sound systems, and other items is perfect for decluttering your Living Room Space. Making a floor-to-ceiling entertainment unit will maximize spacing effectively. The television can be centralized with books and other decorative items surrounding it.
Modular units can display notable items, such as vintage records, art pieces, record players, pottery, etc. Another idea is to place multiple items in a box or basket before putting them into the spaces or building modular units with cabinets and open shelves.
5. Select side tables with hidden storage.
Is there a better place to store remote controls, emergency stationery, and coasters than the hidden space on the side table? Probably not. Keeping essentials here is ideal because of the proximity and ease of accessibility without cluttering the tabletop.
An Ottoman is similar to this in that it can serve as sitting and storage services. You can easily stash and retrieve blankets, throws, toys, or spare cushions. Select a color in line with the sofa or a contrasting color for variety.
6. Use Baskets
Portable storage baskets that can fit on or under a table or beside the sofa are another decluttering tip. You can keep magazines, toys, quilts, and other items in it to keep your Living Room space tidy. There are numerous basket styles to choose from depending on the general theme and decor of the Living Room.
7. Hang Wall Baskets
While floating shelves are pretty famous, they may be limited in what they can store. On the other hand, baskets have more depth, containing more items and hiding your little secrets. These are perfect for storing children’s toys, magazines, books, and blankets.
The installment process is pretty easy too. Hang the baskets on metal hooks on the wall at varying heights for creativity.
8. Use Wall to Wall Storage System
Wall-to-wall shelving is a wise way to maximize spacing. Continuous open shelves or glass-covered cabinets can serve as storage and display cases for treasured finds and decorative pieces. Combine it with drawers for items you would prefer to keep unseen.
9. Use Floating Shelves
While built-in shelves are great, they may not always be feasible. They are, for one, much easier to install. If you find yourself in this situation, you should consider opting for floating shelves. This idea is especially helpful in utilizing small corner spaces on the wall. You can display art pieces, ornaments, and books on them.
Floating shelves give your decor an elegant and streamlined look. You can take it a step further by painting them a contrasting or similar color to the wall.
10. Designate a Children’s Area
This idea works better for spacious multipurpose Living Rooms- relaxation, entertainment, gaming, reading, working, etc. It helps to contain the mess from their toys and gives them a sense of responsibility when kids have a space that is all theirs. You can just set up a small corner of the Living Room with shelves, cabinets, or baskets for their toys, materials, and books, a rug for rolling around, a table for art and crafts, and a chair for two for teatime.
This way, you can enjoy quiet time in the Living Room while the children play in their designated corner.
11. Utilize Below the Stairs
Living Rooms have stairs leading to the next floor, which is most underutilized or neglected in the floor plan. This space can house shelves, storage drawers, rollout closets for coats, shoes, or a hat rack. It can also double as a small home office with a chair, desk, and basket for equipment storage or a designated kids’ space.
12. Use an Idle Fireplace
If your fireplace is unused, it may seem like a good idea to wall it off, but you should probably hold that thought. It is an empty space that you can convert for storage use. It is perfect for magazines, ornaments, vases, lanterns, or books.
13. Try out Suitcase Storage
Imagine how helpful it would be for decluttering if you could incorporate suitcases into your Living Room design- this may be just right for you if you have an eccentric sense of style. Interior designers propose upcycling vintage suitcases into trendy furniture. One of the best things about this is the storage space it creates and the unique style it gives to the decor. They are ideal for storing photo albums, CDs, books, magazines, and toys. Styling options include attaching them to walls as floating shelves or stacking them together to create a coffee table- it will definitely make for a notable conversation starter.
14. Frame the Windows for Storage
Maximize space by framing your windows. Bespoke storage increases how far you can go in decluttering your Living Room. Create a window seating space and combine it with storage by adding drawers and cupboards underneath. This way, you get a comfortable, well-lit seating space and ample storage space for items in your Living Room.
15. Use Peg Boards
While these may seem similar to floating shelves, the multiple holes increase their storage potential. It allows you to install as many racks as needed and vary their heights according to your style. Although peg boards are mostly used in garages and workshops, they are also great for Living Room spaces, allowing you to store books, magazines, small plants, and decorative pieces.
16. Consider Ladder Shelves
A similar alternative to floating shelves for a rustic vibe is to incorporate ladders to hang throws, quilt sweaters, and blankets- this will add style and spruce up the Living Room space. With a plain farm ladder or one with shelves for books, ornaments, books, and multipurpose baskets, you can declutter and transform your space.
In eliminating clutter from your Living Room, you should consider other factors apart from storage. One such is getting rid of excess luggage. Even with proper storage spaces, if your living space is riddled with unnecessary clutter, it will pose a problem.
The Living Room is used by every member of the family and even guests, so it is no surprise that it can sometimes become a dump zone. Listed below are some easy ways to quickly rid your Living Room of clutter-
Scan the Living Room
Do a brief overview of the entire space to note the things that need to be removed. If it appears to be a lot, grab a garbage bag or some storage baskets to put them away as you go.
If kids mostly occupy the space, you can be sure to find toys, gamepads, magazines, and so much more out of place. An alternative is to arrange storage baskets or ottomans for people to clean up after themselves.
Eliminate Garbage
If the Living Room houses the dining area, you can be sure to find garbage lying around. Fish out obvious waste, including snack wrappers, used post-it notes, or paper napkins. Remember to check inside the furniture cushions and recycle outdated newspapers and magazines.
Clear Dirty Dishes
Remove all used cups, plates, and glasses from previous meals. Many times, what causes clutter is a bunch of random things in the same place. Once they all return to their rightful places, the clutter disappears.
Organize the Shelves and Cabinets
While shelves and cabinets are perfect for decluttering, packing them with multiple items in a disorganized way defeats the purpose. Check them regularly to ensure that they are well arranged, and remove unnecessary old things that you no longer need.
Clean Out the Drawers
Since drawers are closed storage spaces, it is easy to dump things in them and forget about them, especially when it involves kids. You would be surprised to find several items that do not even belong in the Living Room.
An easier way is to dump the drawer contents on a table and sort through them carefully. You may find that you have more space than you initially thought.
Increased storage space increases the potential for hoarding unnecessary items, so ensure to take stock regularly and dispose of outdated items.
The less clutter you have, the cleaner your Living Room Space will be. And clean spaces make for happier people.
In conclusion, there is no limit to creativity in interior design. A ladder-style shelf is a stylish way to increase storage potential without overwhelming the Living Room space. They are ideal for rooms with a pale color scheme or compact space. Remember to secure the ladder to the wall to ensure safety.
One of the most vital points to remember in storage and decluttering is to invest in furniture that works for you- multipurpose pieces that can seat people and store objects. Sofas with space for storage underneath or beside them, ottomans, and entertainment centers with modular units- this helps you keep clutter to a minimum while being able to keep everything you need in the vicinity. Remember that with bespoke furniture, there are limitless opportunities.
In planning your home’s storage, you can never go wrong if you think vertically- seek to maximize the space above and beneath your furniture. Be creative and think outside the box- there are almost no wrong answers!
