Your TV A fireplace A large piece of art A gallery wall
Let’s say your TV is the focal point. You might put your sofa opposite your TV with additional seating on either side of the sofa. Then, place your coffee table in front of the sofa. If your fireplace is the focal point, you might arrange your seating on opposite sides of the fireplace with your coffee table in the center. If your focal point is a gallery wall, you might place your sofa in front of the wall with additional seating on either side of it. Sit on each piece of furniture to make sure you can comfortably see your focal point. If not, adjust the arrangement until you can.
You might use a large rug to cover most of your living room floor. If your rug is really large, place all of your furniture feet on it. Consider using a rug to section off a portion of your room. For instance, you might place a 5 by 7 rug in front of your TV area to visually separate it from the rest of the room. Similarly, you could use a rug to mark off your children’s play area.
If you want to get creative, you might place your tables behind your sofa if the back of your seating faces an open space.
For instance, you might lay a cute rug in a corner and place a woven storage bin near the rug for toys. As another option, you might designate the lower shelves of a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf for toys. Place cloth bins on the shelf so your kids can easily store their current favorites there.
Turn your lamps on to make sure they don’t cast an annoying glare on your TV or other surfaces, like a mirror or window. If they do, move them into a different spot.
For instance, you might wrap the cord with a twine if that matches your decor. Similarly, you could cover your cords with fabric that matches your wall color or floor color.
Get stylish baskets or bins for storage on shelves or on the floor. Buy an ottoman, bench, or coffee table that has extra storage. Install new shelving on the walls. Get a bookshelf to store books and display your belongings.
You might line them up tallest to shortest, or you could sort them by color. If you only have a handful of books or photo albums, you could stack them instead of lining them up.
You might place a wooden sign on a high shelf on a book case. You could put a small figurine or picture frame on top of a stack of books or in front of a shelf full of books. Display figurines or knick knacks alone or in groups.
For instance, you might put an ivy in the center of the table. You could place a large book on your coffee table or a stack of books on your side table. If you keep a stack of books on your side table, you could place a small plant or a small framed print next to them.
Try to leave some empty space around some of your decorative items so your shelves and tables don’t look cluttered.
If you only have 1 remote control and don’t keep other small items in your living room, you may prefer to just put the remote on the table or next to your TV when you aren’t using it.
If you use the blanket often, a basket might be your best option. This way you can easily grab the blanket when you need it and stash it away when you don’t.
You can find baskets made for magazines, but you can use any basket that matches your other decor. If you have a coffee table or ottoman with storage inside, you might keep the magazines there instead.
For instance, you might get a decorative leather chest or a cute bench that has internal storage for your DVDs. Place your chest or bench in your seating area, behind your sofa, or under a window. You could also use a big basket for your DVDs. You could always cover your DVDs with the extra blankets you keep in the living room if you want them totally out of sight.
For instance, you might keep a large basket by the living room door. Put items like sweaters, books, magazines, and gaming devices in the basket if you find them laying around the living room.
As an example, you might tidy your coffee table every night after you turn off the TV. Alternatively, you could do it as part of your routine before you start getting ready for bed.
For example, you might set aside 20-30 minutes every Sunday afternoon to clean the living room.
For instance, you might clear out the basket every Tuesday evening. As an alternative, leave the items in the basket until they’re claimed by their owner, who is then responsible for putting them up.
For example, you might find kids toys that belong in your children’s bedrooms or books that belong to your roommate. You might ask all members of your household to come collect their items so you can save time.
Sort through things like your DVD collection, books, knick-knacks, photos, art, and extra blankets.
