Things You Can Declutter in Your Living Room

 

The living room is such a special place in our homes because it tends to be the space we gather with friends and family, where we lounge after a long day of work, and where we keep things we use the most like books, magazines, DVDs, and TVs.  The furniture in our living rooms is more used than most anything else in our homes besides our bed.  This is why decluttering your living room is a very important thing to do.  Here's a list of things to declutter.  These things can be decluttered in any order but remember, don't start organizing or moving things around until after you've fully decluttered. 

 

Books and Magazines

Whether you keep them all in your living room or just use them as decor on your shelves, it's important to keep only what you love or use.  If it's a book or magazine you won't read again and it serves no other purpose (like being a coffee table book), it's best to say goodbye to it.  On the other hand, if you have another area of your home to store and display books and magazines consider moving some to those spaces so your living room doesn't look so full and cluttered. 

 

DVDs

Yes, DVDs are still a thing but it's fading fast.  Everything can be downloaded and streamed anymore so if you haven't watched any of your DVDs in a year, it may be time to get rid of them.   You may even be able to get rid of any DVD racks or holders you have. 

 

Decor

Sometimes we keep decor in the living room because we want others to see it since that's the space in our homes that we usually allow people to see when they come over to visit.  However, excessive decor can make it harder to clean and dust surfaces and can also make the whole room look cluttered.  Go through decor items like knick knacks, wall decor, photos in frames, etc. and remove anything that you don't absolutely love.  Don't be afraid to embrace more blank space. 

 

Plants

I love plants as much as the next person but too many can be overwhelming and make it harder to care for them. Plus, overwatering plants can lead to fungus gnats that also get in your face while you're simply lounging and watching TV.  If it can go in another space, great but if it's time to say goodbye to some of your plants, go ahead and let them go. You can offer them to others for free or if they are on their way to the plant graveyard anyways, just toss them now.  This is also a great time to prune your plants if they're getting leggy and out of control. It will make the entire vibe of your living room look much better. 

 

Lighting

Most people have several lamps in their living room but we don't always use them all.  If a lamp is taking up space on a table top and you don't use it, maybe it's time to let it go.  

 

Dog Toys and Kids Toys

It's nice to allow our kids and pets to play in the same room we spend the most time in and that's totally fine.  However we all tend to accrue lots of dog toys and it's very important to sit down and go through one by one to get rid of any that are destroyed beyond repair, or toys that are never played with. Get a cute decorative toy bin for your pooch and at the end of the day (or before you have company) put everything away.  For kids, any toys that belong in other areas (the lego bin is in the playroom for instance), take them to where they belong.  Use containers to corral toys instead of letting them sit all over furniture or in piles on the floor. 

 

Blankets and Pillows

Whether you have them on your furniture or stored somewhere in your living room (mine are in my ottoman/coffee table) or on a decorative ladder, take the time to go through and get rid of excess throw pillows and blankets. Any that are torn or very old and icky can be donated to a vet office or animal shelter.  Whatever is left if it's not being displayed can be stored in a decorative basket or bin, stashed in a hidden storage spot, or displayed in a decorative way, again - like a blanket ladder. 

 

Electronics

If you have all kinds of electronics like DVD players, streaming sticks, and video game consoles, consider selling any you no longer use or storing them away.  For instance, if you have a VHS player because you haven't converted your home videos to DVD or Cloud yet, it's okay to keep the VHS player in storage in case you need it down the road.  Otherwise, do some decluttering so it's easier to dust around your TV and also have less wires everywhere.  For TV remotes - get rid of any old ones you no longer have the TV for.  Consider corraling remotes in a cute basket or bin. 

 

Furniture 

Once you've decluttered items, it's easier to see what furniture you may be able to get rid of. Remember - the walls of your rooms don't have to be lined with furniture and storage. It's okay to have blank space - in fact it can make your home look bigger.  Excessive side tables, storage pieces for DVDs, and random statues or stands can be removed, leaving more room to breathe. 

Remember - the feel and look of your living room sets the vibe everytime you spend time in it so make sure you only keep what you love out for you to see and use.

 

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