Neat Living Room Tips to Steal from Tidy People
Do you tend towards the messy? Don’t worry, there are ways and means to keep the clutter in your living space at bay
If you’re not naturally gifted in the putting-things-away department, keeping your living room looking comfortably lived-in yet still put-together can be a bit of a challenge. But fear not, there are some easy tricks practised by tidy people that you can adopt to keep clutter under control. Check out these inspiring ideas for keeping your living room in order.
Line up lots of pots
On the other hand, if you cherish your collections, rather than aim for less – how about having more? Placing collections of little dishes and bowls on your coffee table or sideboard is a pleasing way to stash keys, coins, jewellery and trinkets, as Clifton Interiors, have shown in this lovely living room. Plus, it keeps everything in one place, so you can find it easily during your mad morning dash.
On the other hand, if you cherish your collections, rather than aim for less – how about having more? Placing collections of little dishes and bowls on your coffee table or sideboard is a pleasing way to stash keys, coins, jewellery and trinkets, as Clifton Interiors, have shown in this lovely living room. Plus, it keeps everything in one place, so you can find it easily during your mad morning dash.
Hide it all away
Putting clutter out of sight is the easiest solution, though this particular idea does require a rethink of your room. Instead of throwing everything behind the sofa when unexpected guests arrive, invest in fitted or freestanding cabinet storage with plenty of room in which to stash your mess. Let this storage in a room designed by Imperfect Interiors inspire you. Once you’ve settled in to your neater way of life, you can then start tidying the insides of the cupboards, too. Small steps…
Find an interior designer on Houzz.
Putting clutter out of sight is the easiest solution, though this particular idea does require a rethink of your room. Instead of throwing everything behind the sofa when unexpected guests arrive, invest in fitted or freestanding cabinet storage with plenty of room in which to stash your mess. Let this storage in a room designed by Imperfect Interiors inspire you. Once you’ve settled in to your neater way of life, you can then start tidying the insides of the cupboards, too. Small steps…
Find an interior designer on Houzz.
Use your fireplace for display
It’s surprising how much less busy a room feels if you can place any items sitting around the base of your fireplace inside it. Take this clean-looking, serene space, designed by Decotick as an example. Simply clearing the firebox, then arranging your items flush to the surround is far more pleasing to the eye – and the accident-prone.
More: 23 Beautifully Styled Mantlepieces
It’s surprising how much less busy a room feels if you can place any items sitting around the base of your fireplace inside it. Take this clean-looking, serene space, designed by Decotick as an example. Simply clearing the firebox, then arranging your items flush to the surround is far more pleasing to the eye – and the accident-prone.
More: 23 Beautifully Styled Mantlepieces
Employ a good shelf system
Not only can you put together beautiful, considered displays on shelves like these, but a few interesting curios will draw the eye up the wall (and away from any mess on the floor) far more than if you jam-pack them with all manner of messy, differently sized books. The cupboards underneath can hold less attractive bits and pieces, such as paperwork and electricals.
Not only can you put together beautiful, considered displays on shelves like these, but a few interesting curios will draw the eye up the wall (and away from any mess on the floor) far more than if you jam-pack them with all manner of messy, differently sized books. The cupboards underneath can hold less attractive bits and pieces, such as paperwork and electricals.
Create zones
Children can’t be contained, it’s true. But having a home for their toys and sectioning it off from the rest of the living room can make the thrice-daily tidy a lot easier.
The large, blue-edged rug here, in a room created by VORBILD Architecture, helps to distinguish the seating area in this living room.
Children can’t be contained, it’s true. But having a home for their toys and sectioning it off from the rest of the living room can make the thrice-daily tidy a lot easier.
The large, blue-edged rug here, in a room created by VORBILD Architecture, helps to distinguish the seating area in this living room.
Stack your books
A straight line is so forgiving! Lining up and stacking items in perpendicular fashion on your coffee table is a wonderful way to create order. You will literally be straightening things out. Investing in a coffee table with a shelf creates another level of stashability, too – as you can see in this well-ordered room designed by xxx. A solid table rather than this glass one would hide things away even more.
A straight line is so forgiving! Lining up and stacking items in perpendicular fashion on your coffee table is a wonderful way to create order. You will literally be straightening things out. Investing in a coffee table with a shelf creates another level of stashability, too – as you can see in this well-ordered room designed by xxx. A solid table rather than this glass one would hide things away even more.
Cheat with a screen
A screen is a great option if you have lots of sports or electrical equipment, such as musical decks or amps, that you can’t squeeze into storage. Cordon the whole thing off with a decorative screen. The sculptural wooden one shown here, in a room designed by Angel O’Donnell, is also doing a great job of adding interest to the high-ceilinged room.
A screen is a great option if you have lots of sports or electrical equipment, such as musical decks or amps, that you can’t squeeze into storage. Cordon the whole thing off with a decorative screen. The sculptural wooden one shown here, in a room designed by Angel O’Donnell, is also doing a great job of adding interest to the high-ceilinged room.
Throw it in a trunk
Use a trunk as a coffee table and you’ll have the perfect accomplice to foil surprise visits. You’ll need to keep it free of clutter for true emergency use, of course – but that’s the idea, isn’t it?
Tell us…
How have you smartened up your living room? Share your storage and display ideas in the Comments.
Use a trunk as a coffee table and you’ll have the perfect accomplice to foil surprise visits. You’ll need to keep it free of clutter for true emergency use, of course – but that’s the idea, isn’t it?
Tell us…
How have you smartened up your living room? Share your storage and display ideas in the Comments.
If you’re prone to collecting clutter, stop right there. Stand back and decided on your absolute favourites, then get rid of everything else. The room will instantly feel less chaotic and you’ll have a handful of objects to put on show as you wish.
Group your chosen pieces together in pleasing arrangements, as in this room designed by Lydia Allen Interiors, and resist the urge to add finished cups of tea and the contents of your pocket to your new display.