Declutter & revitalize your living room in 5 easy steps

Are you being called to Marie-Kondo the hell out of your home? You're not the only one.

Due to the pandemic, most of us are spending more time actually  living in our living rooms. 

Whether you’re working remotely or just  staying at home (the catch phrase of our time) - our living rooms are giving the proverbial heart of the home > the kitchen...  a run for its money. 

If your couch is getting hijacked by laundry, or you don’t know what's in that unopened Amazon box that's been sitting there for 2 days, or your work papers are getting stacked higher and higher...

...it’s time to Declutter & Revitalize the most versatile room in the house. Being surrounded by mess, disorder and loose ends is stressful. Like you need any more of that, right? 

So here are 5 steps to get your living room organized and feeling cosy like an oasis again.

 

But first some housekeeping. 

Mindset matters: go into this  determined to make decisions. Be kind yet firm with yourself. Starting any long overdue task can feel overwhelming. That’s ok. 

Don’t overthink things. This is all about taking action, perfection is not needed. The only wrong decision is no decision at all. 

So let’s start! 

1. Get rid of obvious trash. 

Be ruthless about it. Throw away or recycle obvious trash. Start with packaging and broken things. Oh, but you were  meaning to fix that? The thing is, you haven’t. Reducing your (overwhelming) to do list - buys mental space, physical space - and time. So don’t be afraid to let things go. You aren’t missing out on anything. 

Also consider getting rid of items that are no longer useful or beautiful. If you haven’t used it in a year - it can go. Make Marie Kondo proud. 

If you decide to gift unwanted items, set a date in your calendar with the recipient. Make sure your hard work doesn't create more work. You don’t want piles of things sitting in your space for a long time. 

 

2. Let your living room be a living room.

In other words: Put away everything that doesn’t belong there! Before you start re-arranging cushions, get non-living room items out of the way. 

It’s nice to iron in front of the TV but your ironing board doesn’t have to live next to the couch - taking up space and being a general eyesore. Same goes for piles of laundry or that abandoned, half-finished DIY project.

Use the  power of piles to make this fast and easy. Clear some space and put all non-living room items in a pile. Then, start to divide your master pile by room. For example: your laundry goes into a Bedroom Pile. Kids toys go into a Kid’s Room Pile. Makeup and toiletries go into a Bathroom Pile, and so on. 

Once you’ve gone though the living room with a fine tooth comb, congratulate yourself on some great work! 

But push a little further before you take a break. Carry each pile into the appropriate room and leave it there. No need to put them away yet. A cleared out living room will give you the momentum you need to keep going.

 

There's nothing like settling in and getting cosy with a good book. But this also means couches, coffee tables and even the floor - often get covered in magazines, paperwork and bills. There’s nothing more unsightly and depressing than heaps of paper (you haven’t actioned). So place those books back on the shelf, and square up paper materials, placing them into neat piles. 

If you don’t have an office as a separate room, consider a small  station in your living or even kitchen, with a landing tray for incoming mail. Your tray could have an ‘action’ section for bills and the like. Get in the habit of keeping all your incoming paperwork in one place. Designate a day of the week to  action your incoming mail. Your living room will thank you. 

 

4. Rearrange your best loved memories and keepsakes. 

Here’s the fun part. Now that you’ve decluttered like a pro, let’s get to decorating. Or re-arranging to be more precise. If you're not in the habit of weekly tidying, a living room can quickly get out of hand. The picture frames, vases or cushions you lovingly placed in strategic locations a few months back (or years ago) are now displaced from their original spot and bunched haphazardly together. Some items might even be hiding under furniture. 

So take a few moments to gather and review your decor. Do you have so many cushions you can’t even sit on your own couch? Are you displaying a figurine your mother-in-law brought back from vacation purely out of politeness? If anything  isn’t sparking joy - you know what to do. It’s YOUR space after all. Your relaxation. Your mental health. 

Get rid of anything that’s an eyesore, cumbersome - or that you’re keeping just because. 

Now rearrange your best loved items on your shelves, mantlepiece or coffee table. You’ll find you have more space and everything looks a little better. That’s because when it comes to interior design... negative space is pleasing to the eye.   

 

5. Time to add personality.

Take a look around. Feeling breezier in there I bet. But how to bring it all together? To step things up in your space and truly transform it into an oasis - consider what makes you happy. Is there a saying, symbol or even colour scheme that uplifts you? What invigorates you and keeps you on track? 

You can inject positivity, energy or a feeling of calm via the decor you chose. And  Pink Poster  can help with that of course. Our customers love having images of their loved ones as centerpieces. It makes them smile! Personalized wall art not only compliments your space, it reminds you of what’s important. So go here to easily create a unique piece that matches your space.

 

That’s it. Once you’ve decluttered and decorated - you’ll fall in love with your living room again. You’ll feel so much better for it. 

Oh, and what about those things you’ve piled in other rooms? Just follow the same 5 steps outlined above for each room!

Here’s to creating your perfect home,
Rose.

 

 

Pop in to Pink Poster when you’re ready.

We’ll show you how. It's easy.