How to Organize a Living Room

Co-authored by MacKenzie Cain and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: December 16, 2022 References

You probably spend a lot of time in your living room, and it's usually the first place most guests see. You likely want your space to look amazing, and organizing it might help. While it's normal for living rooms to get messy sometimes, you'll be able to keep it clean and tidy more easily if it's organized. Fortunately, organizing your living room is usually a quick and easy process.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Arranging Your Furniture

1
Choose a focal point for your room that reflects your personal tastes. Picking a focal point will help you better enjoy your room. Plus, it’s easiest to organize your furniture around a focal point, and it also helps you create a more stylish look. To help you pick a focal point, decide how you most often use your living room. Here are some common focal points for a living room:^{[1]
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- Your TV
- A fireplace
- A large piece of art
- A gallery wall
2
Position your furniture around your focal point. You should be able to see your focal point from any of your living room seating. Start by placing your sofa where it looks best. Then, add your love seat or additional seating, depending on what you own. Move the items around until you’re happy with how they look.^{[2]
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- 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.
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3
Lay down any rugs you’re incorporating into your decor. An attractive rug can add style to your living room, and it may also provide a comfortable space to play on the floor. Pick a large rug to make your room look bigger. Place the front legs of your sofa and chairs on the rug if possible to bring the look together.^{[3]
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- 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.
4
Position your coffee table and side tables if you have some. Once you know where your sofa and chairs will go, put your coffee table in the center of the seating area. Then, place your side tables next to your seating area. Walk around the area to make sure you can pass between the furniture pieces.^{[4]
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- If you want to get creative, you might place your tables behind your sofa if the back of your seating faces an open space.
5
Designate a place for your children to play if you have any. Your family likely spends a lot of time in the living room together, so you might want to create a special play area for your kids. This could be a special corner or a spot separate from your seating area. Consider placing toy bins near this area so your kids can easily take out and clean up their play items.^{[5]
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- 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.
6
Set up any floor and table lamps you’re using for extra lighting. You may not need any lamps in your living room. However, they can really brighten up your space and may add to your style aesthetic. Position floor lamps in corners or near your furniture. If you have any table lamps, put them on your side tables.^{[6]
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Expert Source

MacKenzie Cain
Interior Designer & LEED Green Associate
Expert Interview. 4 July 2020.}^{[7]
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- 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.
7
Hide your electronics cords if they’re visible. While there's no harm in having cords visible, they may be an eyesore for you if they're very noticeable. Conceal the cords behind a large piece of furniture or inside your wall if possible.^{[8]
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- 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.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Organizing Decorations and Small Items

1
Purchase any organizational items you need. You may not need to buy any storage items, so don’t worry about this if you don’t have extra items to store. However, you might want extra storage for things like blankets, books, magazines, and toys. Choose storage items that fit your personal style. Here are some ideas:^{[10]
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- 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.
2
Place books or photo albums on a shelf. Your living room is a great place to display your books. Additionally, you might like to keep your photo albums handy in case you want to flip through them. Arrange these items on a bookshelf or floating shelf.^{[11]
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- 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.
3
Decorate your shelves with small items like vases, figurines, and photos.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Katherine Tlapa
Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 22 May 2019.} Decorative items let you show off your personality and help create a feeling of home. Gather the items you plan to display in your living room. Then, find a great spot for each item.^{[13]
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- 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.
4
Place a potted plant, framed art, books, or vase on your tables. You might like to decorate your tables, though this isn't necessary. Choose a centerpiece like a plant or vase for your table. Alternatively, you might keep it simple with a framed print.^{[14]
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- 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.
5
Limit what you put on shelves and tables so they aren’t cluttered. Displaying your personal items is a great way to show off your sense of style, but sometimes less is more. If you put out too many decorative items, your space may look disorganized even though you work hard to keep it tidy. Step back after you add each item to make sure the space isn't becoming cluttered.^{[15]
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- Try to leave some empty space around some of your decorative items so your shelves and tables don't look cluttered.
6
Use a container or tray to hold items like remotes or phone chargers. You likely have items you want to keep handy, and creating a special spot for these things is both convenient and tidy. Place a small decorative tray on your coffee table or side table for an easy option. You might also hang a remote control holder over the arm of your sofa if you prefer. Keep your remotes and small items you use often, such as phone chargers, in this container.^{[16]
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- 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.
7
Store extra blankets in a basket or inside an ottoman. It's fun to snuggle up on the sofa while you're watching TV or reading, so you may keep extra blankets in your living room. If so, place these blankets in your storage containers. Keep the blanket in a basket near your seating area or fold the blanket and store it inside an ottoman if you have one.^{[17]
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- 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.
8
Place magazines in a storage basket. Magazines are fun to read, but they can easily create unwanted clutter in your living room. Keep your magazines organized using a small basket. Stack the magazines in the basket or line them up, depending on the style of basket you're using. Place the basket near your seating area or under a table.^{[18]
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- 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.
9
Put your DVDs in your media stand or in a bin or basket. While streaming services are popular, you might still enjoy collecting your favorite movies and shows on DVD. Like any small item, DVDs can create clutter in your living room. Keep them out of sight by arranging them on a shelf in your media stand if possible. If you don't have a media stand or yours doesn't have storage, put your DVDs in decorative bins or baskets.^{[19]
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- 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.
10
Designate a catch-all bin to collect miscellaneous clutter. If you’re like most people, your living room probably collects random items from around your home, which can leave it looking messy. Try not to stress out about your day-to-day clutter. Instead, place a cute storage container in your living room where you can collect these items. If you live with other people, tell your family or housemates to place items that don’t belong in the living room in this container.^{[20]
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- 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.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Keeping the Room Clean and Organized

1
Clear off your coffee table every day so it stays organized. Your coffee table will probably collect items every day, like bills, coffee mugs and books. Set aside 10-15 minutes every evening to put these items away. If you prefer, you could always toss them in your collect-all bin. Additionally, place items like your remote back in their designated spot.^{[21]
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- 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.
2
Tidy your entire living room once a week. Chances are, your living room is going to get a little messy throughout the week. Dust will settle, throw pillows will migrate across the room, and items from other areas of your home will find their way to the sofa or side tables. To keep your living room organized, pick a day each week to do a thorough cleaning. Dust, vacuum, and return everything to it’s rightful place.^{[22]
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- For example, you might set aside 20-30 minutes every Sunday afternoon to clean the living room.
3
Empty your collect-all bin at least once a week. The beauty of a collect-all bin is that it saves you the time and effort of putting items away. Try not to let this bin stress you out throughout the week! Designate a day or time each week to put these items up.^{[23]
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- 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.
4
Put items that don't belong in the living room back where they belong. Since your living room likely has multiple functions, you probably find items there that are misplaced from other rooms. Collect these items and return them to their homes before you start organizing your living room. Otherwise, they’ll just get in the way.^{[24]
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- 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.
5
Give away or throw out any items you don’t want or need. You likely have items that are just gathering dust or occupying valuable storage space. Go through all of the items in your living room and decide what you want to keep. Donate or gift items that you don’t want that are in good condition. Throw out anything that’s in bad condition.^{[25]
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- Sort through things like your DVD collection, books, knick-knacks, photos, art, and extra blankets.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you keep a small living room from looking cluttered?

MacKenzie Cain
Interior Designer & LEED Green Associate
MacKenzie Cain is an Interior Designer and a LEED-certified Green Associate for Habitar Design based in Chicago, Illinois. She has over seven years of experience in interior design and architectural design. She received a BA in Interior Design from Purdue University in 2013 and received her LEED Green Associate certification from the Green Building Certification Institute in 2013.

MacKenzie Cain

Interior Designer & LEED Green Associate

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

The biggest mistake when decorating a small space is trying to fit too many pieces into the small area. People think bringing in a lot of smaller pieces will help, but in reality, the small pieces aren’t as functional and create an overall busy look with everything shoved in next to each other. Keep it simple! Bring in only the items you need and select items that will fit the specific space you have. This will allow for the best laid out area, giving you the most function as well.
Question

How can you style a living room wall?

Katherine Tlapa
Interior Designer
Katherine Tlapa is an interior designer, currently working as a Design Specialist for Modsy, a design service based in San Francisco. She also runs her own DIY Home Design blog, My Eclectic Grace. She received her BFA in Interior Architecture from Ohio University in 2016.

Katherine Tlapa

Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

A living room wall can be decorated in a few ways! Try decorating the wall like a gallery with family photos or a collection of prints and art. You can also keep the living room wall simple, but paint it an accent color. It's trendy right now to apply wallpaper or a wall stencil as well.

Warnings

Try to not get overwhelmed while organizing your living room. Your home is meant to be lived-in, so don’t stress if it’s not perfectly clean.

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