There is one obstacle between our dream of a stylish Scandinavian inspired home, all gorgeous natural light and white curtains blowing in a soft breeze. That obstacle? Our heaps and heaps of stuff. From crafty hobbies to children’s toys to the tchotchke collection inherited from our grandma— it really starts to add up. And it. Is. Everywhere. Where do these people with their gorgeous minimal homes stash away all the evidence of their daily lives? The only reasonable answer is that all that clutter is hidden, and hidden in a way that is beautiful and functional! The good news is their secret is out and we are sharing it with the world, starting with these 20 organizational tips and tricks.
The key to good living room organization is keeping all the things that are used daily accessible without the clutter. If done properly, everything will have it’s place making it easier to tidy up in the future. However, finding the proper system to deal with the pile of toys, lone socks, discarded water glasses and odds and ends so random we can’t even begin to name them is tricky but can be done. With these ideas, families can actually start doing some "living" in living room.
The following living room organization hacks will help hide and house wayward belongings, streamline the living room chaos and be the end of muttering, “it’s normally much neater, I swear” when an impromptu guest arrives. These ingenious tips will have highlight storage where there was none and creating that dream open and breezing living space. We promise, it’s not all shoving it in a closet or throwing a blanket over it either… well, except for #12!
Create under the couch storage
Adding furniture risers or these Lucite legs to your couch can create room for hidden storage. Now items can be stored in trays, baskets or Tupperware in the new space created under the couch.
From shelf to sideboard
You can turn an unwanted shelf into a stellar sideboard. This works especially well with IKEA's Expedit shelves (think where your friend from college stored their records). All you have to do is flip the shelf on it's side and you not only have storage space but also another flat surface for storage and display.
Hide the cablebox
Cable boxes are both an eyesore and a necessity, at least if you prioritize watching the latest episode of The Real Housewives. Create a pretty and well-ventilated cover using decorative metal sheets from a hobby store so your cable box will also function as decor.
Basic Billy built ins
When trying to find living room storage, a built in shelving system seems like a no brainer. Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to have a carpenter in the family but you can DIY it yourself! Using IKEA Billy bookshelves and some minimal molding you can create the illusion of custom bookcases without all the time and money.
Beef up baskets
Baskets are filed under "DUH" when it comes to living room organization, but that doesn't mean they have to be basic. You can give the most functional storage baskets a designer edge by adding a band of white paint at the bottom and some decorative pom-poms for flair.
Creating a charging station
Here's an updated take on the classic magazine rack: turn it into a charging station. A repurposed magazine rack is a great place to store electronics and also serves as a docking station, creating a place to charge electronics without a tangle of cords.
Create a wifi code for visitors
Create a QR code to share your wifi with guests so you can banish the router from public view forever — no more trying to read the 14 digit password off the side to tech addicted guests.
Corral that coffee table clutter
A smartly placed tray on your coffee table can be stylish and corral all the remotes and daily life necessities that come to rest there.
Creating a landing strip
An entryway can be made into the perfect landing strip for when you walk in the door and need to drop your stuff. A bench, wall hooks and basket configuration allows you to ditch your keys, coats, mail and assorted junk that follows you home after a long day in an organized manner.
Bye bye blankets
Nothing makes a living room more cozy than a pile of blankets to snuggle into while on a Netflix bender, but when you're not using them your living room can look a little like a deflated pillowfort. This wire basket turned end table provides storage and a great place to place rest your TV-binging snacks.
Utilize wood crates
Stacking wooden crates is a cheap and rustic way to display and store your favorite goods and can easily be rearranged as your organization needs change. They also can be hung on the wall if you want to take it to the next level.
Add a tablecloth to end tables
We admit this hack feels a little less like a hack and more like a lazy solution but hear us out! You can store necessities under your end tables in Tupperware or baskets, but sometimes they can still look junky, especially when it comes to kids' toys. The solution? A cool boho tablecloth will keep those objects out of sight, out of mind.
Double duty coffee table
Vintage steamer trunks are a great storage solution and can also serve as a great coffee table.
An unexpected table
A table behind your couch is an amazing space saving trick. It provides an extra display area in an often unused space, especially if outlets prevent you from pushing your sofa all the way against the wall.
Storage and seating
A storage ottoman is a great two-for-one, providing seating and storage. You can go the classic route of a big tufted neutral or something a little more funky like the one pictured.
Hide the animals
Pets bring joy to our lives, but also clutter to our homes unless there have furniture that can also double as a house for a litter box or dog crate.
Under the stairs storage
Never let any space go unused! Empty space under your stairs can be made into a pantry, an extra coat closet or shelves for bonus storage space as seen here.
Put it in a jar
Toy storage can sometimes be less than aesthetically pleasing, but storing toys and board games in jars turns this storage solution into adorable home decor. You can have a more kid friendly version like the image picture, or spray paint it gold for grown up appeal.
Stair baskets
Stairway baskets are a must for reducing clutter. As you find things that belong on different floors of your house place in the appropriate baskets so you can bring it with you every time you run up or down the stairs.
Storage as art
Storage bins set into shelving or cubbies can double as wall art. Covering your bins with removable wallpaper or the DIY version with color copies and Mod Podge is a great way to add some art to your living and camouflage your storage.