Wouldn’t it be nice if you knew how to put together a perfectly organized living room?
We’ll let you in on a little secret: you can!
It takes some time and effort, but you can have the streamlined living room of your dreams!
The focus of this article will be how to organize your living room. And it so happens that you can use these tips for the rest of your apartment, as well.
If your goal is to get your living room straightened up, then you’ll love these organization secrets.
You have the freedom to transform your living room into a functional and stylish place. Check these tips out and get started right away!
1. Hide Your Modem and Router
Modems and routers can be real eyesores, especially in your living room. There’s something about having a black plastic box and a tumbleweed of cords in the corner of your room that’s very unappealing.
With cords everywhere, it can distract from your decor and living room layout. No one wants to see a pile of cables when they walk into a room!
That’s why you should come up with a way to hide your gadgets and all the cords that come with them.
For example, a basket or decorative box will do the trick. Just make sure that your box has holes in it for ventilation, and to feed the wires through.
Try to place a piece of furniture as close to the device as possible. Even if it’s in a covered box, it’s nice to hide your modem behind larger furniture so it’s not so unsightly.
2. Couch Caddy
Forget having a side table next to your sofa. If you want easy access to your remote and a cold drink, why not get a couch caddy?
If you’re unfamiliar with couch caddies, you’re in for a treat. They’re essentially small, collapsible end tables that sit neatly on the arm of your couch.
Every couch caddy has different features, but some of them have pockets to hold your phone, remote, and magazines. Some caddies even come with an attached power strip!
There are plenty of options out there, so you’re sure to find a caddy that suits your needs. However, on the off-chance that you can’t find a perfect one, you can make your own.
If you want to impress a guest, have them sit in the seat closest to your caddy. They won’t have to move a muscle when reaching for a drink.
Imagine watching your favorite TV show and having everything you need within arm’s reach … sounds pretty convenient to me!
3. Try Custom, Built-In Shelving
If you keep a lot of items in your living room, then a built-in shelf might be a good storage solution for you.
Getting one that goes all the way to the ceiling will help you maximize storage space.
A built-in shelf can hold countless treasures from books to decorative art.
If you want certain art pieces on display, put them on the top shelf so they really shine. A big, bold piece of art will make a great focal point in your living room!
As for the bottom shelves, use them to store papers, books, and whatever else you’d like.
When building your shelf (or having someone build it for you), consider leaving a large vertical space in the middle. You can put a big mirror in that space to make your living room look larger than it really is!
4. Get a Sideboard Storage Cabinet
Sideboard storage cabinets are another useful storage option.
In the past, people use sideboard cabinets to display dishes in their dining room areas. But today, many people put them in their living rooms, as well.
This type of storage unit is perfect for hiding items. You can use it to store everything from board games and photo albums to CDs, Blu-ray discs, and video game controllers. You can even hide some extra blankets or linens in there for overnight guests!
Just make sure you get a sideboard with closed shelving. Otherwise, people will be able to see all of the stuff inside your cabinets!
As long as it has doors that slide shut, a sideboard unit is a great tool for keeping your living room organized.
5. Invest in Cloud Storage
We’ve mentioned hiding your Blu-rays and CDs, which is essential if you want an organized living room. But if you want to maximize your space, why not get cloud storage?
Use services like Dropbox and iCloud to upload your music and movies. Storing things digitally will make it easier for you to keep a clutter-free living room.
Who wants to figure out where to put a hundred CDs and a full collection of Blu-rays? Nowadays, most people watch movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime anyway, so you might not even need those clunky discs anymore.
Free up valuable space by digitizing everything. You’ll never have to deal with another plastic CD case again!
In Conclusion
Having a smaller living room incentivizes you to get things in order. It helps you decide which items to keep and which ones need to go.
There are a lot of storage solutions out there, such as built-in shelves and sideboard storage cabinets.
Analyze your layout and figure out what you want to have in your living room. The sky’s the limit, as long as you don’t overcrowd your space.
Think of your living room as a canvas: it’s yours to decorate in a way that makes you happy. You’re going to have a blast designing a room that’s both functional and reflective of your personality!
Editorial note
Aaron Hunt is the Property Manager for The Urban, a student housing community near Ohio State University.