basis should reside in this space. If you think of the room as a stage, is there enough space for everyone to interact (in other words, is there enough space for actual living )? Or is the action stifled by the presence of too many props?
Walk around the room, and name the reason for each item’s existence. For example: the couch is here because we sit on it to talk, play games, and watch TV. The coffee table holds our drinks and food, and provides a surface on which we can pursue our hobbies. The DVD player allows us to enjoy movies together. The clock on the mantle is a cherished family heirloom. The end table holds a pile of magazines that no one ever looks at. (Hmm…we might have to do something about that one.) As you evaluate your living room’s contents, don’t just gloss over the DVD collection or bookshelves. Consider each item individually, and question whether anyone still reads a certain book, watches a certain movie, or plays a certain game.
Be similarly thorough with your décor, considering each knickknack in turn. Do the decorative items in the room really bring you joy to look at? Or did they just accumulate over the years, and do nothing more than take up space? Try clearing the room entirely of non-functional pieces—sweep them from the shelves, the mantle, the console, and the side tables. Store them away in a box, and live without them for a week. Sometimes extraneous items can stifle our enjoyment of a space without us even realizing it. When they’re gone, we feel a wave of relief—like we finally have the room to stretch out and move around (without hitting or breaking anything). Notice how family members and guests react to the decluttered space—are they more relaxed? Do they move around more freely? Are they more enthusiastic to engage in activities?
Of course, if you truly miss an item—like a souvenir from a special trip, or a beautiful artisan bowl—feel free to retrieve it from the box and restore it to its rightful place. If its presence makes you genuinely happy, it has just as much reason to be part of the room as the practical stuff. The key: selecting and highlighting just one or two of these treasures, rather than turning your living room into a gallery of them.
Everything in its place
Since the living room sees so much action, it’s particularly important that everything has a place. Otherwise, things can become truly chaotic!
Therefore, establishing zones or activity areas is especially useful. Define the regions where you watch TV, store movies, read magazines, play games, and use the computer. Make sure that the objects involved with said activities are housed in their appropriate zone, and do everything you can to prevent them from straying into another. DVDs shouldn’t be piled on the coffee table; they should be on their own designated shelf or in an assigned drawer. Likewise, magazines shouldn’t be stacked on top of the television, and playthings shouldn’t reside on the couch. Involve all household members in the process of defining the zones—then everyone will understand the system, and share responsibility for maintaining it.
If the living room also functions as someone’s office or craft space, restrict the activity (and its accessories) to a well-defined area. Set up a desk or worktable in a corner, against the wall, or in another space as far removed as possible from the main action of the room. If it helps, use a standing screen or floor plant to evoke a visual (and psychological) boundary. The reason is two-fold: first, you want to keep the office supplies from spilling over into the main living space. Second, you want to keep the office area free of clutter and distraction—you’ll be much more productive when you don’t have to clear toys from your desk before using it.
After dividing the space into zones, assign your stuff to your Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Deep Storage. As you recall, your Inner Circle items are those you use on a
Walk around the room, and name the reason for each item’s existence. For example: the couch is here because we sit on it to talk, play games, and watch TV. The coffee table holds our drinks and food, and provides a surface on which we can pursue our hobbies. The DVD player allows us to enjoy movies together. The clock on the mantle is a cherished family heirloom. The end table holds a pile of magazines that no one ever looks at. (Hmm…we might have to do something about that one.) As you evaluate your living room’s contents, don’t just gloss over the DVD collection or bookshelves. Consider each item individually, and question whether anyone still reads a certain book, watches a certain movie, or plays a certain game.
Be similarly thorough with your décor, considering each knickknack in turn. Do the decorative items in the room really bring you joy to look at? Or did they just accumulate over the years, and do nothing more than take up space? Try clearing the room entirely of non-functional pieces—sweep them from the shelves, the mantle, the console, and the side tables. Store them away in a box, and live without them for a week. Sometimes extraneous items can stifle our enjoyment of a space without us even realizing it. When they’re gone, we feel a wave of relief—like we finally have the room to stretch out and move around (without hitting or breaking anything). Notice how family members and guests react to the decluttered space—are they more relaxed? Do they move around more freely? Are they more enthusiastic to engage in activities?
Of course, if you truly miss an item—like a souvenir from a special trip, or a beautiful artisan bowl—feel free to retrieve it from the box and restore it to its rightful place. If its presence makes you genuinely happy, it has just as much reason to be part of the room as the practical stuff. The key: selecting and highlighting just one or two of these treasures, rather than turning your living room into a gallery of them.
Everything in its place
Since the living room sees so much action, it’s particularly important that everything has a place. Otherwise, things can become truly chaotic!
Therefore, establishing zones or activity areas is especially useful. Define the regions where you watch TV, store movies, read magazines, play games, and use the computer. Make sure that the objects involved with said activities are housed in their appropriate zone, and do everything you can to prevent them from straying into another. DVDs shouldn’t be piled on the coffee table; they should be on their own designated shelf or in an assigned drawer. Likewise, magazines shouldn’t be stacked on top of the television, and playthings shouldn’t reside on the couch. Involve all household members in the process of defining the zones—then everyone will understand the system, and share responsibility for maintaining it.
If the living room also functions as someone’s office or craft space, restrict the activity (and its accessories) to a well-defined area. Set up a desk or worktable in a corner, against the wall, or in another space as far removed as possible from the main action of the room. If it helps, use a standing screen or floor plant to evoke a visual (and psychological) boundary. The reason is two-fold: first, you want to keep the office supplies from spilling over into the main living space. Second, you want to keep the office area free of clutter and distraction—you’ll be much more productive when you don’t have to clear toys from your desk before using it.
After dividing the space into zones, assign your stuff to your Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Deep Storage. As you recall, your Inner Circle items are those you use on a
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