NEW 4-week Spring Cleaning Challenge starts NOW | FREE DOWNLOAD

Living Room | Organization

Let Your Living Room Take Center Stage

July 4, 2022

The living room is one of the rooms we spend most of our waking hours in, but it can be one of the hardest rooms to arrange. We want to help you make your living room the most liveable room possible, with a few key tips. 

When you buy through our links, we may earn a small commission. 

1. Evaluate

Have a good look at your room and consider the following:

  • What do you love about it, and what drives you crazy?
  • If constant clutter or toys everywhere drive you batty, think about a storage system that might work for you.
  • Is your furniture the correct scale for the room? Lots of small furniture pieces in a large room can make it feel cluttered and busy. And on the flipside, giant overstuffed couches in a small living room can make it feel smaller and cramped.
  • Does the room function the way you use your living space? Since living rooms can serve so many functions, it’s important to think about the way YOU use it. Is it a playroom, TV room, game room, or all of the above?
  • Consider the way that people move through the space, also known as the flow of the room. What are the destinations within the room (ie: couch, chairs, bookcase, etc)… are there obstacles in the way? Do people need to walk through the living room to get to other areas in your house? If so, these require wider walkways. 

2. Less is more

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in a room that just has too much stuff in it. Start by taking out anything that you don’t use. If you have a collection of knick-knacks, pair it down to your favorites. Clear off the clutter from your coffee table. Invest in some smart storage that can store away or display some of the clutter, while still looking great; like Sarah’s sideboard (Canada) (USA), for instance. 

3. Clean it up

A clean space can be so beneficial to your mental and physical health. So the next step is to clean up your room.

  1. Work in a circle, top to bottom, and left to right. Start with your ceiling fan if you have one.
  2. Vacuum everything first, then wipe down surfaces (and walls where needed) with our recipe of 1 gallon of hot water and 1 tsp of powdered Tide® (no bleach here since there’s likely carpet or upholstery that could be ruined).
  3. Move your couches and vacuum behind and under them. (Don’t forget to vacuum (Canada) (USA) underneath your cushions and suck up any lint or pet hair on your upholstery.)
  4. Make sure to dust your fireplace, and clean your TV
  5. Lastly, give the whole space one last vacuum and mop.

4. Arrange

Now that you have a clean, decluttered room, it’s time to arrange your furniture. Here are some tips that designers use for arranging furniture:

  • Don’t place all the furniture against the walls. It sounds counterintuitive, but this actually makes your room look smaller. Even pulling your couch just 6 inches away from the wall will draw your eye away from the wall and into the room.
  • Consider flow. Where will people be walking in the room? How will they get from point A to point B? Does the room function as a walkway between other rooms in your home? Make sure you leave extra space as a walkway in this case.
  • What is the focal point of the room? Is it the fireplace, the TV, or something else entirely?
  • What is the purpose of the room? Is it a playroom? Do you play board games or watch TV? Make sure the furniture is arranged so that your room works for those purposes.
  • Do you have kids? Think about how they will use the room too. Also, if you need to be able to see them playing from another room like the kitchen.
  • Create conversation areas and groupings. 
  • Use an area rug to define the space, and ground the furniture groupings. (Hello, Ruggable®.) 

5. Let there be light and life

Nothing brings life to a space like actual living things. Maybe you have a green thumb or maybe you couldn’t keep a plant alive if your life depended on it – but no worries!
Start small – bring in one plant, see if you can keep it alive, and see how it makes you feel. (My 3 plant tips are: light, water, and drainage!) Then you can go from there.

Plants and humans need sunlight. Maximize your windows! Open up your blinds and let in all that natural light. Hang your curtains as close to the ceiling as you can to draw your eye up and out. 

6. Layer and accessorize

Now it’s time to add some personality. Bring in your favorite accessories and display them in a pleasing way. Consider the rule of threes: Items often look pleasing when grouped in sets of threes. But don’t let us tell you what to do. Play around with it. Up the ‘cozy factor’ by bringing in pillows and blankets.

Make Your House a Home

Need a place to start in your own Living Room? Find Sarah’s favourite items here as inspiration. (Canada) (USA)

Hopefully these tips will help you to create a living space that makes you happy. It’s a living room – now live in it! For more great cleaning tips, be sure to take our Basic Training interactive video course! You can learn more here.

For a list of our favorite products, click here.

  • Becky @ GoCleanCo

Recent Posts

Thank you! A confirmation email will be sent to your email

Clean up your inbox.

News, ideas, and recommendations delivered to your inbox. Absolutely zero trash piling up in the corner.

We're big on Instagram.

Follow @GoCleanCo for seriously satisfying videos and top-secret tips. Don’t be shy, come say hi.

gocleanco
Mar 25
16753

Spring cleaning isn’t over until we clean the windows. Sparkling windows make all the difference, you can actually see outside and let the sunshine in! I have a Spring Cleaning offer with @oceansalesltd up in my stories, it is a package deal with the AquaBLADE and the Carbon Tuff Cloths. Check it out! #sponsored

gocleanco
Mar 23
34833

Carpet Cleaner Fight Club 👊🏻 coming at you 3.23.23 get your 🍿 and pull up a 🪑 *Carpets were harmed in the making of this video* #springcleaning

gocleanco
Mar 19
13334

Remember to change your mop head every once in awhile 😎 @hairhouseyeg #shorthair

gocleanco
Mar 18
10370

How am I related to these people… #springcleaning

gocleanco
Mar 17
2895

Spring Cleaning all my @ruggable rugs today! I like to wash my @ruggable rugs in the spring and fall and also anytime someone spills something on them. You can also spot treat your Ruggable, they have a stain guard on them for fast emergency clean up! The Ruggable spring sale is running right now and you can use code SPRING23 for 15% off sitewide and up to 20% off the spring collection but it’s only for a limited time so don’t miss out! #sponsored #ruggablepartner

gocleanco
Mar 13
41415

Are you ready for bathroom week? My tub is so gross I have been pleasure delaying cleaning it just for you. #springcleaning

gocleanco
Mar 10
6857

Does your washing machine smell like a swamp? Well, we have a solution for that…..Plus, @target currently has a Circle offer for $2.00 Tide Washing Machine Cleaner in the Target App! Tide Washing Machine Cleaner should be used once a month to help maintain your machine from build up and odours, it works on both front and top loaders to help maintain your machine so you don’t have to pay someone else to. *Coupon expires April 3, 2023 #sponsored @tidewashingmachinecleaner Certain trademarks used under license from the Proctor & Gamble Company or its affiliates.

gocleanco
Mar 6
7308

Spring Cleaning Challenge 2023 is live on the website! Download the challenge and that is your entry into the contest to win a free house clean from @gocleanco in Fall 2023! Plus we will have other amazing weekly prizes of all my favourite things. Stay Classy San Diego, we had so much fun✌🏻 Now let’s do this Cleaning Army, we only have 4 weeks so we have to stay focused and on task. Follow along with me and your house will sparkle ✨ Full rules listed on our website. #springcleaning

gocleanco
Mar 4
7785

Good Morning San Diego! Well it’s nearly the afternoon and I have only cleaned half a fridge and sprayed an oven but all good things take time and patience. This place is gonna shine up like💎 #springcleaning

gocleanco
Mar 3
11158

@drpimplepopper but for your fridge #springcleaningisherebabyanditsmytimetoshine

gocleanco
Mar 1
3110

#ad Cleaning some stubborn carpet stains with the @bissellclean Little Green® ProHeat® Portable Carpet Cleaner and the amazing @febreze Spot & Stain Formula . It has Heatwave Technology® to help maintain water temperature as you clean, the tools are all included, My fav thing about is (besides it obvious cleaning power and compact design) is that it even has a handy dandy HydroRinse ™ Self Cleaning tool which rinse out the hose when you are done with your dirty work..…finally someone is thinking about cleaning the cleaning tools…my work here may officially be done. *Certain trademarks used under license from The Procter & Gamble Company @bissellcan @bissellclean @febreze #BISSELL

gocleanco
Feb 24
5173

Spring Cleaning Pain Points: What can’t you get clean and you feel like you have tried *eVeRyTHinG* under the sun? Drop it in the comments and I will take ✍🏻 and try to help ya! #springcleaning

gocleanco
Feb 23
1979

I am excited to be partnering on an IG live next week with P&G laundry scientist, Jennifer Ahoni, to discuss their newest laundry innovation, Downy Rinse & Refresh. It’s a fantastic solution to solve your stinkiest laundry issues and we’re going to deep dive into why this is the perfect complement to our favorite laundry detergent. #ad #downypartner #odorisnttheend @downy

gocleanco
Feb 17
6597

What’s your least favourite chore? Mines the never ending cycle of laundry. Like even when it’s done…you still have the clothes you are wearing on while you do the laundry so it’s never actually over…I have been know to rip socks off people if I’m putting in a load of whites to *feel like* I am beating the system 😵‍💫 I actually don’t mind sorting it, washing it, putting it in the dryer but the party stops there. I hate folding and putting it away. I feel like there should be a robot for this by now—it’s 2023! Now this the AI I can get behind.

gocleanco
Feb 1
29946

Dishwasher Filter 101 🤮 Whose ready for spring cleaning?! I’m gonna start psyching y’all up so you are READY FOR COMBAT. #springcleaning

gocleanco
Jan 19
52643

How often to you mop your floors? Be honest cause I’ll come over and check if you are lying. #cleaningmotivation

gocleanco
Jan 18
3275

Fancy New product Alert: Downy Rinse & Refresh is @downy ‘s biggest innovation in the last 30 years. Now, listen up because this isn’t like regular Downy, it is actually not a fabric softener, even though it goes in the fabric softener drawer! Rinse & Refresh helps with mega stubborn STINKY laundry by removing residue that traps in odour. It’s the perfect compliment to everyday smelly laundry like gym clothes, hockey clothes or that load of towels you left sitting in the washer overnight and actually removes odour three times better than laundry detergent alone. Come watch my stories today — I rounded up my teenage nephews hockey gear 😷and we will put it through the ringer. (Pun intended). What is your stinkiest laundry problem? Let me know in the comments and we can get researching 👩🏼‍🔬 #DownyPartner

gocleanco
Jan 12
12329

Bleach, Pray, Love (and a little elbow grease) 💕 #cleaningmotivation

gocleanco
Dec 31
18001

Wishing you a Tide-ey New Year. Fun fact about me: I live for Mondays. A fresh new week laid before me gives me motivation to get shit done. And January is the BIGGEST Monday of them all. Many people like to reflect on the last year but I like to look ahead and set some realistic and serious goals for myself. Take a deep breath and wake up from your Christmas haze and write down 5 things you want to get done in 2023…(or make a lock screen saver vision board like I do every year!) You don’t always have to join a gym you know. Maybe you want to clean your attic. Or take more naps. Be more present for your kids. Make your bed each morning. These goals can be small but impactful and have a domino effect throughout your life. Start small. The big stuff will follow. Thank you for sticking with me on this wild ride. We have so much in store for the #cleaningarmy in 2023 so buckle up! P.S. Lets pretend this photo was taken today cause I’m currently in my house coat cleaning everyone’s AirPods. 📸 cred @substanceyyc 💕

gocleanco
Dec 29
7220

Are you team Boxing Day Christmas decor tear down or Team January tear down? I took mine down before we left and I’m currently feeling like it was hands down, my most genius idea of 2022. Now to tackle the worlds largest pile of laundry and prep my life for 2023 🎉 #christmascleanup

©2023 Bleach Pray Love | Designed by Canned Spinach | Built by Oracast