Creative Ways to Display Everyday Items While Organizing Your Living Room

Keeping a living room organized can be a constant battle. As the main gathering area in most homes, living rooms tend to attract piles of everyday items like mail, bags, jackets, and paperwork. Not only can clutter make a room feel smaller and more cramped, but it can also create an unpleasant aesthetic.

The good news is that with some creative solutions, you can stylishly display everyday items while keeping your living room organized. By utilizing vertical space, investing in multi-functional furniture, and embracing unique storage and display ideas, you can create an Instagram-worthy living room that doesn't sacrifice function for style.

Declutter First

Before displaying items in your newly organized living room, it's important to start with a serious declutter. Take an afternoon to go through all the existing clutter and get rid of anything you no longer need or want. Have donate, trash, and keep piles ready to quickly sort items. The more ruthless you can be, the better!

Once the clutter is cleared out, thoroughly clean the room to create a blank slate. Now you'll have plenty of space to get creative with storage and display solutions.

Utilize Vertical Space

In smaller living rooms, utilizing vertical space can make a big difference in terms of storage capacity. Consider adding floating shelves or floor-to-ceiling bookcases to maximize storage potential. Wire shelving ups the visual interest while still keeping things light and airy. For a small unused nook, install a wall-mounted cabinet with doors to neatly tuck away items when company comes over.

Keep It Stylish

When using vertical space, don't forget aesthetics! Opt for wood tones and materials that coordinate nicely with your overall interior design scheme. Wicker baskets or fabric bins add texture and conceal items. Make sure to display decorative books, vases, frames, or greenery to prevent a boring, utility-only look.

Easy Accessibility

While vertical space offers plenty of storage capabilities, also remember to prioritize easy accessibility for frequently-used items. Reserve higher shelves for items rarely needing access, like fancy dishware or seasonal decorations. Everyday essentials like remote controls, phone chargers, or tissues should live at arm's level for convenience.

Invest in Multi-Functional Furniture

Choosing furniture pieces that serve multiple purposes is a savvy move in a small living room. Not only does multi-functional furniture save space, but it also adds ample integrated storage.

Look for coffee tables or ottomans that open to reveal hidden storage compartments perfect for storing blankets or board games. Media consoles with a mixture of open and closed storage help keep DVDs and gaming consoles organized but still easily accessible.

An upholstered bench at the foot of the bed offers extra, out-of-sight storage while also providing extra seating. Tables with fold down leaves or convertible furniture make it easy to reshape a room to accommodate different needs.

Maximize Your Investment

To get the most out of multi-functional furniture investments, be sure to regularly clean out compartments so you're utilizing all available storage space. It also helps to assign "homes" for certain items in specific compartments to maintain organization.

Creative Display Ideas for Common Items

Books

From coffee table books to worn paperbacks, book storage can be a challenge. Skip piling books horizontally to take up valuable surface space. Instead, consider these creative book display ideas:

• Stack hardcovers or decorative books vertically to act as an end table
• Hang open metal book ledges vertically on the wall for an artistic look
• Install floating bookshelves mounted high on the wall to act as artistic display

Photos and Art

Showcase cherished photos or art pieces around your living room without adding visual clutter. Useful display solutions include:

• Photo ledges to easily swap out images
• Gallery walls with eclectic frames and sizes
• Shadowboxes to highlight 3D memorabilia

Everyday Knickknacks

Remote controls, mail, car keys....small everyday items can quickly clutter flat surfaces. Make organization beautiful by contain these objects in style:

• Lidded baskets or ceramic canisters to corral items out of sight
• Clear acrylic organizers to neatly display while containing
• Wall-mounted mail sorters or key hooks keep essentials handy but tidy

Maintaining an Organized System

Creatively displaying everyday living room items helps create a tidy-looking space. But maintaining that just-organized appearance long-term requires dedication and adherence to new habits.

Aim to declutter the room for a few minutes daily by putting items back in their assigned "homes." Deal with papers, mail, or new purchases immediately rather than letting them accumulate. Use baskets or bins to move recurring clutter out of sight quickly.

Review your storage solutions quarterly and modify based on evolving needs. Constant tweaks ensure your organizational systems keep working efficiently.

A clean, organized living room has many benefits beyond just aesthetics. Tidiness and ample storage fosters relaxation helping occupants feel calm and centered. Displaying everyday items creatively also minimizes visual clutter so spaces appear more open and airy.

You can create a living room that's both beautiful and functional with some strategic decluttering, vertical storage solutions and multi-functional furniture. The organizational investment pays dividends for years through reduced stress and optimized functionality.