Hey girl! Today, we’re going to dive into how you can create a cozy and functional gathering space for your family by organizing and taking charge of your living room!
While it is widely accepted that the kitchen is the heart of the home, I actually disagree. Your living room is the hub of most activity in your house and is typically one of the first spaces that you see upon entering. Taking the time to ensure that your living room not only looks great, but also serves your family well for your current season of life is essential!
Assess Your Current Space
Take a good look around your main living area in your home and ask yourself is this working for us? Could it be better? What pain points do we have in here on a daily basis?
Is there anywhere to safely set the baby if you want to lounge with your coffee for a moment?
Do you constantly have a pile of clean clothes on one side of the couch waiting to be folded?
Are there toys scattered about everywhere with no area to corral them?
Is your coffee table perfect for game nights or just in the way when you have family dance parties?
Thoroughly evaluate your wants and needs here and make a plan to tackle those pain points!
For example: in our house, I decided that an ottoman makes more sense than the coffee table during this season of life for our family. The coffee table was always cluttered with drinking glasses or random items that had been set down there which did not belong – so I swapped the table for the ottoman. Now, no more random items in the living room and it’s become a favorite climbing option for the toddler. Win – win.
Making your living room a cozy space for your whole family to enjoy is totally doable. This could be the boost you need to start loving your home again. I mean, let’s face it, with little ones running around, our living rooms can sometimes resemble a toy explosion site rather than a cozy haven. But fear not, because I’ve got some more tips to help you strike that perfect balance between style and practicality!
Whether you have a grand space to work with or a tiny 14×14 box with awkward angles like our house, you can definitely make the space work to it’s fullest potential. Let’s get started.
Decluttering
First things first, let’s talk about decluttering. If you know me at all, you knew this was coming. I will die on this hill, y’all. Decluttering is SO impactful for your mental health and is a HUGE part of learning to love the physical space you’re in. When tackling any room, the first step should always be a thorough decluttering. If you don’t love it or find it to be useful or beautiful, why are you hanging onto it?
This is especially important for those of us who have smaller homes or don’t have a separate space for all of the different activities that go on inside of our walls. Perhaps your living room doubles as a home office? Or a homeschool area? Or it may be one big space that includes the dining room and foyer. Regardless of what you’re working with, a clutter-free gathering space can make your home feel more inviting and useful for everyone.
Keep only what you love
Now, rest assured, this doesn’t mean you have to have a sparse living space or no toys or decorative objects at all – no no! We don’t want the room to feel sterile! We simply want to ensure that every item has a home or designated space within the room. Organizing your things will be addressed later on. For now, you need to focus on what should remain in the space. What will you use or enjoy seeing every day and what probably won’t be missed?
Set aside some time to go through toys, books, and knick-knacks. Donate or store away anything that’s not being used regularly. Toy rotations are also an easy way to keep the clutter at bay!
For more on decluttering check out my Mom’s Guide to Decluttering for some helpful tips! You will never regret decluttering your home. Your future self will thank you!
Decor Tips
Now, for the fun stuff! How do you make your family room a comfortable space that is also a reflection of your personal style? In order for you to have a cozy and welcoming home, each space must feel like it was customized for your family’s individual needs and wants, while also being aesthetically pleasing. Decluttering was step one. You must be rid of the extra things in order to maintain and fully appreciate what you have and use each day.
Once you’ve done your due diligence, it’s time to reference your favorite Pinterest boards or magazines and get some ideas of how you want the space to look and feel. Your family room decor should be somewhat relaxed. A soothing color palette, comfortable seating, plenty of throw pillows and either a floor lamp or table lamps for ambient lighting are a must. Using an overhead light in rooms that are meant for gathering is counterintuitive and does not elicit a calm environment.
Your Personal Touch
When it comes to making your living room look and feel more like a reflection of you and your family, it’s all about finding the right balance between style and comfort. You’ll want this to be a functional space that is also a great place to gather for serious quality time. Be ready to snuggle up for movie nights or host a family board game night with everything you need within reach. Think soft throw blankets, plush floor cushions for extra seating options, and foldable tables you can pull out if needed.
A large area rug is essential to tie the room together but this doesn’t have to be a splurge item. I’ve found many a beautiful large rug on Facebook Marketplace for a steal. Be patient until you find what you’re looking for that won’t blow your budget! You may want to opt for more durable, kid-friendly materials that can withstand the occasional spill or sticky fingers. I’ve personally found that wool rugs tend to hold up the best with kids and dogs running about.
Wall Art
For the walls; don’t be afraid to inject some personality into your space. Fun wall art or decorative accents will help reflect your family’s unique style. I do recommend having at least one or two family portraits or candid albums available in the main living space. It doesn’t have to be a full gallery wall, but seeing old photos can be so much fun for kids and adults alike. In fact, I was reading a study recently on the importance of family photos in your home and how it helps to instill a sense of self confidence and joy in our children. It’s amazing how a few family photos can be so impactful.
Time to finally get some of those photos printed from your family photos last Fall. – Preaching to the choir over here as I am 100% guilty of not printing out photos as often as I should!
Functionality
Let’s be real, functionality is key when you have little ones tearing through the house like mini tornadoes. So, when choosing furniture and storage solutions, think practicality first. Important considerations here would include: how is this space used most often? Do you host grown ups more often or children? Are you a movies and TV kind of family or would you rather have stacks of books and art supplies within reach?
Keep the various activities that this space will host in mind as you consider the most functional layouts and furniture pieces to create a relaxed family room.
It will serve you well to look for furniture with built-in storage, like ottomans with hidden compartments or coffee tables with drawers. Side tables that have an extra shelf underneath for picture books or magazines. We personally use an antique hutch as our TV stand and it has wonderful hidden storage compartments that we utilize for hiding the less pretty items my family likes to have within reach. It’s the perfect spot for our coloring books and board game stash.
There are many clever storage solutions these days to help keep visual clutter at bay. These hidden storage options also make it easier to tidy up in a pinch. 10 minute tidy for the win!
Organize
And speaking of tidying up, let’s talk about organization. Implementing simple organizing systems can make a world of difference in keeping your living room neat and tidy. Invest in baskets or bins to corral toys, books, and other odds and ends. Storage space is always welcome but consider how you’ll be storing what items. How much storage space do you really need? Items like board games and children’s toys are unsightly and should probably be tucked away behind closed doors if possible. Soft throw blankets on the other hand, could be stored in open baskets or even draped over the back of a chair or sofa.
A full entertainment center is certainly not a necessity and in some cases simply wouldn’t fit; however, the storage it provides could come in handy if you do have the room to spare! Be careful with this one though as some entertainment centers can quickly date the look and feel of your room. Built in’s would be the way to go if you have the means to add them.
Furniture Placement
Lastly, when considering living room design ideas, don’t forget to consider the layout of your living room. This area is likely the true heart of the home and all interior designers would agree that a note of visual interest and a general focal point will be important to keep in mind here.
Furniture pieces should be arranged in a way that encourages flow and conversation, while also leaving plenty of open space or a designated play area for little ones. And don’t be afraid to rearrange things every now and then to keep the space feeling fresh and functional.
Our living room is tiny by modern standards. It is a 14×14 square and its only saving grace is the 2 story feature with added windows. I would love to be able to invest in new furniture that is better suited to this challenging space but for now, we are making due!
Things to notice:
- There is a clear walkway through the room
- Furniture is arranged so that conversation can happen. The sectional couch on one side and the armchair beside the TV is facing the couch.
- Every single thing in this space is used on a daily basis! Some may consider the plants to be clutter but to each their own. I love them!
- Each item has a “home” within this space. Toys belong in the basket under the TV. Art supplies and board games go in the buffet. Throw blankets are in the open basket next to the armchair. Etc.
So there you have it! With a little decluttering, some cozy touches, and a dash of practicality, you can transform your living room into a space that’s both stylish and family-friendly. Here’s to creating a home that looks good and works for you and your beautiful family.
Until next time!
Olivia
Don’t forget to Pin for later!
I love scrapbooking and have a few scrapbooks that I used to keep on the coffee table. We got rid of the coffee table because its not the best use of space for our current season in life. Where do you keep your photo albums that encourages folks to flip through them?
So, we have been using Chatbooks Minibooks to print our photos the past few years and I keep a stack of them on the side table or mantel for folks to flip through at leisure. They are monthly books so it’s easy to go through them and pick out one you want. They are also small in size and stack well so it’s easy to slip them into your decor without overwhelming the table or area. I love them and keep them accessible for our kids to flip through – they enjoy looking at them!
These tips are so good! I think decluttering can do so much to a space. Thanks for sharing!
Agreed! Decluttering alone can sometimes be enough to transform the space. Thank you for reading!
This is such an ideal blend of function and practicality with beauty and coziness! They really are both needed, and I so agree about the decluttering. Not that I do it so well all the time… I used to rotate our toys as well, and it makes a difference. Plus the delight when new/old toys appear on a rainy day!
Yes!! The reappearance of toys when they thought they were gone forever brings a whole different type of joy. Their sweet little faces coupled with less clutter for mama to clean on a daily basis is enough to keep me doing it. Thank you for stopping by!