Struggling to keep your small living neat and tidy? Wishing you had more space to make you feel more at home?
Well, you can’t make a small room bigger. But you can reorganize it and open up more space.
Organizing can be a bit of a challenge, but if you know how to do it, it’s not hard at all. And it doesn’t mean that you need to become a minimalist overnight. There are ways to fit everything you need, even in the tiniest of spaces.
Ready to get organized once and for all? Check out these 7 unique tips for reorganizing your small living room.
Table of Contents
Get Rid of as Much as You Possibly Can
Okay, so you don’t have to get rid of everything.
But you should purge the things you don’t use and don’t need. Regardless of the size of the room, purging unnecessary things is the best way to declutter your apartment.
Spend a few hours (or an entire weekend if need be) separating items into “Keep” and “Toss” piles. Throw out anything old, worn, or useless. If it can be reused, donate it to a thrift store. You also need to keep the space clean.
Also Read: The Best Living Room Carpet & Flooring Options
The trick is to get rid of anything that you don’t need. The less clutter you have in a small space, the bigger that space will appear to be.
Downsize Your Furniture
The best way to make a small room even smaller is to put large furniture in it. To avoid this issue, opt for small pieces of furniture that fit the space better.
If you have a tiny living room, you probably won’t be able to fit an entire living room set. You may not even be able to fit a couch.
Here’s how to work around that:
Forgo the couch in favor of a loveseat. If you have room, add one or two accent chairs. If you really want a unique look, skip the loveseat altogether and design the room with two or three chairs instead.
Forget about the big, bulky coffee table. Go with a streamlined table or opt for two smaller tables instead of a big one.
It may be traditional to flank your couch with end tables topped with table lamps, but that’s usually not possible in a small living room. Instead, consider using one end table with one lamp or ditching the tables altogether in favor of a floor lamp.
The trick is this:
In a small room, use as little furniture as possible to serve your day-to-day needs. The less furniture you have in the room, the bigger the space will seem.
Choose Furniture That Doubles as Storage
When space is limited, storage can be the biggest challenge of all. One way to get around this is to look for pieces of furniture that do double duty as concealed storage.
Ottomans with lift-up lids offer hidden storage and can function as seats or tables.
If you’re more traditional, look for coffee tables and accent tables with shelves underneath. Those shelves can be used to house little things like remote controls, coasters, and books or magazines.
Make Use of Vertical Space
Get items up and off the floor as much as possible. The more floor space you have, the bigger the room will look and feel.
Take advantage of the room’s height and make use of the walls wherever you can. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are simply perfect in a small space. Not only do they draw the eye upward, making the room appear taller, but they also provide storage.
But that doesn’t mean you can fill those shelves with clutter. Add storage bins and decorative boxes as needed to keep your small items in order.
Utilize the Space Behind (or Beneath) Your Sofa
In a small living room, you must utilize every square inch. That means taking advantage of the space behind, or beneath, your couch.
The space behind your sofa is the perfect place to stash folding chairs and tables. It’s also a great spot to hide storage bins for extra blankets and throws that you don’t need year-round.
Designate a Place for Everything
The best way to organize your living room is to make an action plan, get organized, and then stick with it.
And how do you do that? By designating a space for every single item from mail to keys to cables and chargers.
A few small bins near the door or on an eye-level shelf are usually all you need to keep small items at bay. It’s easy to let little items clutter up your coffee table and make the entire room look messy. But if you assign everything a specific place – and stick with it – clutter will be a thing of the past.
Declutter on a Regular Basis
Do you want to know the easiest way to organize a small living room? Keep the clutter to a minimum. Organize the room ONCE, then clean and purge regularly.
In order to stay organized, you have to be conscious of every single item you bring into your home. Before you buy something new, ask yourself if it actually serves a purpose.
If it does, think about where you’re going to put it. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself back in a cluttered mess in no time.
Conclusion
Organizing any room comes with certain challenges. But if you know how to approach it, it can be done.
Purge everything you can. Use the least amount of furniture possible and look for pieces that provide concealed storage. Make use of vertical space, use the space beneath and behind your sofa, and designate a home for every single item.
And, most importantly, keep the clutter to a minimum at all times. You don’t have to become a minimalist with just one table and one chair. But you do need to make sure you’re not cramming 1,000 square feet of stuff into a 250 square foot room.
Author Bio:
Prime Place KSU develops student housing within walking distance to campus. We offer Studio through 4 bedroom apartments and do roommate matching. All our apartments have solid surface floors, granite countertops and washer/dryer in unit.
