Spring Clearing – Living Room

Introduction to Spring Clearing your Living Room

Unless you live in a studio or a flatshare, you will likely have a living room in your house.

Depending on the size or the amount of clutter in your sitting room, it might be an idea to declutter in chunks rather than in one go. So, for instance, you might want to tackle your bookshelf, have a break and tackle the CD rack after. Of course, the things in your lounge are very individual, and you may not possess any of those mentioned above. But you get my drift, unlike the kitchen or bathroom, they won’t fall neatly into one category.

Tips and tricks on how to spring clear your living room

I will use my living room as an example of things you could spring clear.

Let’s start with books. Check out my earlier blog post here if you want a detailed article on how to part with books. Next, go through your bookshelf. Check whether there are any books you no longer wish to read and put them on the donate pile. Next, check that all books are still in order and how you intend to sort them. Check my article on sorting books here. Finally, take the books off the shelf and dust both the books and shelves and put them back.

You can declutter CDs, if you still have them, similarly. I store CDs in folders with archival sleeves rather than on the shelves to save space and create a more minimalist look.

Because I eat in my lounge, I have a plate cabinet and another for crockery. As part of a spring clear, I would empty the cupboard and clean it thoroughly. I will check whether any plates and cups need washing and put them back.

My lounge also has a coffee table which is the ideal place to dump random stuff such as newspapers. Clear that and recycle anything you don’t need. Wipe the surfaces and legs.

After cleaning and decluttering all surfaces, it is time to decide what to do with the things you no longer want.

You can take books and CDs to the charity shop or thrift store, as they are known in the US. In the UK, there are charity shops on every high street. Pick a charity you like and donate your unwanted items. Books can also be taken to the many free libraries scattered throughout the towns.

If you decide to redecorate or replace furniture items, there are multiple ways to get rid of furniture. For one, you could advertise your furniture on freecycle, a website where you can donate unwanted stuff for free. Some London councils also offer a service where they pick up furniture in good working condition to give to low-income families. Perhaps you know a young person moving into their first flatshare in need of furniture or household items; why not consider giving it to them?

Tomorrow we will look at decluttering your bedroom.

To get further ideas on how to get organised and more productive, check out my other posts here.

Need help with getting organised, contact me here, and I’d be delighted to work with you.

trabantbettina

Bettina Anna Trabant, Founder of Life Organised, your professional organising and decluttering service in East London. Eco-conscious minimalist and avid tea drinker,