Living Room Organization: Smart Storage Solutions You’ll Love

Looking for living room organization ideas to help you clear the clutter? Today we’re sharing smart storage solutions I think you’ll love!

Today, we’re continuing the Fall Home Organization Challenge and tackling the living room!   

Your living room should feel comfortable, welcoming, and clutter-free.

Whether you’re watching a movie, playing games with family, or relaxing after a long day, the right organization solutions can make all the difference.

These ideas will help you maximize storage while keeping your space stylish and functional.

Use My 6/P Strategy to Organize the Living Room

Before diving into pictures of our living room, let’s start with my 6/P Strategy—a simple, step-by-step process that helps you organize any space in your home.

Follow these six steps to get your living room clean, clutter-free, and beautifully organized.  

1) Prepare

Gather your supplies before you begin so you can stay focused once you start.
You’ll need:

• One trash bag
• One cardboard box
• Two laundry hampers

You’ll use these for the following categories:

• Trash
• Donate
• Relocate
• Replace

2) Purge  

Now it’s time to declutter! Remove everything from the space except the furniture and sort each item into one of your four categories:

• Trash – Place anything broken or unusable in the trash bag.
• Donate – Put items you no longer want or need in the cardboard box.
• Relocate: Place items that belong in another room into laundry hamper #1.
• Replace – Put items that will stay in the living room in laundry hamper #2.

3) Polish  

With the clutter cleared, it’s time to deep clean. I always use a top-down approach — start with light fixtures and shelves, then work your way down to baseboards and floors.

Deep cleaning may not be the most fun part, but you’ll be so glad you did it when guests stop by or the holidays roll around!

4) Personalize

This step helps you create a space that’s not only organized but truly works for your family’s lifestyle. Ask yourself:

• What functions need to take place in this space?
• How can I make the space more visually appealing to me?

Use the Personalize the Living Room Printable to jot down your answers and ideas — it will help guide your next steps.

5) Place

 Now, it’s time to put everything back — thoughtfully and intentionally. 

• Trash: Take out the trash right away.
• Donate: Drop off donations as soon as possible.
• Relocate: Return items in hamper #1 to their proper rooms.
• Replace: Put items from hamper #2 back in the living room, grouping similar things together to keep the space neat and functional.

6) Put Back

Remember the golden rule of organization:

“A place for everything, and everything in its place.”

Once your system is set, spend a few minutes each day maintaining it — that’s the secret to a living room that stays clean and clutter-free!

If you’d like a detailed breakdown of my 6/P Strategy, click here to learn more.

And if you’d like access to my free Organizing Printable Library, join our email list here!

Once your living room is clutter-free and clean, it’s time to take your organization to the next level with wise furniture choices and stylish solutions!

Furniture Storage Solutions

Our living room has changed quite a bit over the years!

We recently updated the space by adding a fireplace with a TV mounted above it and built-ins on each side.

The new design gives us beautiful closed storage below and open shelving above for decor.

It’s the perfect combination of form and function!

Add Storage Cabinets

One of the biggest game changers in our living room organization has been adding closed storage cabinets.

The lower cabinets in our new built-ins provide the perfect place to store items we don’t want on display—like games, DVDs, or extra throw blankets.

Closed storage is helpful if you want to maintain a clean, uncluttered look.

It keeps everyday essentials close at hand but out of sight, which instantly makes the room feel calmer and more organized.

Before this update, we had a credenza under the TV with cabinets and drawers for storage.

Did you notice the glass doors on those cabinets?

That meant everything inside had to look tidy, so I used baskets to keep the contents organized and visually appealing.

That’s something to remember if you’re shopping for new furniture—glass doors are beautiful, but you’ll want to plan for storage that still looks neat behind them.

If you don’t have built-ins or the budget to install them, consider using a sideboard, credenza, or accent cabinet instead.

In our loft, we are using a cabinet we bought at an estate sale.

It was in terrible shape, but we cleaned it up and painted it black.

Then we purchased two inexpensive bookshelves to put on either side.

You can see the setup here in our post about organizing board games.

Incorporate Bookshelves

When we made over our living room, we decided to take the shelving all the way to the ceiling—and I’m so glad we did!

Using vertical space makes the room feel taller and provides more space for books, baskets, and decorative accessories.

If you’re planning to build or install shelves, consider a floor-to-ceiling design to maximize storage and create a custom, built-in look.

Before we added our built-ins, we had freestanding bookshelves on each side of our TV console.

They provided plenty of storage and looked great when styled with a mix of books and decor.

This is an excellent option if you’re renting or not ready for a permanent solution.

To keep freestanding shelves organized, use decorative boxes or baskets on the lower shelves to store smaller items like remotes, chargers, or board games.

Then style the upper shelves with books and accessories that reflect your personality.

Choose Furniture with Built-In Storage

If your living room doesn’t have space for additional cabinets or shelves, consider furniture with hidden storage.

Here are some practical ideas:

• End table with drawers for remotes or coasters
• Storage bench under windows or behind sofas
• Coffee table with drawers
• Nesting tables that save space when not in use
• Ottoman with a lift-up lid

Multipurpose furniture helps your living room stay organized without sacrificing comfort or style.

Stylish Solutions

Once the furniture is in place, it’s time to focus on the little details that make your living room feel cozy, stylish, and organized.

These simple storage ideas add personality to your space while keeping clutter under control.

Use Baskets to Contain Clutter

Baskets are one of my favorite living room organization tools because they’re as pretty as they are practical!

I placed two large woven baskets on the lower shelf of our table to hold extra pillows and throw blankets.

They keep everything close by for movie night, but still look neat and intentional.

Baskets are also great for corralling toys, magazines, or even pet supplies.

Choose textures and colors that complement your decor — natural materials like rattan, wicker, or seagrass add warmth and visual interest to any room.

For a cohesive look, use matching baskets in multiple spots around the room.

Or, if you prefer a more collected feel, mix sizes and styles for a layered, lived-in look.

Remote controls

Remote controls are one of those everyday items that always seem to end up scattered across the coffee table.

To keep our living room looking tidy, I’ve used a couple of simple ways to store them — and both work beautifully!

First, I placed a small woven basket on a side table.

It blends right in with our decor and makes it easy for everyone to find the remotes when needed.

The second option is to tuck them inside a drawer in an end table.

This keeps everything completely out of sight but still within easy reach.

If you don’t have baskets or drawers nearby, try using a decorative box or a small lidded container that matches your style (you could even wrap a shoe box in pretty wrapping paper!).

Little touches like this help maintain a clean, uncluttered look without sacrificing convenience.

Coasters

Look for coaster sets that come in lidded containers or holders.

They keep surfaces tidy and add a touch of organization.

I was so excited to find coasters in a decorative box at a yard sale.

I painted it to match our decor. You can see the DIY here.

I’m loving this simple, stylish solution that adds functionality without cluttering.

Organize Books as Decor

Books can add warmth and personality to your living room, but they can also look messy if not arranged thoughtfully.

One of my favorite ways to keep things looking tidy is to organize books by color or to paint the covers a neutral shade.

I chose to paint mine white for a clean, cohesive look that complements our decor.

They’re displayed between pretty bookends, which help define the space and keep everything in place.

If you have built-ins or open shelving, group books in small stacks or mix them with decorative objects like vases, candles, or framed photos for a curated, intentional look.

Store DVDs and CDs Out of Sight

Even though we can stream movies and music anytime now, I just can’t give up my DVDs and CDs!

If you feel the same way, the key is to store them so they don’t create visual clutter.

I organized our DVD collection in plastic sleeves, which saved a lot of space.

Then I arranged them by movie type in baskets — it keeps everything tidy, easy to find, and hidden away inside our closed storage cabinets.

If you’d like to see exactly how I did it, click here.

Keep Magazines Under Control

Magazines have a way of piling up quickly, so I try to keep only the most recent issue in our living room.

I store them in a decorative basket, which keeps things looking neat while still making it easy to grab and read.

When a new magazine arrives in the mail, I move the previous month’s issue to the magazine rack in our guest bedroom.

After another month, that one goes straight into the recycle bin.

This simple rotation system keeps our living room clutter-free and ensures I always have something fresh to flip through without letting stacks take over the space.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to living room organization, the goal is to create a space that feels both functional and inviting.

By using baskets, boxes, and cabinets with hidden storage, you can keep everyday items close at hand without cluttering your space.

Thoughtful touches, like neatly arranged books and organized media collections, add personality while keeping things streamlined.

With a few simple systems in place, your living room can look beautiful, stay organized, and work effortlessly for your family’s needs.

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Until next time, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram!

Blessings, Donna and Rich

More Home Organization Inspiration

Are you looking to organize other rooms in your home? Check out these posts:

• Dining Room Organization Ideas
• How to Organize Dresser Drawers
• Best Bathroom Closet Organization Ideas
• Ideas to Create an Organized Entryway
• Organize Kitchen Appliances to Free Up Space

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