7 simple ideas for tidying up the living room and keeping it organised at all times

1. Take advantage of the free space under the sofa

As we said, it's not about having a giant living room with a thousand cupboards, but about making the most of the space you have. And one of these spaces could be the one under the sofa, which we usually forget about completely, right?

Our suggestion is that you use bags or boxes designed for this area (depending on the measurements, the ones for under the bed can also be used) and that you store what you want to keep close by, but not in sight. For example: extra blankets, pillows or sofa covers. If you have kids at home, you can also use it to store some of their toys to keep them from being strewn across the room.

The bag you see in the picture is specially designed for that particular sofa, so it can even be used as an extra cushion. But, of course, we have many other options that can be adapted to yours, so it's just a matter of taking a look and gaining a storage space that you'll really appreciate in your day-to-day life.

2. Opt for a coffee table with storage

Another great way to expand the space you have available in order to keep your living room organised is to choose a coffee table with storage. If it also has castors and is portable, all the better, as you can move around it to meet your needs enabling you to put your space to better use. 

The one we suggest from the RÅVAROR collection, although small, has enough capacity and can be very useful for storing magazines, books or any other items you want to have close by when you sit or lie down on the sofa. Once you've finished using them, just put them back inside and leave everything uncluttered again.

Of course, it can also act as a side table if you already have a coffee table. You can place it next to the sofa or in any other corner you have free space. 

3. Keep all your technology in one place

Headphones, remote controls, hard drives, USB cables... If there's one thing that is increasingly present in every living room, it's technology and, with it, thousands of cables that make the space seem much less tidy, right? Not to mention the time we waste untangling cables after stowing them away haphazardly.

That's why our advice is to find a specific place in the living room to keep them whenever you're not using them. It could be a box like the one we're showing you, to which you can add a tray with compartments so that everything has its place, without tangles that could damage your devices. 

Of course, the size of this will depend on the number of people in the house and the accessories you need to store. 

4. Make the most of your living room walls

Do you still need more space? Then this idea is for you. The living room walls can become your best friend to keep everything perfectly tidy and in the right place.

For this you simply need to place some hooks on a wall you have free. These will allow you to hang everything from garments such as jackets or dressing gowns that you take off while you are in the living room to cloth bags where you can store textiles such as blankets or other accessories. 

You can also use them to hang a wall lamp or reading lamp near the sofa or armchair if you don't have a side table or enough space for a standing one, or simply want to make the room look more uncluttered. 

5. Mobile shelving that adapts to every moment

One of the main problems with tidiness in the living room is that we tend to carry things around separately, which makes it more complicated to put them all back in their place later on.

That's why a good alternative is to have a shelving unit on castors that allows you to take things to the area you need in an organised way, and with the possibility of returning them to their original place in one go when you've finished using them. 

6. Baskets and boxes to store everything you need

Apart from shelving, we also recommend other solutions such as baskets or boxes to store everything from textiles to books or even documents if you have an area of the living room set aside for work. 

At IKEA, we have options that are practical and have a design that complements the decor of the space, so you'll have both a tidy and beautiful living room. 

7. Flexible alternatives also in the dining room

Finally, do you have a dining area in your living room but the space is quite limited? Then we recommend you opt for solutions that allow you to "dismantle" it once you've finished lunch or dinner, in order to keep it tidier and save space. 

A good option could be folding chairs, which you can easily store or even hang on the wall with hooks, as we explained in point four. If you have a window nearby with a bench, you can also use it as a seating area. 

As for the table, you can move it against the wall and turn it into a desk for your computer the rest of the time. What do you think? 

We hope that these ideas will be useful and that you'll achieve that tidy living room that we all deserve, where you can spend relaxing moments and just disconnect. And, in case you're still hungry for more, we leave you with a selection of articles on home organisation that may be of interest to you.