How to Organize a Family Room
Are you feeling overwhelmed when it comes to organizing your family room? You’re not alone! Having a comfortable and organized space for your family to relax is often easier said than done, especially with the hustle and bustle of life.
But don’t worry; it doesn’t have to be as daunting as it may seem! With these simple steps, you can easily organize the family room in no time.
How to organize a room your entire family loves to hang out in!
The family room is one of the most important rooms in the house. It’s where the family gathers to spend time together, watch TV, play games and relax.
However, it can also be one of the house’s most cluttered and unorganized rooms.
Toys, clothes, dishes, papers, and other things can quickly pile up, making it difficult to find a place to sit or get comfortable.
A messy family room can also be a source of stress for parents and children alike. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to organize the family room and make it a more enjoyable space.
If you haven’t yet, declutter your family room before diving into this article.
How do I set up a family room?
Before setting up a family room, it is important to consider the needs of everyone who will be using the space.
For example, if small children use the room, you may want to start by child-proofing the area to keep those littles safe.
If the family room is mostly used for gaming and watching television, you can house games and movies near the television area.
If reading is the main activity in your family room, a cozy chair and overhead light are the perfect way to customize this space.
Identifying the room’s purpose will make it easier to choose the proper setup and layout that will suit the space and everyone’s needs.
After coming up with a basic plan, you can follow this step-by-step approach to organize a family room that everyone will love.
How to Organize a Family Room
Whether you call it a family room, living room, or rec room, these tips will take you from cluttered and messy to streamlined and organized. Work through this list one step at a time.
I like to do a step each day or week, depending on my schedule. That way I know, I will make progress without stressing myself out.
Declutter the Room
The first step to organizing the family room is to declutter any unnecessary items. This means letting go of anything that is not used regularly or does not serve a specific purpose.
More often than not, the clutter you see is mostly items that need to be put away. Let’s tackle these things first.
The 3 Core Steps
These steps will help you quickly remove the stuff out of the family room so you can dive into organizing.
- Trash – Arm yourself with a bag and walk this room looking for any trash. Start with the easy stuff first. Things like empty food bags, old papers, tissues, napkins, etc. Finish by gathering up things that are broken.
- Recyclables – Arm yourself with another bag and look for any soda cans, water bottles, papers, or cardboard.
- Put away – This time, use a clothes basket and gather up any items that belong in another room. Once done, walk your home and put these things away.
Finish up working through any items that are left.
- Donate – Any items that you no longer need or use that you can give to someone else that may need them. Things like toys, games, movies, books, or magazines.
- Keep – Finally, put away anything that will stay in this room. If you do not have a spot to keep it, don’t worry, you will by the end of this article! Set those items aside for later.
Remember that keeping your room clean and tidy will be easier if you have fewer items.
Group Items by Categories
The next step is grouping similar items together. Keeping similar items properly in a designated space will help create a more efficient and organized area.
Additionally, categorizing belongings such as toys, games, books, movies, and other recreational items can help ensure that they are all kept together in one place.
This will make it easier to find items when needed and keep everything within reach to maximize the usage of the space.
Make a Home for Each Category
When setting up a family room, having set areas for different activities will really help you to streamline this room.
A few ideas are:
Entertainment – This is where you watch TV, and all the things you use for that will be kept in this area.
- DVD’s
- VHS movies
- Television
- DVD player
- Gaming system
- Video games
Reading, School work – This is where you read books and magazines or your kids do their homework.
- Reading light
- Table and chairs for doing homework
- Bin of pens and pencils
- A cozy chair
- Bookcase
- Basket with a blanket or two
- Table for a drink or journal
Play – This is where you play games or kids play with toys. I like to have a spot in our family room for these things because it helps to keep them from taking over an entire room.
- A toy box or plastic tote to hold toys for kids
- A basket to hold toys for your pet
- A table for playing games
- A tote of games
- A bin of dice, pencils, papers
Extra items – These are the things that will work in any spot in the family room.
- Remote – These items store best in a bin or basket on the coffee table.
- Pillows and blankets – These items store best in a large basket.
- Family photos and knick-knacks – There is nothing wrong with decorating your family room; just keep things to your favorite pieces to give a more organized feel to this space.
- Ottoman – I love storage ottomans, and they are super helpful at keeping a family room more organized. Small ones can double as end tables, larger ones as benches, and in between as footstools.
See my favorite storage benches here.
Use What You Have
Before heading out the to store, take a look at what you have. Are there items you can repurpose to use in your family room? Not sure? Let’s look at a few examples.
• A table and chairs may work well in the corner of your family room, giving a place to play games or do homework.
• A small dresser may work great up against the wall giving a place to hold books, movies, or video games.
• A toy box works perfectly to hold kids’ toys or games.
• A large basket can hold books or magazines you are currently reading.
• A wicker basket can hold your pet’s toys.
• A cloth hamper works great to hold extra pillows or blankets.
Remember, there are no rules to how you use containers or even furniture in your home. Look at what you have and see if you are using that item in the best way. If not, consider a new purpose and try it out. You might just be surprised at how resourceful you can be!
D/M Pro Tip: When organizing items, consider what family members use often or most frequently and place them where you can get them easily.
Container Ideas Storage
To make sure every item in your family room has its own specific place, you can try out using a few of these ideas.
- Shelving – Whether built-in or just regular, shelves can help you store a variety of items. Things like games, books, magazines, or family photos.
- Baskets – The perfect container for so many things, including your kid’s toys or extra pillows and throw blankets. See my top baskets here.
- Plastic Bins – I love plastic bins because they are another great way to organize a room and work great for games, toys, books, or blankets.
- Built-in cabinets – Cabinets are another great way to organize a space. You can use them to hold movies, books, candles, and misc items.
Finally, remember to label everything clearly so that everyone knows where to find the things they need and to also put those things away when they are finished.
Now that you have your room organized, let’s work on making this space one your entire family loves to be in.
Decorate the Room
When decorating the family room, it’s a good idea to use items that make you and your family happy.
Displaying family photos of special moments and milestones can spark nostalgia and create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
On the other hand, art prints can add an extra personality to the space while also creating conversation starters.
Additionally, soft lighting can help create a relaxed atmosphere, as well as comfortable furniture.
For colors, you may use shades that bring warmth and comfort, like earth tones or muted blues, which are great options for this purpose.
Lastly, when decorating the family room, focus on items that bring you joy and match the room’s atmosphere. Doing so will ensure that everyone can feel at home in the space!
Choose Comfortable Furniture
Proper furniture is key when it comes to having and creating a spot for everyone to sit and relax.
It’s important to choose pieces that will not only be comfortable but also suit the size of the space and add to the room’s overall look.
For example, you may consider using smaller-scale furniture like an armchair or loveseat and combine it with a sleek coffee table or ottoman if you’re space is limited.
This seating arrangement can provide just as much comfort as a larger couch without taking up too much of your floor area.
Not only will this help bring the family together for quality time, but it can also give the room a clean, inviting aesthetic.
Additionally, adding cozy throw blankets and extra pillows are always nice for a bit of cozy comfort, especially during cold winter nights. Look for fabrics such as velvet or faux fur that will add warmth and depth to your seating area while also feeling soft against the skin.
Streamline the Layout
Lastly, take some time to evaluate how you have the room set up. Is there enough room for your entire family to relax? If not, what you can you do to fix that?
Having a spot for everyone to sit and relax not only helps organize a family room but also adds style and warmth that makes it more inviting.
If you are not sure how to set things up, refer to the section above where we talked about the different activities that happen in a family room. This will help you to organize the layout more easily.
By following this guide, you can turn your family room into a space that is both inviting and organized. And with a little time and effort, you can create a beautiful and functional living space for your family to enjoy.
Spending time to organize the family room is a project that will benefit not only you but your entire family.
