Storage Ideas for the Living Room

Living rooms are often a magnet for clutter, and are often used as a dumping ground for books, newspapers, magazines, TV, videos, remotes, sound system, CDs, and hobby paraphernalia. If your living room doubles as an eating area, you'll also have dining essentials to accommodate.

• If space permits, invest in built-in or free-standing storage units.
• A small wire-mesh trolley is useful for cutlery, table mats, and so on, and can be moved to wherever it's needed.
• Don't have too many shelves in the living room. Necessary for books, and good for displaying decorative items, they can also act like a magnet to assorted clutter. Better to add some concealed storage, such as drawers and chests, where unattractive or rarely used items can be kept.
• Mini chests of drawers are good for keys, stamps, and other small items.