15 living room storage ideas to declutter your space

The living room should be a place to relax and recenter. However, as one of the busiest areas of the house, the space can easily become overwhelmingly cluttered.

Unfortunately, most of the things that clutter up the living are deemed essential. Letters, kid’s toys, wires from everyone’s phone chargers, etc. Pair that with sofas, side tables and other accent furniture and you’ve got a lot of ‘stuff’ to organize in the room.

If you’re looking for a way to organize your living room, you’ve come to the right place. 

Whether space is premium, or you’re looking for a way to manage the toy-tornado that comes with the Terrible Twos, we’ve got living room storage ideas just for you.

Built-in media storage

If you keep asking yourself ‘how do I get more storage in my living room?’ building your own media display unit may just be the solution.

For lounges that aren’t so stuck on space, investing in a built-in media display makes perfect sense. By taking a few inches off the size of the room, and plastering shelving and TV storage in place, you’ll keep the living room free from a death trap of wires, with additional storage for books, records and ornaments.

Secret storage side tables

For those that want to hide storage in their living room, so as not to ruin the overall look and feel, there are plenty of side table choices that offer ‘secret’ or hidden storage options.

Side tables with tray tops are perfect for serving drinks on for a Sunday gossip with friends, or for tidying away homework and magazines. There are also tray top nests of tables. Hide smaller items into one of the tray tops and slide it under the other tables for a neat and tidy finish.

Ottomans

Ottomans are quite possibly the best living room storage ideas. Especially if cushions, throws and extra bedding is what you want to organize.

Ottomans that lift up, are great for storing away all your clutter when not in use. If you’ve got a sofa bed, like the Model 4, ottomans are the perfect place to store bedding for those spontaneous sleepovers.

Place the ottoman at the end of the sofa, and it will look like an extended seating space or corner piece.

An abundance of baskets

If the house is quick to look like a hurricane has struck, baskets are your new best friend. Whether you go for printed canvas options, or wicker ones, baskets are a stylish way to collate clutter.

For families, teach the kids to put their toys back in these baskets each time, or make a game out of it.

You could even make a display out of smaller baskets by using hooks to place them at different levels on the wall.

Stackable storage

Simple cube storage is perfect for stacking or grouping together to create display units, TV stands and additional storage.

Either fill the gaps with storage boxes, or leave them open for displaying decorative items.

Stackable storage cubes are great small living room storage ideas, as they can utilize the upward space, rather than taking up room at floor level.

Read this post for more small living room ideas.

Alcove storage

A fair few of us will live in a property where the living room has alcoves on either side of the fireplace.

If this is the case, adding storage into these areas can certainly help keep the room tidy, while looking stylish at the same time.

Use floating shelves within each alcove and paint them the same colour as the wall for a bespoke storage look on a budget. Alternatively, add matching storage units to each alcove to create usable symmetry in the room.

Lift up the shelving

Storing away books and DVDs can be difficult. Especially if you want it to look pretty.

By lifting up shelving nearer to the ceiling, you can store away all those infrequently used items that have no where else to go. They’re still in reach when needed, but don’t clutter up the space, and keep the eyeline neat and tidy.

Shelves + Desk space

Small living room storage ideas are always tricky. But after a year-long hiatus from the work office, we’ve all had to make do with the space we have for a little remote working.

If your business has taken the plunge to incorporate working-from-home into the normal routine, use carefully spaced out shelves in the alcoves. Or at the back of the lounge.

This should be enough room to store away everything you need for work and play. Plus, give you a little seating space when you need to crack down on your laptop, or when the kids need to do some homework.

Coffee tables with storage

There are plenty of coffee table designs available that incorporate smart storage solutions. Some have a lifting top, while others incorporate smaller storage spaces around the edges. 

Although glass coffee tables look sleek and sophisticated, they do make it difficult to hide the mess. Instead, opt for a more chunky piece that allows you to store things out of sight.

Sideboards

Sideboards are a great storage option for using in the living room. They’re less clunky than a tall unit, and don’t interrupt the natural light and airflow of the room.

In an open plan living space, sideboards are also useful for dividing up the room without casting shade and darkness.

Sideboards can be used for household clutter, DVDs or even be converted into a bougie bar for Saturday evenings in.

Rather than placing a sideboard at the side of the room, why not use it as a back board for the sofa? Find a sideboard that fits with the height of your sofa and use this space for storing away shoes, glassware or anything else you need to organize.

Alternatively, use this blog to explore other behind-the-sofa storage and decor ideas.

Window seats and framing

By framing a window with shelving or storage cubes, you can create a simple storage idea that doesn’t take up floor space. You could also create a window seat for reading. Under the seating area, you’ll have created a new space for storing away those less attractive items.

If your front door is in the living room, you could even store away shoes and coats here.

Storage trunks for toy boxes

So what about toy storage ideas for the living room?

Well, how about old trunks or storage ottomans? These great pieces are super functional, last a lifetime and offer a great style. They can be used in an urban and contemporary home, a vintage suite or a small shabby chic abode.

Sturdy trunks can also double up as coffee tables or extra seating.

Smaller trunks and chests can slot fashionably into unused fireplaces, so as not to take up more space in the room.

Glass cabinets

Depending on what you need to organize, glass cabinets may be an option.

Books can be neatly arranged in rainbow order to create a display-within-a-display. Alternatively, use glass cabinets to store away extra glassware, vases and decorative items.

Using glass instead of bulky wood pieces gives a lighter, more elegant look. It’ll also help to keep natural light flooding into the room.

Ladder shelving

If you do need something a little more practical than glass cabinets, laddered shelving could do the trick. Rather than using storage with a back panel, ladder shelving keeps things light and airy while also offering a simple and sophisticated storage solution.

Stack books, candles and ornaments on laddered shelving units and lean against the wall for a rustic look.

Mirrored backdrops

On the topic of back panels, sometimes you need the storage that larger units offer. If this is the case, use mirrors at the back of each shelf to create an elegant finish that also makes the room look, and feel bigger.

There are plenty of suggestions here to get you started. It’s time to think about multi-purpose furniture, rather than what looks nice. But while you get the storage ideas whirring, shop our sofas. After all, you still need somewhere comfy to sit.