Living room | QueenBeeing Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Support

Day 3 – Formal Living Room OR Entertainment Center (30-Day Home Makeover Declutter Challenge)

Day 3 – Formal Living Room

Welcome back to day three of our 30-day decluttering challenge! Today we’re going to work on organizing either the entertainment center, media area or the formal living room in your house.

If you think there’s not much to clean and sort through, you’re probably right … and wrong.

Most formal spaces are already neat as a pin. We don’t live in those rooms; sometimes we don’t even enter them. We tend to hide our chaos and clutter in the back of the house, in the rooms most guests don’t see. That’s fine. But, we are on this mission to organize our homes and taking a day for this room is still extremely useful.

If you have clutter or objects that do not belong in this room, by all means, take care of it now. If not, what have you always wanted to do to this room? Take the time now to try the sofa on another wall. Take the time to finally hang up that picture. Or, even, take the time to order new curtains.

Do whatever it is that you have been putting off.

So much of our lives is disorganized because we are constantly on the go and do not take time to do the little things. The next thing you know the little things have piled up into one massive BIG thing! I hereby grant you the time today.
What are you going to do with it?

Are Designer Throws Worth the Money?

by GuestAuthor

Note from the editor: I’m the first to admit that sometimes, a bargain buy is a better bet than a designer buy. Trendy items that will fade out within a month or two, for example, aren’t a worthy buy for me. But some items are less seasonal and more versatile, especially things like designer throws. Find out why Scialle Shawls owner Jane Cuddehe says designer throws are the way to go, right here.

Reasons Owning Designer Throws are Worth the Investment

But really, is it worth your money to own one or more designer throws? The answer is a big YES, and below are the reasons why:

1. You get to enjoy a throw with timeless style.

If there’s one major difference between mass produced and designer throws, that would be the lasting effect. A typical throw may look old and withered over time, while a designer counterpart may last for years and changing fashion trends without looking off.

This is because designer patterns and styles are made with a touch of strategy. The people behind these covers make it a point to come up with patterns, color layers and other details to make them last for years in the fashion world. With this kind of design, you are able to hold on to one throw and establish a signature style without pulling too much effort.

2. Designer throws last longer-literally.

Another important reason to own such a throw is that you are able to enjoy its durability for many years. Most designer scarves, stoles, and throws are made with high quality materials, so that even if they look and feel delicate, they do not easily tear apart.

Most branded throws are low maintenance; this means you can wash and keep them without using special products and procedures, and still their beauty and durability will linger throughout time.

3. Designer throws help you save money.

If there’s one mistake most fashionistas commit, that would be buying more scarves, throws, and shawls every time the fashion trends change. This only makes them spend more, albeit unnecessarily. You don’t want to commit the same blooper, right?

It would then be a better move to purchase one or a few branded throws in one blow, and from there you get to use them according to your own preferences. Sure, spending for these throws can be expensive, but you are saved from buying more and more throws in the future, as you are already settled with what you already have.

4. You have an ultimate status symbol.

Designer throws are a favorite status symbol of many homeowners, particularly those who are aiming to add a touch of class in their living room. Since throws can be used as covers for sofas and center tables, you can place one as an adornment to your favorite couch.

Having such a throw on your sofa gives the impression that while you may not be after the latest fashion trends, your home (particularly your living room) is able to channel a classy, timeless, and ever stylish look.

When shopping for designer throws, you may want to go with a name that matches your character and style. This way you are able to live up to its designs and not simply follow the brand.

*This post was syndicated from ScialleShawls.com with permission. Visit Scialle Shawls on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

Zen Mind: How to Declutter

by GuestAuthor

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

One of the things that gives me most peace is have a clean, simple home. When I wake up in the morning and walk out into a living room that has been decluttered, that has a minimalist look, and there isn’t junk lying around, there is a calm and joy that enters my heart.

When, on the other hand, I walk out into a living room cluttered with toys and books and extra things all over the place, it is chaos and my mind is frenetic.

I’ve been a simplifier and a declutterer for years now (probably 8-9 years) and I’ve gotten pretty good at it, but I’ve found that you have to keep coming back to revisit your clutter every once in awhile.

Here are my top decluttering tips:

Do it in small chunks. Set aside just 15 minutes to declutter just one shelf, and when that shelf or that 15 minutes is up, celebrate your victory. Then tackle another shelf for 15 minutes the next day. Conquering an entire closet or room can be overwhelming, and you might put it off forever. If that’s the case, just do it in baby steps.
Set aside a couple hours to do it. This may seem contradictory to the above tip … and it is. It’s simply a different strategy, and I say do whatever works for you. Sometimes, for me, it’s good to set aside part of a morning, or an entire Saturday morning, to declutter a closet or room. I do it all at once, and when I’m done, it feels awesome.
Take everything out of a shelf or drawer at once. Whichever of the two above strategies you choose, you should focus on one drawer or shelf at a time, and empty it completely. Then clean that shelf or drawer. Then, take the pile and sort it (see next tip), and put back just what you want to keep. Then tackle the next shelf or drawer.
Sort through your pile, one item at a time, and make quick decisions. Have a trash bag and a give-away box handy. When you pull everything out of a shelf or drawer, sort through the pile one at a time. Pick up an item, and make a decision: trash, give away, or keep. Don’t put it back in the pile. Do this with the entire pile, and soon, you’ll be done. If you keep sorting through the pile, and re-sorting, it’ll take forever. Put back only what you want to keep, and arrange it nicely.
Be merciless. You may be a pack rat, but the truth is, you won’t ever use most of the junk you’ve accumulated. If you haven’t used it in the last year, get rid of it. It’s as simple as that. If you’ve only used it once or twice in the last year, but know you won’t use it in the next year, get rid of it. Toss it if it’s unsalvageable, and give it away if someone else might be able to use it.
Papers? Be merciless, unless it’s important. Magazines, catalogues, junk mail, bills more than a year old, notes to yourself, notes from others, old work stuff … toss it! The only exception is with tax-related stuff, which should be kept for seven years, and other important documents like warranties, birth and death and marriage certificates, insurance, wills, and other important documents like that. But you’ll know those when you see ‘em. Otherwise, toss!!!!
If you are on the fence with a lot of things, create a “maybe” box. If you can’t bear to toss something because you might need it later, put it in the box, then close the box, label it, and put it in storage (garage, attic, closet), out of sight. Most likely, you’ll never open that box again. If that’s the case, pull it out after six months or a year, and toss it or give it away.
Create a system to stop clutter from accumulating. There’s a reason you have tall stacks of papers all over the place, and big piles of toys and books and clothes. It’s because you don’t have a regular system to keep things in their place, and get rid of stuff you don’t need. This is a topic for another day, but it’s something to think about as you declutter. You’ll never get to perfect, but if you think more intelligently about how your house got cluttered, perhaps you can find ways to stop it from happening again.
Celebrate when you’re done! This is actually a general rule in life: always celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. Even if you just decluttered one drawer, that’s great. Treat yourself to something delicious. Open that drawer (or closet, or whatever), and admire its simplicity. Breathe deeply and know that you have done a good thing. Bask in your peacefulness.

Other posts about decluttering elsewhere: