Time to Refresh the Living Room
- Jonda Beattie
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Spring is a time of renewal.
When the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, we naturally want to bring some of that into our living space.
While I am overwhelmed by the idea of a total spring clean of my whole house, March is my favorite time to declutter and freshen up my living room.
Set a vision
I use my living room to entertain, eat, read, and listen to music. I want the space to feel inviting, comfortable, and embracing to everyone who enters. I want to be able to exhale when I walk through my front door.
Brainstorm a “to do” list
I note what needs adjusting for this to happen.
The magazine basket is way too full. There are some winter accessories that are still out but no longer needed. The window, upholstery, and the rug are a bit dingy. The whole room needs a deep clean.
Schedule the tasks
I want to complete this project this month, so I schedule on my calendar when to do each project, leaving some wiggle room in case life interferes.
When scheduling my deep clean, I find it easiest to work one wall at a time.
During the first week I will work on the wall that holds my cabinet. I will pull out everything and see if any of it is no longer needed. I will clean out the shelves and replace by category everything that stays. My magazine basket is also on that wall so I will sort out magazines, putting aside a few for a friend and only keeping the last issue of the others.
The second week I will work on the window wall which has two long windows, a recliner, an end table, and the front door. The windows are the most difficult task as they have long venetian blinds that need cleaning. But it’s important to me to let the sun shine through into this space.
The third week I will work on the couch wall along with the coffee table and a metal container that holds my bar supplies.
On my last week I will work on the closet which is right around the corner.
Sometime during the month, I will schedule to have the rug and upholstery professional cleaned.
Celebrate
I like to put out some fresh spring flowers, light a pastel candle, and enjoy my bright and shining sanctuary.
By using my Zone Plan I will not deep clean this area for another year but to keep my vision, I will follow a maintenance plan. On a regular basis the room will have a dusting and sweeping. Each morning before I sit down with my coffee, I will do a sweep of the room and put away anything that has been left out.
Conclusion
By taking the time to deep clean my living room this month I have set the tone for the whole house to follow. I spend a lot of time in this room, and it sets the tone for making my home my refuge.
If you need some help jumpstarting a project or some guidance with organizing your time or space, reach out and we can schedule a consultation.
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Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.
I've never been to your house, but I've been following your blog and your Zone Plan for so long that I recognized your living room right away. I have far fewer rooms than you do, but I'll be working on my living room this month, too. It's a perfect springtime Zone. Thanks for the important reminder. I'm dreading dealing my Venetian blinds, too, but it must be done!
I am with you, Jonda! This past weekend, I cleaned my step landing shelves and the items on them. I love starting in March because I do not want to rush the process; it is so rewarding. My deep clean starts in March and can run through April/beginning of May. Thanks for sharing your process.
I'm good at tackling just one area at a time, but not so good at maintenance. Maybe as I complete tasks in the future, I'll schedule them as recurring at an appropriate interval so I don't end up waiting until there's a problem. Thanks for the inspiration!
I always love when you share how you do Zone cleaning and organizing for your own home. Your living room looks lovely, clean, and spring ready.
With so much snow still here in New York, it's hard to imagine that spring is on its way. But soon, as the snow melts and the temps warm, the crocuses will start to bloom again. I can't wait to see them poking up from the earth.
The living room is a space that doesn't gather as much clutter as the kitchen or mudroom. The way I "refresh" it is by changing out the pillows, lampshade, and throws. Red in the winter, neutral for the warmer months. I do periodically take everything off the shelves and do a thorough clean. My biggest challenge is the sheer blinds I have that collect dust. I'm not sure what the best way to clean these is?