Living room liberation

How to make a room look 90% tidier in less than 10 minutes
Here are a few tricks to improving the look of a bedroom or living room in just a few minutes.

1. Focus first on the largest piece of furniture in the room, either the bed if it is a bedroom, the sofa in the living room or the dining table, for example. Clear all clutter onto the floor and straighten the furniture. A bed takes up about 60% of the floor space in a room so the simple act of making the bed when you rise in the morning will do wonders for your perception of your bedroom!
   
2. Open the curtains or blinds wide to allow as much light as possible into the room and open the window to air the room out – if it's cold, just do this for 5 minutes so you don't waste too much energy!
3. Plug in an air freshener – but not one that is too pungent! You want to freshen the air, not suffocate your family and friends. Odour control is vital in the perception of how clean a room is.
4. Take a bag and throw out any rubbish that may be lying about – throw the bag away immediately!
5. Pull out one or two of your strategically stored collapsible plastic crates (which you cleverly purchased earlier, of course) and clear the floor and every horizontal surfaces which has gathered clutter. Set these aside somewhere safe for sorting – not somewhere hidden where you will never pay them enough attention to clear but equally not somewhere where they can be a trip hazard!
6. Using disposable antibacterial wipes, wipe down surfaces such as windowsills, tables, door handles and stair rails.
7. Vacuuming or mopping the floor will give the room the final edge and will make it look cleaner.
   

If there are additional hands that can help, like the kids for instance, get them to pack toys away or vacuum while you do the more complicated chores. Anyone can throw rubbish in a bag or clutter into a crate!

NOW, very importantly, don't let the room get dishevelled again! Come back soon and I'll have posted a few tips on how to keep a room tidy.