7 things professional organisers always move out of a living room for Christmas

Aside from the kitchen, the living room is the next space that needs to work hard during the festive season. It's the social hub where guests and family relax and as such might need a little rejig and declutter before the big day arrives.

We look at what might need moving so there's space for your chosen Christmas tree, if you've opted for a real tree you might need more space as they tend to be wider, whereas artificial trees are more slimline.

Other areas to consider are coffee tables, occasional furniture, room layout and general decluttering. We asked experts and professional organisers for their top advice.

1. Remove unnecessary furniture

Naturally, furniture takes up a lot of space in our living rooms, and so for the festive period it's fine to pare this back.

'If you’re entertaining over the Christmas holidays now’s the perfect time to declutter your living room to make space for the tree, decorations, gifts and your guests,' advises Sue Spencer, KonMari consultant and founder of A Life More Organised.

Jessica Linighan, professional organiser and head of business development at Homefulness Ltd, says, 'Temporarily relocate extra furniture, like unused side tables or bulky armchairs, to create an open, inviting space for the Christmas tree and additional seating

If you do need to move furniture out, then you could keep it in the shed or loft temporarily (depending on its size). If you have rooms that are used less frequently over Christmas, such as a home office, these may be good places for larger furniture. Another good tip is to think about whether an item has some extra functionality. For example, a footstool could become some bonus seating, and provide more value when guests and family are visiting.

Have a look at our top buys below that offer extra storage.

2. Keep accessories to a minimum

If you love displays and have plenty of accessories on surfaces then do have a declutter. It's best to pack them up for the festive period and use the space for Christmas pieces instead.

'If you’ve got lots of festive decorations and accessories then consider putting away your everyday decor (vases, ornaments, cushions and blankets) so that your Christmas tree, lights and this year's themed decorations can be enjoyed without the space feeling too cluttered and busy,' suggests Sue Spencer.

Jessica Linighan agrees, 'Shelves can feel overcrowded during the holidays. Consider storing away some books or non-seasonal trinkets to let your festive decor shine. Streamline visible storage bins or baskets by storing them elsewhere or ensuring they blend with holiday decor.'

Pack away these pieces in a stylish and practical box.

3. Ditch pieces that don't have a job

You know that gaming console that's out of favour or the CDs that have been gathering dust since last Christmas? Old tech and pieces that need batteries or that ethernet cable you've not yet ordered can be either ditched or moved elsewhere.

'If you’ve not used them this year then it’s time for them to go. You may be able to sell them before Christmas – if not donate to a charity shop or put them on a local no waste group (like Freecycle) - they’ll be snapped up and may make someone’s Christmas a bit more special,' says Sue Spencer.

4. Declutter your coffee table

Coffee tables are the one piece of furniture aside from seating of course, that should stay – especially if they have a shelf underneath.

'If you have extra furniture like side tables or a coffee table, consider removing those too in order to fit in the tree or an extra chair – however if you’re considering playing games in that space – that coffee table may just come in handy!' advises Siân Pelleschi, APDO president of Sorted!

If you don't have one already, we've sourced three designs that would be a useful addition to your festive living room.

5. Tidy up your paperwork

'Clearing away stacks of letters, magazines, and bills will make your living room feel less cluttered and it's good to hideaway things that may contain personal information you don’t want your Christmas guests to see,' says Sue Spencer. This is a really good point, because often our living rooms might be doubling up as the home office too.

Sue adds, 'Take the opportunity to sort through paperwork, and sort out what you need to action before Christmas (and put it on a to-do list), file anything important and recycle the rest. Clear surfaces make a living room feel bigger and make room for all the Christmas snacks and drinks when you’ve got guests around.'

This also includes moving magazine racks out of the living room too, these small shifts will give you more space and less of a cluttered feel. Amazon's Pechora A4 clear plastic file organisers are ideal for keeping paperwork ship shape and can be slotted in to a drawer.

6. Take out the fragile pieces

Favourite ornaments, photographers and glass vases could all be swapped out for the festive season, or put up higher.

'Fragile or important sentimental items are worth removing,' says Sue. 'Accidents can happen, so if you’re expecting excited children or are hosting a festive party it’s a good idea to move any irreplaceable items out of the living room. This will protect your valuables and avoid any upset.'

7. Pop toys away

If you have children then toys can be a big part of your living room's daily life, and at Christmas, with visitors arriving and more toys incoming, it's a great time to look at what's still being played with or perhaps take some to the charity shop.

Jessica Linighan suggests, 'Reduce the number of toys in the living room by storing them in bedrooms or playrooms. This makes space for holiday activities, decorations, or incoming gifts.'

'Decluttering any broken, outgrown or unloved toys before Christmas is definitely worth it according to Sue Spencer. 'Include your children in this process as donating toys they no longer play with will help them learn about the joy of giving to other during the holiday season.'

For those toys that are kept, invest in a lidded basket or two so they can be kept tidy and together.

FAQs

How do I rearrange my living room for Christmas?

Before you start removing items for your living room, stand back and really look at what needs to be changed. 'When it comes to adding festive decorations, particularly to the living room, it’s important to know what you want from the space. If it’s where the tree you’ve picked or brought down from storage needs to be you need to be able to make some space for it,' says Siân Pelleschi.

Hopefully you'll have an approximate idea of who is visiting so you can work out how the seating will cope. Once you've got the tree in you can then declutter the rest of the room around that and enjoy transforming it with festive decor.

'By rethinking your living room layout, you can make room for festive traditions, family time, and precious holiday memories!' says Jessica Linighan.

'Decluttering isn’t just about removing items – it’s about creating space for joy,' says Jessica. Most of all remember that it's only temporary and it will be worth the effort to create a cosy and welcoming living room for Christmas.