You’re busy — running back and forth from work, appointments, and obligations with family and friends. If you have kids, things get twice as complicated with school, practices, and play dates. So when you get a chance to relax, who wants to spend that precious time cleaning? Not me. And probably not you either.
So, the next time you go to re-design your living room, keep that perspective in mind. Sure, anyone can throw down a few discount area rugs or inexpensive area rugs and hope for the best, but having a truly low-maintenance living area takes a little planning. Follow these tips and you’ll have a space that’s shorter on worry and longer on rest and relaxation.
Start with flooring – Laminate flooring and hardwood will require no vacuuming and little more than a swipe with a dusting broom or a wet mop to remove dirt and shoe scuffs. Since neither of those options tends to have the cozy feel that carpet does, you can warm either of them up with area rugs. Choose olefin area rugs to help warm up the look. Olefin area rugs are stain resistant and require little vacuuming. Tough stains can be steamed off using a store-bought cleaner. Refresh your rug with a deep cleaning just once a year.
Leather furniture – Instead of absorbing stains, most liquids that hit leather will merely bead up. Then, simply just wipe the mess off. It’s kind of funny to think about dusting furniture, but that’s exactly what you’ll have to do. Every so often, run a microfiber cloth over the top of your sofa and chairs and that’s it, you’re done. Leather isn’t completely without maintenance, though: every few months it’s a good idea to treat your leather to keep it looking new and spare it from cracking.
A big, secretive ottoman – Pick up a sofa-sized ottoman and you’ll not only have a cozy spot to rest your feet, but you might also get a great place to stash your stuff. Look for one that has a hinged top that opens to a hollow space inside the ottoman. You can quickly open and stash toys, blankets, magazines, and other items lying around the room before guests come over. If you don’t have room for both an ottoman and a coffee table, pick up a metal or glass-topped tray to place on top of the ottoman’s upholstered surface. It will give you and your guests a pretty place to put your drinks without worrying about spills.
A wood-framed chair – You know which one I’m talking about. It’s the chair from that Swedish retailer that makes furniture with names no one can pronounce. Yeah, that one. Except this chair – Poang – is actually very sturdy and comfortable. It provides great additional seating to your sofa and loveseat. It’s lightweight, so you can move it around wherever and whenever you need to. And its cushions come in a variety of colors that you can change out according to your mood and if you decide to make any updates to your décor.
Be choosy about artwork – Remember that any knick-knacks and decorative pieces you place on your walls will collect dust. If spending a Saturday spraying and wiping is not your idea of a good time, you might want to keep hanging items that collect dust to a minimum. This doesn’t mean, however, that you have to have blank and boring walls. Decals have recently become very popular and can be found all over the web in any design, style, and color you can imagine. Once they’re on the wall, you can even move some of them to reposition things or if you decide to re-arrange the room. Choose a large one to serve as a focal point and place smaller ones on an adjoining wall. Once they’re in place, that’s it – no dusting, no maintenance!
Keep it clean – Finally, just a few words on some shortcuts when you do have to inevitably clean up the room. Invest in furniture wipes that are specially formulated for electronics. A quick swipe over your TV and other gadgets and you’re done with no damage to their sensitive screens and surfaces. Microfiber cloths, which can be used with or without dusting spray, are also great for quick cleanups. Throw them in the washer when you’re done and you’ll also save money over buying dusting cloths.