First, decide what types of things you want to have a permanent home in the family room. The entertainment center is usually in the family room, so decide on the best way to store all the movies and music the family enjoys. There are many all-in-one units that hold the TV, stereo and other components, but they can be expensive and take up a lot of space. If you don't plan on changing the layout of the room, the cabinets are a good choice. But, if you like to change the look of the room, smaller, more portable furniture would be a better choice.



To store the movies and music, there are many different styles of storage racks, from simple wood cabinets or bookshelves, to modern metal units that have a sculpture look to them. There are storage racks that are free standing, and others that can be attached to the wall. A closet with added shelves can also make a great place to store the media, especially with young children, who tend to use them for building blocks.

Allow the children to have a few favorite toys in the living room. Give them each a container, either with their names on it, or their favorite color. Then they are allowed to keep just enough toys in the room that fit in that box. If they can't get it to fit in the box, then they need to find a home for it in their room, or the playroom. They can always change which toys are in their boxes, but they still have to follow the rule that if it doesn't fit, it can't stay. Then, they know that at the end of the day, their toys need to go back in their containers.

Finally, create a home for the newspapers and magazines that will invariably accumulate on the tables and on the floor. A simple rack against the wall will make a nice home for these print items and this can be cleaned out on a monthly basis.

The living room is for living in so you don't want to create a sterile environment but you don't want things to go wild either.