I spend more time in our family room than any other room of our house (awake time, that is). 

When my family room is cluttered it makes me feel like a disorganized slob who needs to get my life together. When my family room is simplified, I feel like a brilliant goddess who is good at everything.

Gosh, my family room has a lot of power.

Here’s how I make sure that power is affecting me in all the best ways:

1. I use closed storage (and lots of it)

I’m always surprised when I see “family room” inspiration photos that have plenty of surfaces—but no actual closed storage.

Open shelves are beautiful… but real life needs doors.

Closed storage is where the junk goes to rest. Cabinets, chests, dressers, consoles with drawers—these pieces hide remotes, cords, games, paperwork, and all the random things that we need but don’t want to have to look at constantly. When clutter is out of sight, the whole room instantly feels calmer, even if it’s a little messy behind the scenes.

Think of closed storage as visual noise-canceling headphones for your room.

  1. 3 Drawer side table (under $140)
  2. Arched cabinet with glass doors (under $220!)
  3. 2 Drawer end table (sale under $200)
  4. Marble top end table (under $100)
  5. Bistro Table with marble top (under $250)
  6. Jenny Lind style 3 drawer end table (under $250)
  7. Chest with drawers

fringed stool, marble bistro table, swivel chair, rug, side table, lumbar pillow

2. I add small, sneaky seating + tiny mobile tables
Poufs, ottomans, stools, and little drink tables are my secret weapons.

They pull double duty—extra seating and surfaces—without adding visual heaviness.

I love them because they:

  • add softness and texture
  • introduce pattern without commitment
  • can be moved exactly where you need them
  • make the room feel cozy and flexible instead of formal

A family room should be able to shape-shift. Small pieces make that happen easily.

see all the links here

3. I give small things a “home base”

I will never stop talking about this. Ever.

A home base is a simple container—tray, bowl, basket, box—that gathers a bunch of little things into one intentional moment. Instead of keys, remotes, matches, coasters, and glasses floating around the room, they’re corralled.

One home base can replace ten decisions.

home base links

A simple, beautiful family room isn’t empty. Yuck.

It’s edited on the regular.
It’s intentional.
And it’s designed to work for the people who live there—not just look good in photos.

I’m able to keep my family room under control because I purposely HUSH it at least once a year.

I hush my family room by backwards declulttering–it takes hardly anytime and the results are astounding!

Want to HUSH your family room with me? I’m doing it TODAY!

Join me and the Cozy Minimalist Community for the third annual House Hushing Challenge. It’s not too late, I decided to leave the doors open for anyone who wants to join us.

This challenge takes place within the Cozy Minimalist Community and our private Facebook group. You can join for $18 a month or, use code HUSHED to save $30 off your first year in the group. Over half our members are annual members, that’s how valuable the group is.

join the community now and save $30