If you have children or visit houses with children, you know how toys can take over living spaces.  Stuffed animals, games, musical instruments… wow, there can be a lot of toys.  As an adult, you don’t necessarily want to banish children from a formal living room, but you do want a meaningful space for adults.

Luckily, it’s not too hard to do.  Here are some of my quick tips on how to keep a formal living room formal:

1. Make the Living Room a one-toy-only zone.

Pick one toy that can be kept in the living room and store the remainder in other living or bedroom spaces.  Since there is only one toy to deal with, it’s not overwhelming to look at and it’s easy to clear when necessary.  For example, set up a small Lego station or keep just a collection of picture books on hand.

2. Pick a decorative container to store the items.

If you have an attractive container that blends into the formal environment, the room won’t scream “kids zone”.  If Lego is your toy of choice, pick a serving tray or cool bin that can house all the pieces.  Similarly, use a nice-looking basket to accommodate the picture books.

3. Make a strategy for the quick escape.

What happens when you need to clean up fast?  Strategize so it’s easy to remove or hide your toy when company comes by.  Close the lid on the book basket.  Move your Lego tray to a shelf or empty it elsewhere (and use the tray to serve drinks!).

Ta da! You have your adult space back!

Check out our Out of Chaos YouTube segment to see how it’s done!