Your living room is one of the few places in your home where you do almost anything and everything. Sleeping, eating, watching, reading, talking, playing—it all happens in the living room. Liven up your space and keep it tidy, so you can squeeze every ounce of use out of it. Explore these top tips for keeping your living room clean.

Declutter Every Day

A cluttered home appears messier than it actually is. You may be working on multiple projects at once, but don’t let the remains of your day-to-day tasks build up into mountains of clutter. Decluttering is a great way to keep your home tidy while creating more room for yourself to live and breathe. Additionally, decluttering is the first step to real cleaning, so pick up the dog toys, put away your toiletries, and clear the kitchen table. That way, you can vacuum, wipe, and wash your floors and surfaces.

Account for Your Pets

Many people forget that their pets live much closer to the ground than they do, meaning they likely have a copious amount of dirt and germs from the floor and outside streets—debris they carry around with them. When cleaning your living room, you must account for your pets and their dirtiness, too.

Do you have a shedding cat? You must remember to use the extension hose to reach underneath furniture and vacuum hidden areas where clumps of hair hide. Does your dog have tear stains that leave clean surfaces or bright fabrics tarnished? Use dog wipes for your furry friend and keep their dark tear stains from spreading.

Design and Decorate Thoughtfully

Your living room will look dirty and cluttered if you have bright posters and haphazard picture frames all around your walls. Design and decorate your living room thoughtfully, or you risk losing two central pillars of interior design: personality and subtlety.

Knowing these top tips for keeping your living room clean will help you minimize clutter and maintain a healthy home. The more effort you put into cleaning small things, the better your living room will be in the long run.