5S- Living Room

I recently conducted a root cause analysis, using the 5 Whys, to identify some 5S opportunities in my living room.

1. Sort
Toys - we use our living room as a play area in the evening. My son just had a birthday, so we have a lot of new toys added to the collection as well. Sometimes the number of toys and puzzles is overwhelming and he can not focus on one game. What can we do to limit the toys?
A. Designate one weekend a month for donations. Pick a toy or game to donate, especially as they grow out of them.
B. pack toys away for specific occasions. Example: paint set that you get out on rainy days; ball and bat set that you take to the park;
C. Rotate toys in and out on a weekly or monthly basis (example: this week is trains, next week is shapes)
D. Create seasonal boxes that you open every 2-3 months. They can include seasonal books, toys and decorations. Before you open the new box, pack away last "seasons" items. This month I opened a Spring box, with Easter and St. Patrick's day decorations. It also had books about baby animals and duck toys, as well as plastic eggs. Now we can start practicing Easter egg hunts (which rarely gets old).

Furniture - it is a good idea to re-evaluate your room layout at least once a year. Change sometimes gives a fresh look and perspective.
Pillows are good for accessorizing, but think about how many blankets and pillows you really need in the room.

Decorations- this is obviously about personal style, but I have been trying a new seasonal approach to decorating and displaying items in the house. I have a lot of keepsake type decorations that I am not ready to get rid of, but can not be displayed at once. It is common to have several boxes of Christmas decorations, so why not seasonal boxes for the rest of the year?

Books- this is a hard one for me. We have a lot of books. Actually, I do not read as much anymore and my husband has an ereader, but we still have amassed a collection of favorite books over the years. Some of them are leadership books that I like to revisit every couple years. Some of them are technical books, that we may have used for reference early in our careers. Some of them are favorite fiction, that I want to share with our kids someday.
If you do not think you will reference or read a book again, get rid of it. There are many used bookstores that give you credit for used books. Remember, the library and the Internet are always available for reference in the future.
If you want to save books for the future, be realistic about quantity. Keep only your absolute favorites. The library will be available if you want to share the Narnia series someday.
As I sorted through our books, I also made the pledge to read more. There are several inspirational and fiction books that I keep meaning to read.

2. Scrub
Once you have mantels and bookshelves cleared, it is easier to clean and dust. Start at the top with dusting and wiping, then vacuum. Make sure to get under cushions and furniture as well. Who knows what else you will find under there.
Start the next steps when everything smells fresh and clean.

3. Set
I have been working on a vision for what I want my living room to look. It is the main room where we spend family time, so it needs to be functional, but I would also like it to be a calming sanctuary. Part of the calming effect should come from eliminating clutter, so I need to ensure that everything has a place and that it gets back in place regularly.

You can use shelves and entertainment centers for common items. Baskets or decorative boxes also work well. Try to limit what you keep in the room to items used daily. Non frequent items should be put into the closet or play room. See my idea above about rotating toys into the living room. Only one box at a time.

I found some good ideas for arranging a bookcase (to stylishly display books, photos and keepsakes) here: http://www.sasinteriors.net/2012/02/how-to-achieve-a-well-styled-bookcase/

4. Standardize
What visuals can you put in place to help family members remember where to put things back. Labels, either with words or pictures, work well. Remotes are a good option to have color coded or in a specific basket.

The living room is also an ideal place for aesthetic visuals. If it is truly to be a family sanctuary and/or a place to entertain, it should have a color scheme and visuals that make you happy and relaxed. Display pillows and throws that support your color scheme. Otherwise put them in a basket or closet. Arrange the shelves by color or only display complimentary colors to your theme (see some of the ideas in the bookcase style link above).
I am still working on this, since I have a hard time focusing on details outside the functional.

5. Sustain
Since the living room is used daily, it should be picked up daily. Make it a habit of putting things away before going to be bed. It should be part of everyone's bedtime routine.

Weekly - dust shelves and vacuum/swiffer floors. (Remember, the less clutter you have, the easier this will be).

Monthly - vacuum couches, dust/wash blankets & pillows.

Quarterly - consider rotation of decorations/toys. Could be more frequent.

One last reminder, there is not enough space for things in the house you do not use, so Use it or Lose it.