10 ways to make your room more functional

6 Use a room for what it's intended
Keep the children's toys in their bedrooms or playroom and out of the living room, do paperwork or homework in a home office or den – not the dining room – and move all of your craft or woodworking projects out of the kitchen and down into the basement or crafts room.

7 Store items in the rooms in which they're used
Keep table linens in the dining room, books and magazines in the den, dish towels in the kitchen, and detergent in the laundry room.

8 Purchase double-duty furnishings
Select pieces that are versatile, such as a coffee table with a shelf for magazines and books, a lighting for reading, eating or writing, and for setting the mood.

9 Have multiple table surfaces
Rather than having to get out of your chair every time you want a sip of coffee, make sure that there are enough surfaces within arm's reach of living room seating to hold items such as drinks, books, table lamps and reading glasses.

10 Purchase efficient lighting
Ensure that your space has table lamps, floor lamps and other lighting for reading, eating or writing, and for setting the mood.

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