Making the Living Room Livable

A busy pharmaceutical salesman needs help decluttering his chaotic living room.

More from Mission: Organization
Filed under: Living Rooms, Decluttering, Coffee Tables, Slipcovers, Entertainment Centers, Storage, Color
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Joe Muhlburger's 12 by 18-foot living room is so jam-packed with boxes, sports memorabilia and business materials, there is no room for him to relax, let alone walk around. Though he moved in six months ago, he became so overwhelmed with packing and placing his items that he just stopped.

Professional organizer Liz Witts is brought in to help Muhlburger create a sophisticated yet comfortable room. She plans to make that happen by first forcing him to sort through every single item and decide what should be kept, moved elsewhere in the house or tossed. That's the hardest part, especially since he's such a pack rat.

She also plans to add color with warm wall paint and accessories and multipurpose furniture that will maximize the room's space.

The couch and floor were covered in mounds of clutter, leaving scant room to maneuver about. The room also felt a little dreary and uninviting — the dark furniture pieces and natural lighting were too sharp of a contrast.

Another angle of the large living room shows a framed jersey leaning against the couch on the floor as well as Muhlburger's surfboards and skis (at left) amidst the rest of the mess.