The “Reset Method” Will Make Your Living Room Feel 10x Better
Apartment Therapy’s January Cure is a free 20-day program that’ll help you refresh your home for the year ahead. Sign up here and get all assignments delivered to your inbox.
Depending on the size of your home, the living room can serve a sprawling range of functions. In my one-bedroom apartment, mine acts as my foyer, entertaining space, dining room, home office, and, of course, my cat’s personal playground. But all living rooms share that core purpose of being a space where you spend a lot of your life.
And for a room that important, it’s a really good idea to, every once in a while, look at it with a fresh set of eyes. That’s where the “reset method” comes into play.
Day 8: Start a living room reset.
Imagine pointing your TV remote at your living room and clicking a button labeled “reset.” Doesn’t that sound satisfying? That’s what we’re doing today — although, admittedly, it may take a tiny bit more elbow grease than turning your TV off.
To carry out the reset method, look at your living room and decide on the things that absolutely must stay for it to remain functional: the couch, coffee table, rug. Everything else, though, must go — not out of the house, but out of sight into a spare box or closet (think: coffee table books, candles, tchotchkes, holiday gifts, seasonal decor, that pile of mail, and anything else living in your living room that might not need a permanent home there).
Once you’ve done that, you’re done for now. We’ll revisit the idea of bringing the items back into your space one at a time on a later day. In the meantime, spend some time in your emptier living room and focus on how it makes you feel. Lighter? Less cozy? Less stressed? More stressed? What do you find yourself missing, and what do you find yourself forgetting about entirely?
Especially after the holidays, when many people welcome lots of new decorations and gifts into their homes, it can be easy to let your space clutter up without realizing it. January is the perfect time to give your living space a fresh start and make sure all those things still spark joy.
You might just find yourself missing that puzzle that’s been sitting on your shelf for months, and removing it from your living room is the impetus you need to host that game night at long last! Or, you might realize it’s time to make a Goodwill donation. Whatever the outcome, you’re guaranteed to have more appreciation for the things you keep in your living room after you’ve completed this reset.
How did resetting your living room make you feel? Tell us in the community forum.
More ways to participate in the January Cure:
Sign up for email updates.
Visit the 2025 January Cure page and catch up on assignments.
Download the January Cure calendar.
Join the conversation by checking out the Cure board in our community forum.
Check off that you’ve completed this task and track your overall January Cure progress here!
The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
