The Most Ingenious Hack I’ve Ever Seen for Eliminating Coffee Table Clutter

It doesn’t matter if you live in a sprawling Craftsman-style home or a smaller space (think: a 200-square-foot apartment!): People are always on the hunt for a way to hide clutter, especially when it comes to living room coffee tables, which can sometimes become a stowaway place for life’s miscellaneous items.

Sure, you could purchase a coffee table with storage space, but some homes don’t have room for a normal coffee table — let alone a transformable one. So it was a pleasant surprise to stumble upon product and interior designer Shiva Farrokhi’s tip for hiding clutter in her mid-century modern apartment (that doubles as a solution for what to do with the awkward gap behind sofas!).

Perhaps it’s because the Brooklyn apartment is only 825 square feet, or because their entire space is meticulously organized (look at the book storage above their office area!) — still, Farrokhi found a way to eliminate clutter in their breezy living room.

Why You Should Add a Shelf Behind Your Sofa

“Add a shelf behind your couch to fit the controller, plants, books, etc. This simple shelf moves your couch a little bit forward but creates so much space for everything that can make your coffee table look cluttered,” she shared at the time of the home tour. “It also opens up the space behind the couch for things you use rarely and want to have out of sight like extra rugs, floor mattress or air mattress, yoga mat, and etc.”

This tip is a great idea if you need to get rid of the coffee table in your living room, too. If you don’t have space for a coffee table, this hidden shelf will free up some valuable space and keep clutter at bay. Or, if you want to decorate it, it’s the perfect perch for sentimental items like photos.

If this organizing tip intrigues you, you’ll want to check out how Farrokhi designed the rest of their gorgeous home. Visit the full home tour to see more.