Interior designers reveal the 11 things in your living room you should get rid of

Of course, there are some hand-me-downs and are well-loved antiques worth keeping, Assenberg said, but if you don't like something or it is simply worn out, it's time to move on.

"Buy new or recover those threadbare items as the budget allows, giving them a whole new life," she told Insider.

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Although souvenirs and mementos are special, they can cause clutter in your living room when you choose to display them all, said Johnson.

The solution for this is to pick a few of your favorites, and store the rest away, Johnson suggested. Then, every few months rotate those out for some of your other favorites.

In doing so, you can keep your collection looking fresh and uncluttered.

Frilly, thick curtains draped over giant rods are a thing of the past and they could make a home look incredible dated, said Street.

There's also the issue that oversized curtains block light from entering the room, and natural light is a game-changer if you want your space to feel bigger and more modern, she added.

"If the rest of the room is kept simple, you can opt for a more dramatic curtain, but stick to neutral colors, patterns, and clean lines," Street told Insider.

"We are all guilty of throwing those catalogs and magazines on the coffee table just in case we get the time to flip through them. But the reality is, the pile builds up and we never really get around to looking at them," Street told Insider.

Toss all of those old magazines in the recycling bin, and reclaim that space, she said. By removing this clutter, you will instantly take a weight off of your living room.

A few years ago, having a huge, fully-stocked CD tower was a source of pride for families, but now it could just be a seldom-used stack of clutter.

Street said now is a great time to upgrade your favorite pieces of content and go digital, especially since it could mean having less clutter in your home.

Convert CDs to digital and donate the physical copies — along with any outdated electronics, like old VHS tapes and DVDs — to reclaim your shelf space, she recommended.

Having a beanbag in your living room isn't a wise idea, according to Amira Johnson, interior designer at Emerald Doors.

They take up a lot of space, are difficult to fit around other furniture, and soon look tired, Johnson said. Plus if you've ever owned one that's sprung a leak, you know how difficult it is to clean up the big mess of stuffing, she added.

Stick with structured, square-shaped furniture in living rooms, she told Insider, and leave the beanbags for a child's bedroom or a playroom.

Assenberg said, when possible, you should swap out cheaper, mass-produced artwork for original pieces.

"If you can't afford original art in your entire home, at least invest in one good piece for your living room," Assenberg told Insider. "Original art has character and soul."

Mass-produced photos and canvas prints should be moved to the basement, kids' bedrooms, or the bathrooms, but not the living room, Assenberg advised.

"Decorative throw pillows can make a space look beautiful, but if there are too many, it's only going to bring the design of the room down and make the space feel cluttered," Street told Insider.

Opt for just a few pillows for comfort, she recommended, and try to choose ones with machine-washable covers so you can keep them looking great.

It's time to get rid of your fake flowers and plants, Assenberg said.

"Real plants are beautiful and serve a purpose — they detoxify the air in your home," she told Insider. "Plastic plants are tacky and some might say that, rather than bringing the energy of life into your home, they bring an intention to deceive."

If you can't handle real flowers and plants, either because you don't have a green thumb or your room doesn't get enough natural light, then just go without, Assenberg said.

Big, bulky furniture is a thing of the past, according to Rachel Street, designer and host of the show "Philly Revival" on the DIY Network.

In any home — especially smaller ones — heavy stately furniture can really make the space feel dated and crowded, she explained.

Instead of that oversized plush sofa or heavy, cherry-wood table, opt for smaller, more proportional furniture with clean lines, Street said.

If there's one room in the house that should be clutter-free, it's the living room, according to Julie Assenberg, designer at and owner of Julie Assenberg Interior Design.

That way, you have at least one place you can escape to and entertain unexpected guests, she said.

For example, try to find designated spaces for your shoes, coats, gloves, toys, and backpacks rather than dropping them in your living area.