The One Thing Most Living Rooms Don't Have But Probably Should, According To HGTV

If yours is like most households, there's probably a constant flurry of activity in your living room. It's where you go to relax after work and binge-watch your favorite Netflix series. You have movie nights, get-togethers with friends, and hang out with the family. As a result of all the activity, this space can get pretty messy. If you want to feel relaxed in your living room, then you'll want to keep the area clutter-free.

According to HGTV, there's one item that all living rooms need to stay tidy. Yet, most don't have this — and that's a trash can. Cleaning experts recommend placing a trash can in every single room in your home, including the family room, bedroom, and other living spaces. This ensures that trash ends up in bins rather than strewn around the house, which helps keep it tidy and clean.

Most people avoid having a trash bin in the living room simply because these containers are not attractive. In most living rooms, there aren't a lot of spaces to hide trash bins. So, they are left in the corner or placed behind a couch. If you place ugly plastic or metal trash bins out in the open, it can really throw off your living room aesthetic. Most trash bins simply do not fit in very well with the decor.

Also, people might not think they need a trash can in the living room because they don't realize how much trash they make in a day. People often forget about the bits of paper, tissues, napkins, receipts, and clothes tags they have to toss away. Having a dedicated trash bin in the living room can make it so much easier to dispose of these items so they don't end up on the floor or lying around.

You can purchase a nice-looking handwoven rattan trash can from Pottery Barn. This is a small trash bin though and might not be ideal for your household if you have a larger living room. Another issue is that it has no lid, so it might end up smelling bad. For this reason, it would be important to empty the trash pretty frequently. You might also want to invest in scented trash bags.

Another solution, if you'd like to use a larger bin, is to place your trash can in a large woven hamper. The Container Store has an attractive version available for under $200 that would be perfect for this use. This is somewhat expensive, but it should last a long time. Plus, this hamper looks much better than having a large metal trash can sitting in the corner of your family room. It is closed so it won't smell. Before buying, you would just need to measure your trash bin to make sure it fits inside the hamper.