Creating a Dining Area That Serves and Soothes

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The dining area…it really can be a warm and inviting place. Don’t believe me? Just keep reading.

Is there anywhere that can be a collector of clutter more than the dining room table? Not in my house. However, my goal is to have a dining area that both serves and soothes.

I don’t know what it is about the dining room that makes it such an appealing place to throw everything but the kitchen sink, but this seems to be a truth that is nearly universal.

I do find a few things helpful in keeping the clutter in the dining area away while also having a dining area that works.

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Does your table work for your family?

We put up with one that didn’t for much too long. With a growing family, we didn’t allow our table to grow along with us, so we just crammed or ate at the bar next to the table. Finally, we got a table that works. In doing so, we sold our much more expensive table to replace it for a table that was functional. But functional almost always wins in my book.

Always dress your table

If you have a nicely decorated table that is looking as though it is company ready, people are less likely to pile stuff there. This is an experiment that I have tried numerous time. If I allow my table to look messy, it is an open invitation to others to continue with the madness.

Less is more

I really find that less furniture is better. So often the “extra” furniture that is designed for the dining area serves very little purpose for the expense and the space that you give up to keep it there. In a dining area, less really is more.

Everyone takes a part

In our home, everyone plays a role in everything concerning the dining area. They help with the meal prep, they eat there, they help clean up there. If people have a vested interest in something, they are more likely to do what they can to protect that vested interest.

Smell makes a difference, too

A nice smelling dining area can be accomplished in so many ways. I love spraying my table cloth with a little linen spray to keep it fresh. A nice scented candle, diffusing essential oils, or reed diffusers also work well here.

If you are looking to create a warm and inviting dining area, it just takes a bit of effort in being proactive about it. Enjoying meals as a family in an incredible gift to your children. Create a dining area that both serves and soothes.

This post is based on a chapter in Ruth Soukup’s book, 31 Days to a Clutter Free Life. Grab a copy and join in, or, grab a copy and work through it at your own pace in your own time.

Either way, you will have a clutter free life by the time you work through all 31 days!