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5 Tips To Organize Your Detroit Media Cabinet

Sometimes during a particularly wet April in Detroit, the best nights are spent at home with the feet up and a good movie on the screen. Don't let a disorganized home entertainment center rain on your relaxation parade. Keep things tidy with these tips and suggestions.

1. Remove excess items: It is extremely easy for entertainment centers to accumulate clutter. Go through your belongings and only keep what is being used on a regular basis. Store extra items that are used on occasion elsewhere in the house.

2. Determine designated areas: Designate ares for important items. For example, remote controllers are vital. They should be placed in a small basket near the operator's seat. Whenever possible, return the controller to its designated space so you will always know where to find it. Make a conscious effort to restore the entertainment area every time you've finished using it. Repeating this process will eventually become routine, ensuring it stays organized longer.

3. Clean gadgets regularly: Dust accumulates very quickly on entertainment center equipment. Eliminate the dreaded process of a deep clean every so often by wiping things down regularly. Some people factor a cleaning day into their week, giving attention to rooms like the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom. Add the living room to your list.

4. Find what makes you comfortable: Since the center is usually in a room where you go to kick back, aesthetics can play a big part in making relaxation possible. Simple things like utilizing wire covers for visible cables and sticking to pale paint shades of green, blue and purple for the walls can do wonders for the look and feel of a room. Invest in some home theater window treatments that would prevent light from creating a glare on the television screen. The added bonus to this is that a dimly lit room is better for television viewing.

5. Get everyone on board: As nice as it sounds, you will not be the only one using the entertainment center. Tell others that you are trying to be organized and get them on the bandwagon. Let them know that you have established set places for particular items and would appreciate if they maintained this order. It might take a little while to start working, but with enough reminders you will likely see results.

The following local businesses should be able to help you get started:

Hercules & Hercules
19055 W Davison St
Detroit, MI 48223
(313) 933-6669
herculesandherculesinc.com

Hours: Mon to Fri - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sat and Sun - Closed

Hercules & Hercules has an endless selection of cleaning supplies for any mess. Stock up on products so you can continue to clean regularly.

Gardner-White Furniture
4945 Dixie Highway
Waterford, MI 48329
(248) 674-8990
gardner-white.com

Hours: Mon to Sat - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun - 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

If looking for a new entertainment center altogether, stop in at Gardner-White Furniture. They carry multiple styles that can work with any room.

Recycle Here!
1331 Holden Ave
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 871-4000
recyclehere.net

Drop Off Hours: Wed - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Recycle your old electronics properly by dropping them off at Recycle Here! This organization will dispose of your outdated equipment in the most environmentally friendly way.

Related: Spring Cleaning For Your Energy Use
Related: Help To Organize Is A Click Away

For more great tricks, tips and advice about your home, visit CBSDetroit/YourHome.

Sakina Al-Amin writes regularly for an accumulating number of online publications, but has dreams of one day being a spokesperson. She resides in the metro Detroit area with her husband. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.


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