5 Steps To Organize Your Los Angeles Entertainment Center

Your entertainment center is likely the most used unit in your home. Therefore, it is no surprise that it becomes cluttered very easily. In most centers, you will find withering plants that have been neglected, ceramics you never found a better spot for, current and vintage technology, books, candles and so forth. When the moment comes for reorganization, follow these tips to help make the cleaning process a little less daunting.

1. Take everything out of your unit. The first thing you need to do is take everything out of your entertainment center. This way you will find out how much space and how many items you actually have to work with. Once the unit is cleared out, dust and wipe it clean.

2. Get rid of the old technology. Evaluate what fits in the old technology category and either throw it out or give it away to charity. Will you ever again watch those numerous VHS tapes? Do you even have a way to listen to those cassettes anymore? There is no sense in keeping these unnecessary items around when they could easily be removed to open up extra space.

3. Arrange your music and videos. You should start by wiping all CD and DVD cases clean. Next, they will need to be organized in a way that makes sense to you, be it alphabetically, by genre or by how often you use them. Get an idea of where the CDs and DVDs will go in the unit and how many will fit in each row or drawer. Arrange them first on the floor, and then place them back inside the unit. Also, consider whether or not you could store the CDs in CD book holders and dispose of all cases.

4. Consider your cables. Tangled cables are one of the most common sights near an entertainment center. A good start for alleviating this mess is to purchase a power strip. Connect it to the wall and plug all of the entertainment center's electronics into it. Keep the cables only as long as they need to be. Use a twist tie to shorten any excess cords.

5. Throw or store away most knick-knacks. Many of those small collectibles have sentimental value, but with the passing of years, these knick-knacks have started to take up a lot of space. Mementos from weddings, baby showers, graduations and anniversaries have graced your entertainment center for too long. Now it is time to decide which ones you absolutely cannot let go of and put away or discard the rest.

In the process of reorganizing your entertainment center, the following stores may be handy:

B&B Hardware 
12450 W Washington Blvd
Los Angels, CA 90066
(310) 390-9413
www.shopbbhardware.com

Hours: Mon to Sat - 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sun - 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

You will find twist ties, cleaning solutions, cleaning rags, boxes, plastic organizers and any other materials you may need during your reorganizing operation at B&B Hardware.

Out of the Closet Thrift Store
1726 East Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 440-1719
www.outofthecloset.org

Hours: Mon to Sat - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sun - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Consider Out of the Closet as the recipient of your VHS and cassette tapes. This organization benefits the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

West Coast Organizers
9700 Owensmouth Ave, Unit C
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(818) 366-2829
www.westcoastorganizers.com

Hours: Mon to Sat - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun - Closed

If after cleaning out your current entertainment center, you realize that it simply won't do anymore, consider the quality units offered by West Coast Organizers.

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Dena Burroughs is a freelance writer living in Azusa, CA. She is a CSULA graduate with specialties in Creative Writing and Communications. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.