Can you guess what you can do to ensure that your sofa stays in good condition for years and years? If you think, “flip the cushions!” you go to the head of the Use What You Have Decorating class.

Turning your cushions over once a week can help your sofa maintain its shape and extend its good looks for many years. It really can make a huge difference in its longevity and the value you’ll get out of this expensive piece of furniture.

I’ll come clean: I’m a crazy flipper. I turn my sofa cushions whenever I’ve had guests – I do wait until after they leave! – or when my husband and I have been lounging on the sofa and reading.  But I can’t help it: I’m a decorator and this is what decorators do (we all have a little OCD). You, on the other hand, needn’t turn yours as much but do try to, at least, plump them up regularly.

Here’s the secret: Flip the top as well as the seats by reversing the end cushions. The middle piece can just be turned over in place. And if you have a sofa that has top cushions that are sewn down, begin punching them up and back into shape (and, in the future, remember to buy sofas that either have no top cushions – with “tight” backs – or those with loose cushions). This is a very good thing to do whenever you want to let off a little steam or simply get an upper body workout, just hold in your abs and exhale when you lift. Only kidding. Maybe not.

But I’m not kidding about how much better your sofa will look and feel. Do you flip?

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