Pull the throw pillows off your sofa (and any cushioned chairs, too—they get the same treatment, but I’ll keep writing “sofa” here to keep it simple). How you fluff and flip from here depends on the design of your sofa—some have cushions that can’t be flipped or shaped cushions that fit only in one particular place on the sofa. It’s like a fun puzzle you’ll have to solve, but the idea is to flip, turn and rotate each piece into a brand new position. The goal is to reveal fresh fabric and rotate cushions throughout different positions that get different amounts of wear (everyone’s got a favorite spot on the sofa, yeah?). Don’t forget that you can switch cushions on an identical pair of chairs, for instance, if one gets sat in more than the other. Once you’re through, drop the throw pillows back into place, giving each one a quick fluff.

Keep it Going and Reap the Rewards

To really set yourself up for a long, happy life with your sofa, you’ll want to tackle the flip and fluff routine often. So take a second today and add a recurring reminder or calendar appointment labeled “Flip and Fluff” to remind you to get it done.

How often should you flip and rotate your couch cushions? If they get sat on a lot you might want to handle it as frequently as every two weeks. But if you remember to do it monthly, or even quarterly, it’s better than nothing!