Using this bench is easy. You can place it in your living room, bedroom, or entryway. For seating, just sit on the padded black fabric seat. If you want to use it for storage, you can place small items like books, magazines, or your handbag on it. When it comes to maintenance, use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the fabric seat regularly to keep it clean. For the gold - finished metal base, you can use a mild metal cleaner. Be careful when moving the bench to avoid scratching the base. Also, keep in mind that the product has a Prop65 warning due to the presence of lead, so avoid any direct contact with the chemicals and follow the instructions on the warning label.