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Decluttered bedroom
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How To Declutter Your Bedroom and Maintain It

Sonia
Decluttered bedroom

Declutter your bedroom and get a better night’s sleep.

This is a fact.

Results of The National Sleep Foundation survey indicated that 7/10 people claim to get better sleep in a clean bed.  And, by extension, I would add, a clean bedroom.

Your bedroom is your haven.  Your primary relaxation spot.  

Notwithstanding insomnia and other sleep disorders, it bears repeating that when you declutter your bedroom, you can expect to sleep better. 

And, who doesn’t want better sleep?  The proven health benefits are significant.

So, how do you go about decluttering your bedroom to create the relaxing, calm environment that you have longed to have?  And, how do you maintain it?

To reduce overwhelm, break up your tasks into 4 separate areas:

  • Bed
  • Surfaces
  • Closet
  • Storage

Now you can tackle one area at a time.

Keep in mind that you may only have time for part of an area, for example, one side of the closet, instead of the entire space. No worries. Doing something is better than doing nothing.

Schedule the time to tackle another area of the closet. And so on.

Let’s dive in.

Bed

Make your bed.

An unmade bed makes the whole room look messy.

This makes sense given that the bed is usually the largest piece of furniture in the room.

It doesn’t take long to make your bed. A few minutes at most.

If you’re pressed for time, or, haven’t learned the art of making your bed with the tight corners and don’t care to learn, stick to using duvets with removable covers.  No sheets or blankets to tuck in.

Surfaces

Other highly visible areas in your bedroom are the flat surfaces.  You know, the nightstand, top of the dresser or shelves of any kind.

We end up putting so much stuff on top of the dresser, nightstand, and shelves that they become catchalls and add to the clutter.

So, it’s time to remove everything from these surfaces.  Start with one surface before moving to the other, to reduce feelings of overwhelm.

Make sure that you have your trash bags or containers to sort into piles of trash, donations, and what you will be keeping.

And, as you do this, ask yourself whether a particular item is supposed to be in the bedroom and whether it adds to the relaxing vibe that you are creating.  If not, either find a place for it elsewhere in your home or place it in the donation pile.

A tip for your nightstand is to keep it as minimal as possible.  Only the necessities, like a lamp, eyeglasses, notebook, and pen. It’s so close to your bed and when it’s uncluttered, it will contribute to a sense of calm and relaxation. 

Also, if you keep your electronics in your bedroom, like your cell phone, tablet, or laptop, dedicate a shelf for them and house them in a basket to keep them out of sight.  This reduces the urge to look at the flashing light on your phone for example when you’re winding down for the night.

Closet

The closet can get overpacked with clothes, shoes, purses, etc.  And, finding something to wear can start to feel like hard work.

So, to declutter your bedroom, you’ve got to take care of the closet.

Start with taking everything out of the closet.  Remember if time doesn’t allow for this, declutter in sections, in which case, you would remove items out of a section of your closet.

And, get your sorting containers ready, because you’re going to organize everything into piles.

Seasonal clothes: separate your seasonal clothing and store your out-of-season items in a tote or space saver bag to free up some space in your closet.

Donations: donate clothing that is still in good condition but doesn’t fit anymore, or is no longer your style.

Damaged: you will likely come across clothing that needs to be thrown out due to good old wear and tear, unremovable stains, etc. This is what the trash bags are for.

Once you have purged and organized, it is time to put everything back.  Place items back in an orderly fashion.  The way you do this will depend on what works for you.  Whether you prefer to place like items with like items or make your favorite pieces more accessible, it must make sense for you.

How to Straighten Out Your Closet in 3 Effective Steps contains more detailed tips.

Storage

Just like your closet, the drawers of your dresser and nightstand can get overstuffed and disorganized quickly. If you have ever experienced difficulty opening these drawers because they are full to the brim, you know what I mean.

Start with the easiest drawer for you, and toss out the contents.  You can toss the contents on your freshly made bed. Just be sure not to leave anything on the bed!

Go through the contents and sort them into piles.

If you’re starting with dresser drawers, sort your clothing into what’s staying, what’s going in the trash, and what’s being donated.

Also, if you haven’t already done so, assign a specific drawer for particular items of clothing.

When you’re putting items back in the drawers, remember that drawer dividers for underwear and socks are a great way to stay organized.

Nightstand drawers can be a challenge as they sometimes end up resembling junk drawers.

As you sort through these drawers, you will want to ask the same questions you did when decluttering the surfaces. Is this item supposed to be in the bedroom? And, does it add to the relaxing vibe you’re creating?

Using drawer organizers will help to contain the contents of the nightstand drawers.

Tips to Keep Your Bedroom Clutter-Free

Now that you’ve taken the time to declutter your bedroom, how do you maintain it?

Here are some tips:

Bed:

  • Put your clothes back in the closet, once you’ve picked your outfit for the day, rather than leaving them piled on top of the bed.
  • Pick out tomorrow’s outfit the night before to resist the urge of trying on several outfits and leaving them on your bed, once you’ve selected what to wear.
  • Put your dirty clothes in a hamper, rather than making a spot for them on your bed.
  • Keep your bed free from laptops, phones, tablets when you’re not actively using them.

Surfaces:

  • Determine what contributes to a calm, relaxing environment and maintain a minimal look. For example, if you like candles, keep only 2 on the surface of your dresser.
  • Use baskets on shelving to house extra chargers.
  • Do not bring in anything extra without first purging something else.
  • Keep books neatly organized on shelves instead of piled up on the nightstand. Remember to return books when not in use.

Storage:

  • Store extra blankets and throw pillows in decorative baskets.
  • If you have room under the bed, use comforter storage bags or space saver bags for seasonal clothing.
  • Be intentional about using drawer organizers and dividers for their intended purpose rather than resorting to old habits.

Closet:

  • Make use of over-the-door shoe organizers.
  • Double hang less frequently worn clothing.
  • Add hooks in the closet to increase the usable space.

Recap

When you compartmentalize your bedroom into these 4 areas, it makes it easier to declutter and stay on top of it.

  • Bed
  • Surfaces
  • Closet
  • Storage

Decluttering your bedroom will help to restore a sense of calm to the place where you both start and end your day.