During the day, we pare our night table down to bare minimum. On this side, a lamp, an alarm clock, a candle, and a glass globe we found at the flea market; on the other side of the bed, a phone, a lamp and a small vase of flowers. But at night, it's a whole different story. Then, it becomes a temporary resting spot for the things that we like to have around us as we settle in: a pen and post-its to jot down ideas, an iSlice, for cutting articles out of magazines, our current book, our glasses and a glass of water. What's on your night table?










During the day: Alarm clock, a hammered silver bowl as a catchall a framed pic of my dog and a lamp.
At night: Same as above, but add a glass of water, a book and my watch.
On my bf's side day and night: Stacks of books, a lamp, a clock, dog toys, highlighters, Ricolas, a small buddha statue, a candle, a Blackberry Pearl...the list goes on.
view kitties!'s profile
clock/weather cube from oregon scientific, archimoon soft lamp, volouspa candle, wife's iPhone, "galapagos" by vonnegut, lapham's quarterly (first edition), little flowery coaster from ella doran
view superstovall's profile
My side: my glasses, alarm clock, small lamp, glass of water, tissue, a book or two (under my pillow), laptop (sometimes, on floor next to bed)
Husband's side: his glasses, phone, reading lamp, tv remote, laptop (sometimes, on floor next to bed)
view mimihu's profile
a wooden koi fish...and a glass of water
view evilaril22's profile
Day: Lamp, alarm clock, framed original print from my high school printmaking class
Night: glasses, lots and lots of highlighters, papers, post-it tabs, water bottle, and probably a book or two (grad student-ness generally).
view JulesDC's profile
superstovall: I'm reading Galapagos too!
view ljh's profile
For my new apartment, I bought my boyf a nightstand. He has his own place, but I figure for all the time he's gonna spend at my place a nightstand a nightstand would be nice. However, I don't know what to put on it. What do guys put on their side of the bed? Those far I have a lamp and a carafe. Any suggestions?
view JuliaL's profile
By day and night my tiny night stands each have a lamp and a glass of water.
view erinorea's profile
i have 2. and i use 'em both even if im alone (sigh..)
on one i have a lamp 2 books one nasal spray one tube of orginis night cream (smells so utterly delicious...) and occasionally a passing cat (and its fur..).
on the second one i have Kleenex thelast copy of vanity Fair, and still the occcasional cat passing by and the fur..
yes the pass by and SIT on it. occasionally i do have a glass of water but the occasional cat passing usually drinks my water. in MY glass.
oh and at night my blackberry of course. addictive.
view troz's profile
By day: A lamp, a Jonathan Adler bird, alarm clock, nice glasses case (my cat will chew my glasses if left unprotected), and a red and white porcelain bowl that holds my various a.m. medications (oh joy) and ear plugs, and there is usually a stack of books next to the bed.
By night: Add my cellphone and my Sigg filled with water (on the floor usually).
view CSalt's profile
I have an Artemide Telemeo task light (the micro sized one), a iHome clock/radio (I don't have an iPod...this is my wife's) and a candle. At night, my glasses and a book or magazine are usually there as well.
view JohnnySlimane's profile
I live in a studio so that may explain the weird multi-tasking that my nightstand does.
One side (close to the apartment door) is a dresser so that has a lamp, jewelry box, two vases and my keys etc.. catch all dish and possibly assorted mail. At night, there is usually my cell phone on its charger and a glass of water.
The other side is more nightstandish.. it has a lamp that sits atop two large coffee table books (Rome and France) and a candle. It may also have boyfriend's stuff..
view Laura's profile
on one side there is a phone and white lacquer box- the other- we have a clock and white lacquer box. very spare. in the boxes- we keep glasses, pen, watch etc.
view right angle's profile
Lamp, bose radio and remote, glasses, glass of water, book, hair elastic
hubby's side, Lamp, glass of water, tv remote, phone, picture frame
view labchick's profile
i use a desk as a nightstand so i have plenty of room:
bottle of water, alarm, stack of books (kittens have their water and a little dry food so that they can snack--crazy, i know!)
view AmyE's profile
my desk is my bedside table. it is huge so i have everything under the sun right at hand. seriously too much to list!
view sunnyshelle's profile
a lamp, tissues, the book i am reading or re-reading, usually 2 or 3 glasses of water before i get sick of them being there and put them through the wash process. my partner thinks i am really annoying for doing this, but he realises that i only just stumble out of bed and find clothes each morning before work so he deals with it.
view venus_thames's profile
day: lamp, alarm clock, phone, my book: "everything is illuminated," a small crystal dish for holding jewelry, hair elastics and safety pins, a "go europe" guidebook (i just returned from london), a tiny silk and antique lace boudoir pillow, a box of tissues, a tube of moisturizer, an oil pastel drawing done by my 6-year-old.
night: add my watch
husband: lamp, clock (unplugged), a stack of books from "freakanomics" to a book on loss models (he's an analyst), a box of tissues
night: add his watch and cellphone, sometimes a laptop computer
view nrb's profile
A retro style phone, a rotera candle lantern from ikea, small fabric box containing ear plugs, alarm clock CD player loaded with something like navajo flute to wake up to gently, my glasses; on the rare occasions I want water nearby I must use a covered travel mug lest some cat help himself ... and sometimes my Treo (another PDA addict here.)
view sarumino's profile
A lamp and whatever books we're reading. We use our cell phones for alarm clocks, so... those.
view Valerie's profile
lamp, whatever book i'm reading; cell phone added at night for alarm.
view sarahduckie's profile
Lamp, clock radio, vintage Bauer pottery creamer, cloth napkin, coaster, water glass, espresso cup, current Economist, Undercover Economist, CFA Level 1 Vol 4 (okay, that ended up on the floor because it's ungainly), two data back-up CDs that need to be put away, and a scrap of black leather that escaped from its storage box when I was planning Nico & Fuzz's bedroom.
view wende in phoenix's profile
My side - a lamp during the day and at night my glasses, watch, earrings, and water join the party. Husband's side - clock radio and a lamp during the day plus the occassional pocket detritus at night. I'd like a clock on my side - I can't see his because I can't see jack without my specs.
view LauraII's profile
Our nightstand sort of spans the bed (the headboard is a shelf with hidden cubby, plus two smaller nightstandy shelves...) So the big shelf has a photo taken by a dear friend, two reading lamps, two vases also made by a friend, a handmade stuffed dog and a clay formed bunny sculpture by my honey. On my nightstandy shelf - a stack of books - currently working on "New Kings of Non-fiction" edited by Ira Glass, and an alarm clock. On her side - books, an alarm clock and lots of lip gloss!
view renee c.f.'s profile
i have a stack of domino and dwell magazines...apartment therapy (im reading it for a second time), cell phone as my alarm, small lamp and remote controls (for the news in the morning).
view 335ktt's profile
I have so much stuff on my nightstand it's embarasing. There's a lamp, a glass lidded bowl for my jewelry, photos of my family, a cute stuffed lamb given to me by an old friend, discarded hair bands, a half-eaten bag on mint M&Ms (since they're only available around Christmas, I eat just a few a day so my stash will last longer), an empty glass or two, and a stack of books (Neil Gaiman and Jasper Fforde mostly).
My husband, on the other hand, is very neat. He has the alarm clock. And a book. And sometimes a drink. That's about it.
Funnily enough, I'm very neat around the rest of the house, but I've always had a habit of piling everything on my nightstand.
view Nougat's profile
On top of right nightstand: CD alarm clock, refurb'd powder blue dial phone from Argentina (rewired for US use). On top of left nightstand: small lamp, grouping of 3 small, carved exotic-wood vases, small teak bowl with ear plugs, perscription eyeglasses. That's it. No books, magazines carafes, or snacks. Blackberry is placed in another room, nowhere near my bed... Pretty boring, actually. (Embarassing disclosure: CD alarm clock is set to wake me up to Al Stewart's "The Year of the Cat.")
view Enrique's profile
lamp, sony alarm, & books & more books
view timmy jr.'s profile
On my night stands (day and night): small box to keep things in, glasses,keys,cell phone,pens... two books, a picture frame that revolves, so I can look at diffrent photos all the time, and a buddha statue.
view crash's profile
alarm clock, tray for water glass, a touch activated lamp, tv remote, and at the moment ibuprofen cream.
view mscot's profile