Sufficient, well organized storage in all rooms is a major step in achieving a slow home. With this in mind, I dedicate this post to the smart bedroom, a place that not only provides a place to sleep, but also provides sufficient storage, holds personal belongings for winding down, and last but not least, contributes to a beautiful and healthy eco-friendly environment. Read more for details...

The bed takes up the largest footprint in the bedroom, so maximizing its storage potential will be a great help in keeping the space lean, efficient and beautiful.

Note: These items from West Elm and IKEA aren't made with the blatantly green materials, but they are multi-functional and/or help to keep your stuff minimal and organized. In some cases, they're likely to be long-lasting. And as we were going for affordable, that's why they made the list.

Slow Smart Bedroom Tips:

1. Invest in a bed that has ample storage built into its design: (photos 1 and 2)
The ones shown here have a lift-up mattress or pull-out drawers. As we've said, the bed consumes the largest footprint in the room so imagine all the storage possibilities for spare bedding, seasonal clothing and memorabilia! Shown here: Pivot Storage Bed Frame, $899.00 from West Elm; Mandal, $349.00 from Ikea.

2. Side storage compartments in a headboard are neater than front ones:
(photo 3)
Look carefully for the hidden storage compartments on the sides of this clever headboard. Most headboards with storage compartments have shelving or cabinets in the front. I'm not a fan of this type of design because it looks incredibly cluttered, taking away from a beautiful and calming sleep environment. Shown here: Oppdal, $130.00 from Ikea.

3. Don't forget the foot of the bed: (photo 4)
Depending on the size and layout of your bedroom, storage at the foot of the bed can be extremely useful. Trunks, bookshelf benches and storage benches fit easily because of their narrow shape. The bookshelf bench shown here is perfect for the person who likes winding down in the evening with a book or magazine. It's a great way of having a compact library in the bedroom. Shown here: Rolling Storage, $299.00 from West Elm.

4. When all else fails, underbed boxes are the cheapest and easiest way of maximizing bedroom storage: (photo 5)
Cardboard boxes work great for this purpose. They have lids, thereby protecting its contents from the endless dust bunnies that like to hide under the bed. Eco-friendly boxes are made of recycled materials and emit low VOC. They are also very easy on the wallet and come in a variety of colors (and even patterns) to blend with your decor. Shown here: Lingo, $7.99/2 pack from Ikea.

(Images: as linked)