8 Things People with Always Clean Bedrooms Do
Right this moment, do you have piles of clothes littering your bedroom floor? How about laundry baskets full of junk still in there from the last time you used the laundry basket method to tidy up before welcoming guests? Yeah, same here. Bedrooms, rightly so, are probably the most private spaces in homes, rarely seen by visitors. Because of this, they tend to get the short end of the stick when it comes to your cleaning time and energy.
But bedrooms serve an important role in fostering rest. Walking into this space at the end of the day should feel like a warm, calming hug, an instant cue to let go and unwind, and in the morning, it should support a focused mind, ready to take on a new day. If you want your bedroom to be an oasis, it needs to be uncluttered and clean.
Here’s what people with always clean bedrooms do to keep them that way:
Clear off nightstands every morning.
Whether you read in bed, journal before your head hits the pillow, or drink a mug of tea to settle yourself, your nightstand can quickly get filled with evidence of your bedtime pursuits. Make it a strict habit to clear off your nightstand every morning. Straighten your book (or books, but keep the pile to an absolute minimum) or journal, put items in a drawer or on a shelf if possible, and, most importantly, get that tea mug into the kitchen.
Make the bed every morning.
This is another non-negotiable. Leaving the bed unmade is the bedroom’s equivalent of setting a dirty dish in the sink instead of washing it or putting it in the dishwasher. Remember: Mess begets mess and cleanliness begets cleanliness. With a nicely made bed, you’re far less likely to toss clothes on the floor.
Have a designated place for already-worn clothes.
Once you let one item of clothing languish on the floor, you’ve started a pile. Put clothes you try on and decide not to wear back right away (or maybe toss them in a donation box?). Decide once and for all what you will do with clothes that you’ve worn that don’t need to go in the wash yet — here’s my go-to solution — and put clothes that need to get washed in the hamper.
Stick to a routine for washing sheets.
Designate one day a week for washing your sheets and you’ll never again have to wonder when the last time was. Clean sheets are important for your health because they reduce allergens and bacteria, and they feel so good.
Schedule bedroom deep cleaning tasks.
Again, because your bedroom is rarely seen by other people, it’s easy to put it last when it comes to deep cleaning. But you deserve to enjoy the benefits of a thoroughly clean room. Put bedroom-specific deep cleaning tasks like cleaning the blinds, washing the curtains, polishing wooden furniture, and refreshing pillows on a schedule so your bedroom gets the attention it needs.
Dust and vacuum weekly.
Routine cleaning is just as important as intermittent deep cleaning (and it will make your deep cleaning easier, too!). Dust all surfaces (including plants) weekly and follow up with a thorough floor cleaning, whether that’s vacuuming and/or mopping.
Don’t allow the bedroom to become a storage space.
If you toss things into your bedroom to get them out of common areas, promise to put the items away where they belong. Work a regular decluttering session into your bedroom upkeep habits, whether that happens once a day or once a week. A regular reset will keep your bedroom from ever getting out of hand.
Unpack within a day of arriving home.
Use the momentum of getting home from a trip to toss your clothes straight into the washer. Make it a goal to empty your suitcases before you’ve been home for 24 hours. This way, you won’t end up with suitcases and clothing in questionable states of cleanliness strewn around. This is another instance of not allowing one mess to create another.
February is Bedroom Month on Apartment Therapy! We’re sharing stories all month about bedrooms — from how to sleep in them, decorate them, make the most of small ones, and so much more. Head over here to see them all!