Simple Ways to a Cleaner and More Organized Bedroom

Treat your bedroom right, and it will reward you with relaxation and rest every time you enter it. Eliminating visual disorder is key to creating a room that inspires peace and calm. Here are my top tips for a clean and organized bedroom:

• Do not let your bedroom become a dumping ground. Never allow your bedroom to become a hideaway for things you want to keep out of the main living areas. Treat you bedroom like the sanctuary it should be. If at all possible, consider keeping other activities like TV watching and work out of the bedroom. This will result in a room that signals your body and mind to calm down and rest.

• If it’s a multipurpose room, keep things in their designated areas. If you must have an office area in your bedroom, keep it an area; don’t let papers migrate away from your desk. Make an extra effort to keep everything contained and out of sight. For instance, while an open inbox may be fine in another room, attempt to find a solution that’s a bit more disguised, like a decorative shallow basket, if your desk is in your bedroom.

• Be strict about what’s on surfaces. Leaving things on dresser and nightstand surfaces instantly makes your bedroom look and feel cluttered. As much as possible, reserve dresser surfaces for decorative items only — and only a very select few. Try to keep getting-ready tools and products in your bathroom. If they must be in the bedroom and out, keep them corralled on a tray or in a pretty bowl to help keep your room visually calm and contained.

• Edit the nightstand. Take a look at what’s on your nightstand and remove everything that you don’t reach for when you’re actually in bed, whether it’s at night or in the morning. Only keep the books you’re currently reading in this prime spot. Care should be taken so that everything else that needs to be there is in something that looks nice. For instance, if you need to keep tissue on your nightstand, get a cover for it that both disguises the box and goes with the decor of the room.

• Choose bedding that is practical. If your bedding is magazine worthy but includes as many pillows as in product shots, there’s a big chance your bedroom rarely looks the way you intend it to. Limit yourself to the number of pillows and other non-functional bedding decor that you can reasonably deal with every single day.

• Make your bed — every morning. Not only will this get your day off to a productive start, but it’s essential to a put-together bedroom. When your bed is made, you’ll also be more apt to keep your room clear of tossed clothes and other things that tend to accumulate in there. Cultivate this habit and you’re well on your way to having a bedroom that’s clean and in order. You owe it to yourself.