The bedroom is meant to be a place of rest, relaxation, and retreat.
But if it’s crammed to overflowing with clothes, furniture, décor, pillows, trash, or random things that somehow migrated into the room, then it can easily become a stressful mess instead of a place to unwind. There are a lot of reasons for it to get cluttered up, but no matter what the current condition - or the future vision - for your bedroom is, it's vital to keep the size, shape, and doorways of your bedroom in mind as you unclutter this corner of your home.
It is far more important to decorate the space you actually have than to try to decorate the space you wish you had.
- 7 Steps for Decluttering and Space Planning -
1 ) Clear out the storage spaces one at a time. Start by going through your closet and donate or throw away as much as possible. A common suggestion is to get rid of something if you haven’t used it in a year or more. But you should also get rid of things that you've never used since you've gotten them, even if that was only three months ago, and get rid of things that you’ve realized you’ll probably never use.
After you finish getting all the extra stuff out of your closet, go through your dresser, then your side tables. If you've been storing things by hiding them under the bed, go through that space next.
And, finally, sort through the items in any other storage pieces you have in the room. This can include storage benches, shelves, cupboards, toy boxes, or just plain boxes or bins. The sorting part of the process can take a while...it can be exhausting! But if you take the time to get it done...even if it takes you weeks of time, the results are worth it!
A partner in crime can make this part of the process a lot easier, so get yourself a cheerleader and teammate if you can !
2) Clear the floor, and plan to keep it cleared. Remove all the stuff that has been piled and scattered around. If it doesn’t have a place to go, then it needs to be removed from the room. And picking things up off the floor and piling them in a corner or on the bedroom chair does not mean they have a place to go.
It can be easy to overlook things that are below our eye-level, and you may need to make a special effort to keep the floor clean over time; but it will be worth it.
Of course, sometimes when we’re in a hurry or having a rough week, things can end up laying around the room in random places. But if you want to keep your bedroom a restful place to be, then you need to regularly take an hour or an occasional half-day and clean up the space, put everything away in its place, and make sure the floor is clutter free.
A clean floor makes a huge difference in every space.
3) Restructure the storage (hopefully you'll need less storage space now!) Once you've cleared out your storage spaces then you can figure out what kind of system will work best to store the items you have left. It's always helpful to create an organizing plan before you start; and usually that will mean using hangars, bins/baskets, and trays to help keep things separated, accessible and in good condition.
Utilize under-the-bed storage pieces; but only if you find yourself in need of additional space! This can be a great place to keep less-used items that you still want to keep in the room. But even this extra storage can look clean and uncluttered!
And, remember, organize in a way that will suit your natural tendencies rather than in a way that looks "perfect".
If you tend to toss things in piles, use small baskets for loose organizing of similar items instead of forcing yourself to perfectly fold, hang, or label each specific item. You can sort clothes by season, color, or style if you want to... but "organized" just means that it's easy to lay your hands on what you want when you want it in a space that is safe and functional.
4) Make sure everything has a place to be put away. Once you start organizing the things that are left after your decluttering, you still might not have enough space to store ALL the things. At this point, you can minimize even further, or you can decide on a rotation method, or you can store a few less-used items somewhere else.
For example, rotate your clothes by season. Let only the current season’s clothing be stored in your bedroom and the other seasons’ clothing be stored in bins or vacuum-sealed bags in your basement, garage, storage unit, etc.
And, if you're trying to keep certain things easier to access...like your sports equipment, office supplies, piles of books or extra blankets, or other items you use somewhat often - you should try to find a place for them in another area of your home where they can be put away and leave your bedroom more of a sanctuary than a storage room.
5) Simplify your bedding. Your bedding does not need to be extravagant. It does need to be in your style, comfortable, and easy to maintain. But if you find yourself piling on decorative pillows or blankets, stop yourself for a minute. Consider what you're willing to do to make your bed every day. Because, if you're not making your bed every day and those decorative pillows are just laying in a pile on the floor, then you don’t really need or want them.
If you struggle to make your bed on any day, then stick with the minimum: a pillow for each person, fitted mattress pad and sheet, and a comfortable blanket.
Bedding can be high quality, beautiful, and elegant even when it's very simple.
6) Donate or throw away extra decor. Every item that's used to decorate your bedroom should be able to be displayed in a way that lets you easily see and appreciate it. If you have so much décor, knick-knacks, or collectibles that you can't see much because of how everything is piled up, then you should consider donating or selling the extra pieces.
Keep only what you truly value and can appreciate; and let others appreciate the rest.
If some of these things are collectable non-negotiables that you absolutely cannot give up, then it would be good to display them on dedicated shelving or in enclosed cases that keep the items in excellent condition over time while allowing you to view and enjoy them.
7) Make sure your furniture fits the space. For instance, if you have an overstuffed chair in the corner that you need to climb over to get to the far side of the bed, then I suggest downsizing that chair. Sell the over-large one and use the funds to get one that fits the space better. Or if you have a huge piece of furniture, such as a king-sized bed, that you’re not willing to live without, then you can make this the centerpiece of the room and buy or arrange other furniture to fit around it. You could use floating side tables to save floor space, use a narrow storage bench at the foot of the bed instead of a chair, or design a closet storage system that would allow you to get rid of or downsize your dresser.
And a "good deal" on a set of furniture, does not mean a "good fit" for the room. Don't force furniture into the space when it's just going to make it uncomfortable.
Own less, so you can take care of less, so you have more time for things you enjoy.
HAPPY ORGANIZING!
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