The Key to Better Sleep is an Organized Bedroom
(How to organize your bedroom. Credit: Thinkstock)
“It’s nicest when a bedroom can be a sanctuary, a place for sleep and relaxation,” says Maeve Richmond, founder of NYC-based Maeve’s Method home organization coaching service.
We agree: since your bedroom is where you get your day off to a good start, and where you unwind at the end of it, an orderly, uncluttered bedroom and organized closet goes a long way in setting the stage for both a productive day and a good night’s sleep.
We asked Richmond for some of her favorite tips on turning your bedroom into an orderly haven.
Related story on Yahoo Makers: Go Back to Bed! Bedroom Throwbacks Worth Revisiting
1. Pare down your wardrobe. Richmond’s philosophy is that one’s wardrobe should be adjusted to the space you have in which to store it. “I’m a big believer in living within your real estate means,” she says.
To purge your clothing, she suggests taking everything out of closets and drawers, and sorting it according to what she calls “life themes,” i.e. work outfits, clothes you wear for sporting activities, your lounging clothes and going-out outfits. You’ll be able to whittle out what’s not needed and return everything to their storage space in the categories so that you’ll be able to assemble an outfit by occasion. Be sure to store things that you use most frequently front and center, where it’s easy to reach.
2. Rethink your bedside table. A typical nightstand is piled high with a random assortment of books, device chargers, clocks, medicines, papers, and more. “But much of the stuff that ends up in a bedside table drawer is really not needed,” says Richmond. “Stop using it as a catchall.”
Instead, she recommends putting everything into the drawer, except things that support the sleep process: “a meditation book, lavender essential oil, a carafe of water, perhaps.” And to keep that drawer from becoming a tangled mess, she suggests arranging items on little trays or boxes within the drawer.
3. Be cautious about under-bed storage. While many organizing experts consider the space under the bed to have great potential, Richmond is not so quick to stuff it full of odds and ends. “Clutter under beds can disrupt your sleep cycle,” she contends. “It represents things that are unresolved in your life.”
That said, she agrees that it’s valuable real estate, especially in a small house. So she suggests that you store only bedroom-related things under the bed, such as extra bedding or out-of-season clothing, in two or three clear tubs so you can see the contents.
(Photo: Paige Smith Designs)
4. Turn your favorite objects into art. The jewelry and accessories that you love can double as a decorative motif while not being worn, all the while keeping from getting tangled and jumbled in a jewelry box. “Ultimately a bedroom should reflect someone’s personality, so if you wear hats or have lovely necklaces, display them on the wall,” says Richmond. There are plenty of ways to display your collections, whether it’s hanging from hooks or set in pretty teacups on the dresser.
(Photo: Birch and Lily)
5. Give everything a home and make sure it lives there. Richmond says that the concept of finding a “home” for everything from your socks to your books, is more of a mental shift than an organizing tactic like installing drawer dividers. But she says that the mindset really works – when you see a stray sock that’s not in its “home,” you’ll be sure to return it to that top drawer. What’s more, when there is a predetermined space for every item in your bedroom, it’s easier to put things away at the end of the day.
If you’re having trouble finding a good home for your shoes, consider making a shoe tray that can slide under your dresser. We like the idea of hacking the IKEA Ribba frame like this blogger did.
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