How to Organize your Bedroom

1. Get your nightstand in order 

“If you go to sleep with a messy bedroom or sleeping area that needs to be tidied up, it can actually negatively affect your sleep,” says Jane Abrahams, founder and owner of Jane's Addiction Organization in New York. She suggests starting with your nightstand. First, remove everything from your nightstand and discard those items that you no longer use. Wipe down the space, organize and put back and arrange those items that are used daily. Add a scented candle to the table or a simple faux floral bouquet for a fresh, clean look. 

2. Tackle your drawers

Have a dresser in your room? Don’t just dump everything into your drawers loosely. “For any drawers, use simple clear baskets to organize similar items together so you can easily see and access [those items],” says Abrahams. Go through and try to remove anything that no longer fits and consider donating it – or tossing it, if it's an item like socks or underwear. If you have things that you’ll never wear again, like socks with missing mates, it’s time for them to go. And don’t forget to organize your nightstand drawers as well. Get rid of anything you don’t need in there. Try not to just make them extra junk drawers!

3. Clean up the floor

Take inventory of what’s on your floors and pick up what you can. This will not only make your room look cleaner – and bigger – but will also help to get rid of any potential trip hazards. For example, you can pick up old magazines and recycle or give away anything you’ve already read. Have a pile of books on the floor next to your bed? Choose one to read right now, stick it on your nightstand or tuck it away into a nightstand drawer. Place the others on a bookshelf until you have time to read them. Pick up any items of clothing, mail, or anything else that shouldn’t be on the floor,  and place it in its proper home.

4. Clear out your closet

Making more space in your closet will allow you to have more things stored inside it and less scattered about your room. If you have an item of clothing you haven’t worn in over a year, then it’s probably time to let it go. Think about donating it to a local shelter and giving it to someone who could very much benefit from wearing it. You may want to consider getting rid of shoes that don’t fit, clothing that is out of style, and things you just don’t like wearing anymore. You can purchase storage containers for things like winter clothes that you don’t wear that often but want to keep, and any other keepsakes that you’d like to store in there.

5. Organize your jewelry

Do you have earrings, rings, bracelets, tangled necklaces scattered around your room - sitting on top of dressers, nightstands, etc.? You can buy a few beautiful jewelry boxes and decorations to house them in. Some come with areas to hang up necklaces, which helps to combat detangling. If you have the same pair of earrings or rings that you like to wear daily and take off at night, one option is to buy a decorative tray to sit on your nightstand or dresser that you can set them in at the end of the day.

6. Make your bed

Your bed is the centerpiece of your bedroom. Taking the time to make it every morning will help your room to look fresh and inviting. If you don’t have a bedspread that you love, you may want to purchase one that makes you feel cozy. Then accent your bed with decorative pillows. Making your bed every day can have health benefits too; much anecdotal evidence links having a made bed to helping you to feel more productive, relaxed, and happier. Now challenge yourself not to use your bed as a dumping ground for clutter as the day goes on so that you can simply peel back the sheets at night and climb right in!