With the whirlwind our lives put us through on a daily basis, it’s all too easy for a bedroom to become a bit of a cluttered mess. Just picture it – shoes strewn all over the floor, belts and ties are tangled into some modern art, random paperwork scattered like confetti, that pile of laundry you no longer remember if it’s clean or dirty – possibly all sprinkled with some pet hair, to complete the masterpiece. Norman Rockwell would probably faint just looking through the door.
Up your organisation game
Ultimately, the reason for a messy bedroom isn’t that people are slobs, it’s just the lack of organisation. And it’s impossible to bring a bedroom to order without one very important element – proper storage. Whether you have a big or small bedroom, it’s all about clever use of space. Sometimes, a simple furniture reshuffle can make your bedroom roomier and feel less like an obstacle course.
Consider a bed with storage
Given that the bed takes up the most room in any bedroom, this is a good place to start. If storage in your house is limited, then having a standard bed frame is a wasted opportunity. A Divan bed is a fantastic alternative to the “pretty, yet impractical” bed frame problem. Divan beds are made specifically to fit standard mattress sizes, so you don’t need to lose any extra inches to any bells and whistles around the edge. Moreover, these types of beds have the added bonus of not having any legs that you can crush your toes on every time you move about the room. Divan beds have a lovely Scandinavian feel to them, because of their sleek and simple appearance, and because of their elevated height, it gives that much more separation from the floor and any other furniture you might have in the room.
To crank this up further, you should also consider ottoman beds. These storage solutions really are genius, because they suddenly offer up a huge amount of extra storage, without the loss of any square footage. There are different types of storage beds available – if you want to store things that you use frequently and want easy access to, you can opt for the beds with pull-out drawers on either side. Alternatively, and especially if you don’t have an attic, ottoman beds are the best way to go – lift up your mattress, shove inside anything that otherwise takes up a lot of space and you don’t need for a while, lower the mattress and it’s like the mess never happened. Not only can you then use your newly freed up storage for new purposes, but your bedroom won’t look any different in the process.
Work with what you’ve got
Making the most of your existing closet space is also important. A great tip is to use a bedside table – just not by your bed. If you have the type of closet that’s just your basic empty space with a clothes rack, then a bedside table is your new, surprising best friend. Find one that fits into your wardrobe – which shouldn’t be too tough, since by nature, bedside and end tables tend to be quite compact. Make sure to organise your wardrobe so that everything long hangs on one side, and everything shorter – like shirts and blouses – on the other. Pop the bedside table on that “short” side and suddenly you not only have additional drawers in your closet, but also a shelf, where you can pop shoes, accessories or toiletries.
Consider vertical space
Also, if your wardrobe doesn’t reach all the way to the ceiling, then you should make the most of your vertical space as well. A plain old box can be a bit of an eyesore, but you can get really pretty storage boxes these days – or even wrap a standard box in nice wrapping paper, wallpaper, or paint it to match the colour of your room. That way, it’ll turn into a nice feature, as well as some extra space for all your bits and bobs.
Lastly, floating wall mounted desks are a thing of beauty. They provide additional storage, as well as a place to work, and hardly take up any space, since you can fold it away like a tray table on a plane. It also has the benefit of encouraging you to be more tidy. You can’t fold the desk away if it’s covered in stuff, so you need to put everything away first. That way, you can end every day with a neat and discreet work area, which will also feel nice and satisfying and help your bedroom feel like a more zen space for the end of the day. And if you don’t want a work space in your bedroom, then one of these wall desks can make the perfect vanity table!
