Here’s how to organize a small bedroom and create the serene space you need to recharge.
Think Like a Minimalist
Much of what’s sold as bedroom furniture isn’t really necessary. For instance, a bench at the foot of the bed, a vanity table, or a large armoire might look nice in a magazine, but in the average home all that furniture can make a space feel cramped. If you have a small bedroom, take a minimalist approach and only include the essentials. All you really need in your bedroom besides the bed likely is a bedside table and a spot to store your clothes. You even can make furniture pull double duty, such as using a dresser next to your bed for clothes storage and to serve as your nightstand.
Keep Your Nightstand Clear
In a small bedroom with minimal furniture, it’s easy to create clutter by piling various items on your nightstand. To avoid this, use a nightstand with drawers for hidden storage. Limit the surface space to just two or three items—maybe a lamp, a box of tissues, and a small dish to hold jewelry. You can even mount a bedside lamp on the wall next to your bed to free up nightstand space.
Use the Space Under Your Bed
If your bed allows for storage underneath, this is a great place to keep off-season clothes. This will help to declutter your floor and closet. Just make sure to keep the space under your bed neat and free of dust. Consider using wide, flat plastic storage boxes with lids to keep everything clean and sorted. Besides clothing, some other items to consider storing under your bed include luggage, gift wrap, toys, linens, and books.
Establish a Decluttering Routine
After you’ve cleared all of the unnecessary furniture and items out of your bedroom, the organizing still isn’t over. The smaller the room, the faster it’s going to become messy, even if you don’t have much stuff to begin with. So it’s important to get into a regular organizing routine. Go through your bedroom at least weekly to put away clothes and remove clutter such as receipts or food containers that might have accumulated there.
Use Vertical Space
Small bedrooms typically have small closets and few other storage spaces, so you’ll have to get a little creative with how you store items. Aim to take advantage of vertical space using shelving, hanging organizers, and other similar items. If you don’t already have a shelf above the clothes bar in your closet, consider adding one for folded-clothes storage. You can even attach hooks to the backs of your closet and bedroom doors for more hanging storage.
Keep Shoes in One Place
You don’t have to store shoes in your bedroom just because the rest of your clothing is there. In fact, if you have a hall closet or other storage space closer to your front door, it’s often more practical to keep your shoes there. This frees up precious storage space in your small bedroom. But if you want to keep shoes in your bedroom, store them neatly and in one place, rather than scattered across your floor. Consider using a shoe organizer than can be hung on the back of a door. Or place shoes in a plastic bin that you can easily slide out of sight under your bed.
