The bedroom; a place of relaxation and an escape from the demands of everyday life. But wait!
The laundry basket is overflowing, the nightstand has been dominated by books, coins, and other paraphernalia, the chair is full of two weeks worth of clothes, and you still can’t find that other sock.
Sound familiar?
Oh well, there’s always the TV to snuggle under the covers and binge watch more serial killer shows, right? So why is it you still feel so uneasy?
A cluttered bedroom interrupts energy flow and leads to a feeling of chaos and undone tasks. Who can really sleep with a million reminders of everything to be done the next day, knowing that it’ll only end up in the same old mess by the time evening rolls round?
If you’re nodding your head and sighing in agreement, it’s time to reset the purpose of your bedroom once and for all.
The bedroom is a place to relax, sleep, and engage in intimacy. It is a sacred space of dreams and tranquility…or should be. If clutter and disorganisation is allowed to accumulate in this sacred room, it is disruptive to a good night’s sleep, as well as stress-promoting. Energy gets stuck and becomes stale.
Left in this state, the bedroom will become a draining and exhausting room.
Everything is made of energy. Me, you, and every single object we interact with. This energy is made up of different frequencies, almost like radio stations, but it’s always flowing, always moving, and always interacting. This energy has a direct impact on the way we feel on a daily basis and can energise us, or eventually make us sick.
Imagine a river and someone throws a trolley in it or some other rubbish. Over time the trolley rusts and people forget it’s even there because it’s been there for so long. Eventually, more rubbish joins it and that river becomes murky and blocked.
The energy of a home is very similar, including the bedroom where you want to feel most at peace.
With a cluttered bedroom comes a cluttered mind and fragmented sleep. It screams of to-do’s and procrastination instead of allowing you to let go and relax. It makes you tense and on edge rather than in the mood for sleep or intimacy.
I’m going to share with you, tips and strategies for transforming your bedroom into the haven you crave, and the space it was always meant to be.
- Put clothes away immediately.
- I used to be guilty of leaving all my clean clothes in the clean linen basket, and there they would stay. I would panic every single morning trying to find clean underwear, matching socks, and an uncrumpled top for work. Don’t let this be you. Put the washing away the same day it’s done and wake up to fresh, organised clothes for an effortless morning. And whatever you do, don’t leave clothes over chairs or other pieces of furniture. Leaving clothes over a chair, for example,invites others to treat it like a clothes horse rather than a place to relax, talk or read. If your laundry basket is in your bedroom like ours is, keep the washing at least halfway down. Don’t let it overflow or it becomes a mountainous task to overcome.
- Declutter your wardrobe/dresser.
- How often do you open your wardrobe only to feel like you have nothing to wear, despite that there’s no more space on the rails? By getting rid of clothes that don’t fit, are worn out, or you no longer like, you can begin creating a capsule wardrobe where everything matches and you eliminate those time-consuming decisions of what to wear, while still looking incredible. For tips on doing this, I highly recommend Courtney Carver’s Project 333, and Erin Elizabeth’s channel on Youtube.
- Declutter the nightstand and drawers
- move or get rid of anything that isn’t bedroom related. Put coins in wallets, receipts in the bin or in with the paperwork,move unread books, and minimise excessive ornaments and trinkets. By removing clutter on the sides, you make cleaning the room easy and breezy.
- All you need on a nightstand is whatever you might need during the night, and possibly something that makes you smile. Keep it sparse and spacious. Some examples of things you might keep on or in your nightstand are; a plant, a lamp, an energy crystal, a photo, a glass of water, a pair of glasses, and perhaps medication if you need it in your line of sight. A journal to brain dump your worries, or a reading book is also a great idea. Note: Please be careful that young children cannot access medication left in sight or in drawers!
- Declutter excess makeup and jewellery.
- Like with clothing, less is more. Eliminate that decision fatigue! With makeup, so many consumable products become out of date without us realising, as well as containing thousands of harmful chemicals we think nothing of putting onto our skin.
- Remove objects that have nothing to do with sleep or intimacy.
- Work stuff? To-do lists? Bills? They have no place in a bedroom. If your space is small enough that you have to keep a work desk in your bedroom, that’s fine, just remember to separate it mentally (and physically if you can) from the rest of your room.
- Remove technology such as TV’S and phones.
- TV is a distraction and not only gives out blue light that would keep you awake and prevent deep sleep, but can prevent deep conversation and intimacy. Phones are even worse and act as a constant call to addictive scrolling and consuming endless information. The only instance a phone would be acceptable is as an alarm clock. Even then, I recommend a regular alarm or an Echo Dot, instead. Just seeing a phone can trigger the urge to check and fall down the rabbit hole of social media, news, email, memes, whatever is causing that leg pain, and when the world is going to end.
- A bedroom is the one room you should be able to escape the noise of modern technology. If you want a good night’s sleep or to improve your relationship with your partner, TV’s and technology are a no-no.
But what if you have a partner and they won’t get on board with zero tech in the bedroom etc? In that case, just focus on your own habits and your own side of the bed. In time, if they see the positive effects on you, it might inspire them, but if not, keep at it for your own health and peace of mind.
That being said, one way to get others on board, including your own mind, is to reset expectations. Reset the identity for furniture that has become something other than its intended purpose.
Transform the dresser back into clothes storage and a display for select meaningful objects, rather than a catch all for coins and other clutter. Reinstate the chair as a reading nook/conversation corner rather than a clothes horse, and quit using the bedside drawers as miscellaneous storage for homeless things. Re-purpose them as storage for tissues, medications, a book, a journal, or anything else you may use in your bedroom.
It’s worth mentioning that none of the above tips will work long-term without adopting good habits. Re-forming old habits may take some time as your brain will need to rewire the new ones, but the more you do them, the more natural they will become to you.
One habit you should definitely implement is to make your bed every morning so it is always an inviting room to enter, an enticing place to rest, and you achieve something positive to start the day.
Another habit you must adopt if you’re to keep the bedroom clutter-free, is to put stray objects back where they belong as soon as you see them, and have the same expectations for others. Be mindful that anyone sharing the room with you will also take time to form this new habit, especially if they’re used to just leaving things until ‘later’ or ‘tomorrow’.
Put clothes away at the next available opportunity, and remember, paring down your clothes will make this particular task far less daunting. If you have a chair, leave it clear to invite conversation, or create a peaceful reading nook.
Putting things away will become effortless and can take less than a minute if you only keep what is essential for your bedroom.
A few bonus tips that can go a long way to achieving tranquility are to use soft lighting and calming colours, and to use decor sparingly. Too much art or decor can be exhausting on the senses and become a form of visual and physical clutter.
Remember, we want that energy to flow like a river, and your sleep to be peaceful, deep, and refreshing.