Bedroom mi!

Living in a messy bedroom can affect the quality of your sleep. Many health experts believe that one of the key things to getting healthy sleep is to stay in a peaceful and clutter-free environment.

So that this article is easy for you to follow, we’re going to break it down into 5 different sections. Each of these sections would contain a number of tips to get rid of your bedroom clutter.

Section 1: Getting Rid Of Unwanted Things

The first step to declutter your bedroom is to get rid of the things that you no longer need. While this might seem easy, the difficult thing is actually being truthful to yourself about the things you need and the things you do not. 

According to the Chief Design Officer of California Closets, Americans only wear 20% of their wardrobe regularly. Everything else is either too niche and can only be worn once in a blue moon, while the others were not good enough, right from the moment you got them. 

Whatever the reason might be, it does appear that we often have way more stuff than we actually need. The problem is that we are often not so truthful with ourselves to tell ourselves that, in fact, we do not need these items. 

Step 1: Take Everything Out

We understand that not everyone would be able to carry out this step. However, if you have a weekend off, it is definitely a way to start.

Removing all the items in the bedroom, apart from the bed and other heavy furniture would give you clarity. This way you know that whatever items are coming back into the bedroom are either going to be useful or bring you happiness. 

When we talk about clearing the room out, we also mean clearing the closet and every single drawer. The only thing that should be left inside the bedroom is an empty closet and your bed. If you have other heavy furniture like a sofa, it’s fine to leave it in too. This would ensure that no bedroom clutter is left inside.

Step 2: Get A Trash Bag

So that we can ease into this whole process, it is important that we start nice and easy. So, to begin, we suggest you get a few trash bags and just walk around your bedroom, placing in anything that you consider trash. 

This should be a relatively easy step as you only have to pick the things that don’t have a use anymore. So things like waste materials, paper bags, torn clothes, and things like that. 

Step 3: Arrange All Surfaces

The best thing to do is to start with your bed. This is because later on, you can use this bed as a surface to arrange the other items in the bedroom. 

Once you’re done arranging your bed, arrange other surfaces like desks, nightstands, and tables. If there’s a stool in there that shouldn’t be there, take it out. If you would like a change of desks, this is when you get that done. 

Section 2: Cleaning And Organizing The Bedroom

Now that you’ve gotten all the items out of your room, the next step is to clean the room thoroughly. You cannot really have a room reset if you don’t clean the room properly. It just won’t feel right. 

Step 1: Vacuum 

The first place you should clean is your floor. Get out a very good vacuum and go to town on the floor of your room. If you don’t have a vacuum, then sweeping and mopping should do the trick. 

The aim is to get the floors to look as clean and as shiny as possible. And so whatever materials or tools it takes you to get there don’t really matter. 

Step 2: Re-arrange The Furniture

If you took out your furniture while clearing out the room, this is the time to bring everything back in. At this point, you should only pick the furniture that you absolutely need.

Also, it is advised that you switch up the arrangement of the furniture in your room from time to time. This helps the room to feel refreshed and comforting. 

The biggest task in re-arranging is finding a new space for your bed. We suggest you consider placing the bed at the corner of the wall. If you don’t like that, you can also have the bed centered while everything else would be else around it. 

Of course, you know that moving your bed would enable you to reach parts of your room that you couldn’t before. So, do a quick cleaning of those areas before arranging the rest of your furniture. 

Step 3: Organize Your Closet

The biggest culprit that causes room clutter is a full closet. Once your closet becomes full, you start to see shoes and clothes, and other clothing items, lying all around and that’s what generates the most cluster. 

So, before bringing anything back in, organize your closet properly. We have an article that focuses solely on organizing a small room. In that article is a section that talks extensively about maximizing the space in your small closet or even building a closet yourself if you don’t already have one. If you’re interested, the link is down below:

How To Organize A Small Bedroom

One great idea of getting a clutter-free closet is to arrange your clothes and clothing items according to season. Put all the clothes that are in season in the closet, pack the rest away and store in a box somewhere. This way it’ll be easier to pick up clothes in the morning cos everything in the wardrobe will be wearable in that season. 

Step 4: Create A Space For Paperwork

One thing that is often overlooked when we talk about clutter is paperwork. However, it definitely shouldn’t be overlooked. Whoever you are, whatever your profession is, you definitely have some cards, books, and other paperwork. 

So, it is important that you make storage space in your room for these items. If you need more storage, it might be best to invest in a filing cabinet. The Lorell SOHO Mobile Cabinet is a great option. 

Click here to buy the Lorell SOHO Mobile Cabinet

If you don’t need that much space, then a binder or some folders should do the trick. Whatever the case may be, it is important that you make use of a system that works for you. Remember to make something that’s not so difficult that you won’t be able to continue implementing in the future. 

Step 5: Get Some Shelves

If you need extra space to store items,  like books and jewelry, hanging shelves on the walls is a great idea. This will not only help you keep clutter off of the floor but if set up well enough, they can act as room decor or a mini-show for some collectible items like toys. 

When hanging shelves, you want to give space between the shelves and the ground. This space would ensure that you don’t bump into them while walking around. 

Also, before hanging up each shelf, decide what type of items that shelf is going to house. You don’t want to pack different shelves into your room just to clutter all of them. You would also need to organize these shelves from time to time to ensure that they’re serving their purpose and not just taking up wall space.

Step 6: Make Use Of Storage Furniture

Wherever you can, opt for furniture with a storage option. Nightstands with drawers, desks with filing cabinets as legs, footboards with storage compartments, and so on, are great for keeping away mess.  

The more storage space you have, the less likely your room will be cluttered. We also talk about storage furniture in length our How To Organize A Small Bedroom article, so definitely check that out. 

Section 3: Get Rid Of More Stuff

Remember at the beginning we said to remove all items from the room? Excellent. Well, now, we’ll be sorting out all of those things we removed. This will enable us to decide the stuff that you go back into the room. 

Decluttering For Messy People

Step 1: Use The Three Boxes Method

The best way to sort out stuff is to divide all the items into three piles. The piles should be labeled “keep” “donate” and “get rid of”. 

Before you put any item into the “keep” box, make a mental note of where in the room you’re going to place it. This is important so you do not end up keeping more stuff than you have the storage space to contain. 

When using this method, you have to be completely honest with yourself. According to an article on the Wall Street Journal, Americans only wear 20% of their clothes regularly. 

The remaining 80% are either clothes that were only worn for one event and never again or clothes that we didn’t really like from the get-go but are just too scared to throw away. 

Whatever the case may be, the fact still remains that most times we keep a lot more stuff than we actually use. 

So, go through those pile of clothes. If there’s something that you haven’t worn in the past year, something you just don’t fancy anymore, or something that you’ve outgrown, put them away. If they’re still in good condition, put them into the “donate” box. Otherwise, throw them away. 

Step 2: Keep Out The Things That Belong Elsewhere

While sorting, you would find certain things that are useful but do not belong in the bedroom. Things like dishes, paperwork, and other items that don’t belong in the bedroom shouldn’t be taken back in. 

If you have a laundry room, don’t keep dirty clothes in your bedroom. Take your time to sort through everything and make sure that they are kept appropriately. 

Section 4: Re-arranging

Now that you’ve gotten rid of the stuff that you don’t need, it’s time to re-arrange the things that made it into the “keep” box. 

Step 1: Arrange Your Closet

When arranging your closet, you want to place all the clothes that you wear more often at arm’s length, while everything else can be put underneath those. 

Arrange your closet seasonally and then pack the rest of the stuff into a box for safe-keeping. 

You can also arrange the closet by color, style, or type of clothing. At the end of the day, all you need is an arrangement system that works for you. It needs to be something that you would find easy to do unless it would be difficult to continue it in the long run. 

Step 2: Arrange Everything Else

Now that your clothes have gone into their rightful position, it’s time to put everything else back in order. Arrange the drawers, the desks, and everything in between. Of course, making sure you’re only keeping the stuff you need. 

Once you’re done arranging, the room should feel clutter-free, just like you want it. Now you can enjoy a good night’s rest in peace and a serene environment. 

Keeping Your Bedroom Clutter-Free Going Forward

Although we’re done decluttering, it is essential that you develop a system to constantly keep things in check. If this is not done, in no time, we will be right back where we started. 

So, in this section, we’ll be giving you a few tips on how to keep your bedroom clutter-free.

Put Your Clothes Away Properly

The basic tune that has been playing throughout this article is that clothes cause the most clutter. So, it is no surprise that the best way to prevent it is to make sure the clothes are kept away properly. 

Immediately after drying laundry, arrange it into the wardrobe properly. The problem most times is that we procrastinate and keep the clothes on the bed first hoping to “do it later”. And that later never comes. 

So, the best thing is to keep them away immediately after bringing them in from drying. Sort, fold and arrange them using the system that you created earlier. If their season has passed, fold them nicely and place them into a bag or box for storage. 

Always Clean Your Room

One thing people often underrate is the power of a good cleanup once in a while. If done well, cleaning your room weekly is the best method for decluttering. 

Of course, while cleaning, you would have to do some organizing and sorting. All these will have you putting stuff back into where they need to be, leaving your room without clutter. 

If you have pets, then you would need to clean more often. Pets would often carry dirt from place to place with their paws, disorganize things, and some would shed fur. 

Think Like A Minimalist When Buying

One thing that leads to a messy room is over-buying. If you’re an impulse buyer, you have to learn to at least curb that lifestyle. 

We understand that that’s more difficult these days because of fast-fashion. However, if you truly intend to keep a clutter-free life, you have to rise above. 

Think closely about each piece of item you want to get before you buy it. If it’s a piece of clothing, ask yourself how many times you would wear it before it goes out of fashion. If it’s furniture, make sure that you actually need it and it’s practical for your room. 

Now, this does not mean that you shouldn’t buy things that bring you joy or make you happy. However, you just have to weigh the benefits and the consequences. If it will only bring you short-lived happiness, it probably isn’t worth it. 

Not only will this thinking save you from cluttering your room, but it’ll also save you some money. And everyone can do with saving a little extra something here and there. 

Going Full Minimalist

If you’ve done everything we’ve talked about in this article and you still feel like you have too much in your bedroom, your case might be special. You might need to go full-minimalist. 

Minimalism is a lifestyle of basically using only the things that are absolutely necessary. Just the things that you need to be more productive, or the things that bring you the most joy in your life. 

It is limiting your wardrobe to 20% so you can wear all of them regularly. It is quitting impulse buying and taking a deep dive into your needs before making every purchase. 

The lifestyle is definitely not for everyone, so do your research on the topic before making a complete switch. To help you out, we’ll leave a video at the end of this article to show you what the minimalist lifestyle looks like. 

Conclusion

Alright! We’ve come to the end of this article. We hope that you learned a lot and have begun to implement everything we talked about in this article. 

If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? The journey to decluttering your bedroom begins in one step. So take that step today, start now, don’t procrastinate.