Day 23
What are you doing in the bedroom? (Get your mind out of the gutter!) So many of us have turned our master bedrooms into multitasking hubs. Most people will tell you to get everything out of the bedroom and leave it as a retreat for you and your significant other (yes, a dog counts as a significant other!) I am all for keeping your room as a sanctuary, but for some, depending on your home, this may be the only place to actually get things done. Smaller homes need multitasking rooms. So can you have a retreat, an office, a laundry room and a play room all in one? You can if you try to keep it zoned off.
Whether you are using the master bedroom for a retreat or a multi-functioning central point in the home, organizing plays a key role in making it work. You can’t have clutter surrounding you and go to bed at ease. (I do know some who can, but it is very rare!) I like to ask my clients to envision how they want the space to look and feel. I ask them to think of their favorite hotel experience.
Hotel rooms are set up to have many functions. From work (the writing desk they provide) to laundry (the iron and ironing board) to sleep, you are able to function in the space. Part of the reason we function so well in a hotel room (besides maid service) is the fact we have less in the space. You traveled with a limited amount!
Break your room down to smaller zones. Do you need to work in your room? Then you need an adequate functioning desk. If work out in your room, what equipment do you need? Does it have a home? Also, laundry is a major function of the master. Do you have sufficient space to work on it? For many, your kids need to be entertained in your room. I know, this doesn’t scream retreat, but if you want a shower and you have a toddler, this may be the only way to get one in for the day!
Once you know what needs to take place in the space, and you have created zones for each activity, it is time to remove everything that doesn’t belong. If you have returns to the store, get them out of your room. If you have storage items, find a home for them (I know easier said than done, but for now we are working on your master!) Think about what isn’t serving a purpose and remove it! Your bedroom may serve many purposes, but long term storage is not one of them.
Following are things I think are great for a master bedroom:
- A current picture of you and your love. Remind yourself of love in the space.
- A nightstand. This is not to fill with stuff! Keep only what you use at night or first thing in the morning on the nightstand. Decorate it so you keep it clutter free.
- A good lamp next to the bed. If you read in bed or if you need to get up in the middle of the night for a sick child, a lamp next to the bed is important.
- Good bedding. I am not talking about the million thread count that Oprah sleeps on, but a nice set will make you want to keep your bed clutter free.
- A chair or bench. Besides being a place to put your shoes on, it just looks nice. If you are a reader, make it a reading nook. Just beware if you like to pile clothes on it. It is not a hanger!
- Good window coverings. A dark room allows for better sleep!
If you are the type who hangs clothes on your exercise bike or pile things up on a chair, catch yourself in the act of doing it. What are you thinking when you do it? Is it because it can be worn again, or because it needs to be repaired? Figure out the why behind it and find a solution. If you are going to wear it again, hang it up in a separate section in your closet for the “worn, but can be worn again” clothes. If it needs attention, put a basket in your closet for “to be dealt with” and write down in your calendar when you will deal with it.
If you need to keep work in your room, have a way to close up shop for the night. If you have only a lap top and some pens and pencils, give it a home besides your nightstand. Have a basket for work related items you can place away from the bed. If you have a desk in your bedroom make sure you have dedicated enough time in your day for clean up Take 15 minutes to check your work for the next day, clear off papers, and prepare for the next day. If you are organized for the next day you will have an easier time sleeping.
Do you do fold laundry in your room? I have found if I carry our laundry upstairs to the master (Yes, I want to know who put the laundry room so far away from where clothes are worn!) I fold the laundry on my bed. It is a large space to separate as I fold. I create the piles for each family member to go to their prospective rooms. (Yes, I make them put it away!) I can watch TV and fold. Yipee! (Just kidding, I hate folding laundry and putting it away!) At least I have the space to work in my master. I am still holding out for an amazing laundry room so large I have space to fold and separate, have it next to the bedrooms, and have Martha Stewart’s staff assisting me. But I am dreaming right?! (Did you notice I have a lot of parentheses in this paragraph!)
Do you have toys in your room? (PG blog) Kids toys that is. I love when designers and organizers tell parents get the toys out of the bedroom. For parents with small children, having toys in the bedroom may be the only way the you get a shower in for the day. A small basket of toys in the room is ok, as long as the toys aren’t taking over. Also, think about the age of your children. An 8 year old’s toys don’t belong! Set boundaries for YOUR space.
Make your room everything it needs to be. We all are sleep deprived and your bedroom should be a place to refresh yourself. Who doesn’t want a great night sleep? I know that I can fall asleep easy, because my room is clutter free. I am not thinking of all I have to do because it is not staring me in the face.
What’s going on in your bedroom? What needs to change? What seems to accumulate in your room? Tell us how you plan on changing it!
About Gail Gray
