We ask a lot from our bedroom. We want it to be a calming retreat, providing us with a restful sleep each and every night. We’d also like it to store our entire wardrobe, including shoes, accessories, cozy winter sweaters, baskets of bathing suits, and just about everything in between.
That’s a lot to demand out of a single room. We know that bedrooms should be kept clean and free of clutter—but how can this be achieved without renting a separate storage locker to keep all the stuff? The solution: be efficient in the way you use your space. Bedrooms are full of hidden storage opportunities, and with a few modifications, you can make the most of what you’re given.
Select Smart Furniture
Furniture with built-in storage options allows you to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. For instance, a nightstand that consists of a tabletop on legs wastes precious space between the surface of the table and the floor. When choosing furniture, looks for shelves and drawers in unexpected areas.
Don’t Forget Under Your Bed
Remember the days of your youth, when cleaning your room meant shoving everything under the bed? You might have been on to something. Keep items you don’t use very often stowed out of sight under your bed, like carefully stored linens, winter sweaters or even suitcases, if your bed is elevated.
Utilize Vertical Space
A bedroom only offers so much floor space, and much of that is taken up by the bed. Look instead to the walls. Floor to ceiling wall units or bookshelves will find score you some extra square footage for clothes, books and accessories.
Hang Your Jewelry
If you’re frustrated with your necklaces and bracelets ending up as a tangled not, you’ll love this idea. Affix hooks to a wall or to the side of a bookshelf to hang each piece of jewelry on its own. Plastic hooks affixed with strong adhesives are an easy fix, if you’d rather not screw anything into your wall or furniture. Thumb tacks stuck onto a cork board are an even easier take on the idea. As a bonus, your jewelry will be nicely displayed, so you won’t forget about that long lost necklace banished to the back of the jewelry box anymore.
Put the Door to Work
Hang an organizer along the back of your closet or bedroom door to get items off the floor and into a designated place. There are many different types of organizers, ranging from pockets, meant to store shoes, to small shelves, intended for lotions and perfumes.
Shoes: Think Like a Merchandiser
If you’re tired of fumbling through a heap of shoes to find a matching pair, it’s time to rethink your shoe organization. A shoe rack is an efficient option, but a shelving unit with cube shelves presents a more appealing alternative. Store your prettiest shoes in their own cubbies, and your bedroom will start to feel like a chic boutique.
Hooks, Hooks and More Hooks
Hooks can be installed into just about any surface—screwed into a wall, hung over a door, and so forth. Hooks keep items off the floor—jackets, frequently used hoodies, towels, purses, backpacks, and so forth.
Whatever method you choose, be sure to develop a system that works for you, and most importantly: stick with it! Even the best organization tools are worthless if they aren’t used.
