Staying organized is a key way to achieve contentment in different aspects of your life as people are much happier and calmer in uncluttered spaces. Just think back on how much more productive you are when you’re in a clean home or office versus a messy one. Clutter can contribute to feelings of anxiety and guilt, which is a recipe for disaster when it comes to getting quality sleep. It’s important to have a clear head when you tuck yourself in at night, otherwise, those anxious thoughts may end up getting the better of you and your quality of sleep. Here are a few ways you can minimize messes to maximize rest.
Make The Most Out Of Your Space
There’s a popular idiom that goes “a place for everything and everything in its place,” and it couldn’t ring truer in this context. Especially in a confined space like a bedroom, it’s important to organize accordingly to make sure everything is neat, tidy, and comfortable.
Furnish your room with nightstands that contain extra storage space like a cabinet or a drawer so you can easily stash away different miscellaneous items like mail, hand cream, face mask, Kleenex, pens, etc. You should also use the space under your bed to store suitcases, random boxes, or last seasons’ clothes to allow for extra room in your closet for things like your hamper, or plastic organization drawers.
Speaking of beds, make sure your mattress is an appropriate size for your room. Your bed is your bedroom’s centerpiece, but it shouldn’t be so big that it’s hard to maneuver around or fit other furniture. Queen mattresses are ideal for smaller spaces because they don’t take up as much room as a king mattress, but they’re still sizable enough to comfortably share with a significant other.
Bins, Baskets, And Hooks, Oh My!
For everything else your dresser, nightstand, and bookcase can’t hold, you can always turn to bins, baskets, and wall hooks to organize your things. Hooks that attach to the wall or fit over the door are perfect for hanging jackets, towels, hats, scarves, and jewelry. You can even buy decorative hooks that match the style of your bedroom, so they also function as cute decor.
Additionally, instead of tossing your gently worn clothing around different areas of your room, keep them all together in a bin or wicker basket. You’ll know exactly where to find that shirt you barely wore a few days ago, and it’ll prevent your cleanish clothes from ending up on the floor. You can also use bins to store extra shoes you seldomly wear, random trinquets that aren’t on display, or honestly just about any random little objects that need organizing.
Keep A Pen And Pad Handy
Having an easily accessible piece of paper and writing utensil nearby on your dresser or bedside table has proven to be beneficial for people who suffer from the Zeigarnik effect. You might not be familiar with the term, but most of us have experienced the effect. It’s when you lay down to go to bed, and you’re instantly flooded with thoughts of all the tasks you didn’t accomplish that day.
One of the most effective ways to combat this is by physically jotting down the responsibilities you didn’t finish on paper; it helps rid you of your anxiety and organize your thoughts so you don’t have to stay up all night with your worries. There’s also something about writing down your responsibilities that makes you more likely to do them.
Utilize Blackout Shades
Light pollution can negatively impact your sleep as it throws off your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is like your body’s natural alarm clock, and it’s heavily influenced by light and darkness. As such, you want your room to be as dark as possible to ensure you’re getting quality sleep. Blackout shades are really effective at keeping outside light from penetrating in, and they even make it significantly darker during the day in the event you want to sneak in a little daytime snooze.
Purify The Air With Plants
You can always purchase an air purifier to rid your bedroom’s air of contaminants, but plants are an alternative, and aesthetically pleasing way to get the job done. Certain plants have the power to naturally purify the air, like English Ivy which the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology claimed could remove 94% of airborne feces and 78% of airborne mold spores.
About The Author
McKenzie Dillon is a blogger and sleep enthusiast for The Slumber Yard, a leading mattress reviews website. When she’s not sleeping, McKenzie likes attending comedy shows, hiking and cooking.
