Organizing your Nightstand

These days there is so much that is out of our control.  Not being in control can be frustrating. Organizing takes time which is hard to find with everyone home 24/7. One area that is quick to organize is your nightstand. Here are some tips from House to Home Organizing to help you through:

• Take a before photo.

• Totally empty the entire unit.  

• Sort the contents into categories. For example, electronics, (cords, kindle, TV remotes to name a few) medications, keepsake items, photographs, makeup, reading glasses, notepads, jewelry, pens/pencils and books are some of the categories you may find. 

• Donate or Toss what you don’t use.  Is the makeup very old and dried up? Are the medications current or expired? Are there numerous books or magazines you started but don’t plan to finish? Can the photographs be stored with keepsake items in a more remote place? Do you need twenty pens or is three enough? Are all the remotes current or do you have some from old TV’s?  Are all the reading glasses the correct strength? You get the picture, time to discard what is taking up space and will never be used.

• Clean the nightstand. Now that everything is out, time to wipe it down and clean it out.

• Purge the non-essentials and visualize what you really want in the nightstand. What do you use regularly and needs to be kept within easy reach?  Keep what you truly need before bedtime and when you wake up.

• Drawer organization. Now that you know what you are keeping there are many ways to organize the drawer more effectively. Stores such as  Amazon, The Container Store, 

Bed Bath and Beyond, and Target have many drawer organizers in a variety of materials to help you keep the drawer neat and tidy. Remember to measure before you purchase anything to make sure it will fit to the drawer specifications.

• Try to keep the top of the nightstand clutter free. What do you really need on the top? A small clock? Tissues? One pair of glasses? A small lamp? Maybe a hand lotion? Everything else should be in the drawer or underneath. 

• You’re done! Stand back and take an after photo so you can feel good about your work and your clutter free nightstand.

Guest Post - How To Modernize Your Teens Bedroom

When it’s time to turn your teen’s bedroom into a hipper, more modern space, it can seem pretty daunting at first. However, there are plenty of simple and affordable ways to change up the look of a pre-teen bedroom and give it that fresh, updated look that your teen has probably been asking for. 

Planning out all the items you’ll need, curating a complimentary look for all the decor and furniture, and of course, finding the best minimalist approach are all important factors to keep in mind when it’s time for that long-awaited bedroom makeover. 

Get Organized Before You Get Started

Picking pieces and a color palette that will grow with your teen is important for being more minimalist in your makeover as it will last them several years rather than one or two. It might also be helpful to start a design book with fabric and paint swatches so that you don’t end up being tempted by something at the store that ultimately doesn’t fit the space. It’s also a good idea to make bullet points of what your teen wants and needs from their space. Do they want a lot of good lighting? A study area? An area to read a book? A selfie or TikTok station? If you have all this in mind during your makeover, it will be easier to stay on task and really make the most out of your time and money.

Utilize Multi-Use Pieces

It’s no secret that teens like to seclude themselves in their bedrooms in between meals and social events. This means it’s worth considering every area of your teen’s room as you’re remodeling in order to really utilize the entire space. It’s also important to consider your teen’s interests as well as their creative input. This space is for them and while you can steer them away from those less evergreen styles and decor choices, let your teen share their vision and you can work as a team to bring that vision to life. 

With all the changes, you’ll want to still make sure everything in the room flows together to create that optimal and modern-looking space. For teen room makeovers, consider the following: 

• Entertainment Central: Teens likely want a space to entertain their friends, watch movies, and play video games. Finding pieces with multiple functions can help them utilize their space. Try a sleeper couch that can sit guests or turn into a bed for a sleepover. Storage is also important but it can be tricky finding modern-looking options. One option could be modern wood lockers to not only hold and organize their stuff but also revamp their room with a unique twist on typical storage space. This is also an opportunity to give new life to old stuff — whether it comes from the attic or a local consignment store. 

• Creating Atmosphere with Paint and Lighting: Ceilings are often overlooked during makeovers but have a lot of design potential. Paint the ceiling to match the room or be the accent color. Swap out a sterile overhead light with an interesting fixture found at the thrift store. You can also match or contrast the room's color palette by adding window treatments and coordinated throw pillows

• Floor Solutions: Changing the floors in your teen’s bedroom can not only run a high price tag, but there’s no point in replacing them if they’re in good condition. However, rugs do bring an element of personality and can modernize a space easily. Rugs can be costly though, especially the bigger ones. Here, again, is a great time to head to your local thrift store or even check out Facebook marketplace.

Make Way for New Beginnings

When working on modernizing your teen’s bedroom, de-cluttering their space and donating any unnecessary items is a vital first step. It helps give your teen a clean slate, which is important when trying to update the space. Of course, sentimental items such as their first teddy bear or middle school science project don’t have to be tossed out, just consider placing them somewhere safe, but out of the room. 

As any veteran minimalist knows, one of the best decluttering tips is to create a system. This is a perfect chance to sit down with your teen and put together a plan to stay on top of clutter. How often do they need to be getting rid of old clothes? Twice a year? Every three months? If they take a lot of photos or hang onto important mementos like movie tickets, what is the best way to organize them? Pictures frames, photo albums, display boxes? If you can identify what clutter seems to accumulate the most, then you can set up a better system for organizing it. 

Modernizing your teen’s room doesn’t have to be a giant headache. With the right organization, creativity, and minimalist approaches, you can create a rejuvenated space that your teen is sure to enjoy spending all their free time in.

Author Bio: Noah Rue is a freelance writer.

6 Key Tips on How to Make Your Bedroom More Comfortable

Our bedrooms should be a space of ultimate relaxation. When we step over the threshold, we should feel at ease, no longer stressed. Our rooms should definitely not add any stress. Take a few steps to create a haven of relaxation by cleaning it regularly, ridding it of clutter, and more. Learn how to make your bedroom more comfortable below!

Clean it Regularly

There’s no chance of you feeling comfortable in your room if there are clothes strewn on the bed or dirty dishes on your side table. A tidy home means a tidy mind, and that starts in your bedroom. Do yourself the lovely favor of cleaning your room regularly. Cleaning soothes your mind, reducing anxiety, and leaves you feeling more comfortable in the space.

Declutter and Donate Often

Clothes are often the main reason for a messy room, so make sure to declutter and donate often. For example, if you’re stressed about putting your clothes away in the closet because you’re not sure if you have enough space, then you need to make a change. Follow tips for when you should get rid of clothes, and you’ll end up making space in your closet for the clothes strewn on the floor. When you make a habit of getting rid of clutter, your space will feel more comfortable.

Choose Comfortable Beddings

If your bed isn’t comfortable, why would your room bring you comfort? Take the time to pick out the right mattress for you (it’s the adult purchase you need to make), and search for cozy sheets and comforters—the softer the fabric, the better for your comfort. Make sure to keep your bedding clean as well—washing should be a part of your weekly cleaning routine.

Utilize Essential Oils

Start weaning off candles, and lean toward essential oils. They’re better for the air quality (most candles include some chemicals you don’t want in the air) and are effective for relaxing the mind and body. Choose your favorite scents, get a diffuser, and let it run when you’re sleeping or when you’re getting ready for bed. Good smells are a key component of how to make your bedroom more comfortable!

Keep Work Out

A comfortable bedroom is one that’s used only for sleep, which means that you need to keep work out of your room. Don’t bring your laptop into your room if you won’t be able to stay off your work email. When you start bringing outside sources into the bedroom, you bring tension and tasks to a place that’s meant just for sleep and relaxation. Keep work out of the bedroom!

Pay Attention to Lighting

Your lighting says a lot about the mood you’re creating. There should be absolutely no fluorescent lighting in your bedroom. Think of utilizing as much natural light as possible and then having warm light to give more vibrancy to the room when you need it.

Guest Post - 9 Ultimate Ways to Make Your Bedroom Look Beautiful

A bedroom is where you will spend more time than any other living space in your home. It’s a place where you can create your private haven of tranquility, a place where you rejuvenate yourself after a tiring day at work, and zone out when you must.

A well-decorated bedroom can promote quality of sleep and make you feel ‘at home,’ each time you step inside to relax, sleep, or curl up and read a book after college or work.

Here in this post, we will discuss nine ultimate ways to make your bedroom look more beautiful:

1. A Hanging Light Fixture Instead of a Boob Light

A glamorous chandelier can add drama and romance to your bedroom. Hanging lights normally look great in a bedroom if it’s spacious enough.

Get rid of boob light fixtures in your bedroom. You can get something more contemporary, elegant, vintage, or timeless for a similar price.

2. Rethink the Nightstand

We all love to use the nightstand as a convenient location to place innumerable items such as books, glasses, mugs, cables, hand-creams, etc.

You can rethink how all or some of these items are displayed.

Can you hide a few of them in a drawer? Do it.

If it’s a small room, you may consider a nightstand affixed to the wall.

3. Reorganize and Style the Vanity

A classic piece of bedroom furniture, vanity is the second focal point in a bedroom, after the bed.

A cluttered vanity can make the entire bedroom area appear messy. So, it is a good idea to hide all the clutter in the drawers.

Next, try to style the bedroom vanity a bit.

You can, for instance, get a little creative and see if the following ideas can beautify the bedroom vanity area:

• Hang an artwork behind the dressing table or lean it against the wall.

• Place two objects of different heights on the table (e.g. a book and a vase).

• If the bedroom vanity does not have drawers, use a tray to make the assortment of different objects look purposeful and somehow more beautiful.

• If it’s an old wooden vanity that has been passed down in the family for generations, it can be enhanced by a framed black-and-white photograph. Maybe you can try the picture of your grandmother when she was young?

• You can use a small vase full of fresh blooms as a focal point. Even three stems (or less) per week will do the trick.

• If a gallery wall is already taking up a considerable amount of space in your bedroom, consider arranging the frames around the vanity mirror. Just make sure the overall color scheme looks good.

• A bedroom vanity can also function as a nightstand if you are short on space

4. Get Rid of Unnecessary Furniture

If your bedroom is overcrowded with various accessories and furniture items, it can look cluttered even if it’s large enough to accommodate everything.

Do you really need two chairs in the bedroom or eight paintings on the wall? Can you get rid of one furniture item to create a more spacious feeling?

5. Upholstered Bed and Custom Bedding

If you are aesthetically intuitive, you probably know that the perfect bed, bedspreads, duvet cover, comforters, bed skirts, etc. do not come in a bag.

These are custom-made for you.

Custom bedding fits perfectly and is made in fabrics you truly love. You can utilize the services of custom re-upholstery specialists to upgrade your bed so that it offers unsurpassable comfort and becomes the centerpiece in your bedroom.  

Expert designers can turn an ordinary bedroom into extraordinary with custom upholstery/reupholstery and bedding; they will fashion a luxurious bedding ensemble that complements your bedroom décor.

6. Stick to One Focal Point

Do not try to cram too many décor ideas into one bedroom. It will only make a bedroom look more cluttered. It does not ensure a restful sleep either. Removing or organizing bedroom clutter is one of the best ways to ensure occupants get quality sleep.

If you have a gallery wall as a focal point in your bedroom, for instance, there is no point having a textured wall with attractive lighting right next to it.

7. Use a Mirror to Bounce Natural Light

A mirror placed directly opposite or adjacent to a window will bounce the natural light around the bedroom.

This will help soften the shadows in many areas around the room that may have darkened the space earlier.

A mirror can also make a room look bigger.

8. Add Color Accents or Patterned Wallpaper to Furniture

You can add patterned wallpaper to your lampshade, nightstand drawers, closet, or drawer. Such color accents can beautify your bedroom a whole lot if you know how to complement the existing color scheme.

9. Bedroom Area Rug

A bedroom area rug does not just save your chilly toes; it also hides dirty-looking carpet stains, works as a noise buffer, and protects solid floors from getting scratched by a heavy bed frame. It creates a comfortable, homey vibe, besides lending a unique style and personality to your bedroom.

You can opt for wool or polypropylene rugs. These are durable and easy to clean and maintain. If your bedroom area gets a lot of sunlight, you may consider cotton or polyester rugs.

10. Add Some Greenery

A potted plant can add new life to your bedroom or transform any room for that matter. Compared to a vase of flowers, potted plants are a better décor option for most people.

 Author Bio

My name is Daniel Mizrahi. I am the Editor-in-Chief at Danielsdesignhouse.com, Danny’s Design House has been offering upholstery and drapery services for more than 35 years.