Top tips for organizing
the
bedroom
Clutter conquered, it’s time to get organized in the bedroom and stop clutter from creeping back. The bedroom is our most private and personal home sanctuary.
Focus on the room’s function—rest, relaxation, and renewal—with these ideas to arrange and organize bedrooms.
1 Light up your life!
Given the bedroom’s function as a haven for
rest and relaxation, harsh overhead lights have
4Tap under-bed areas.
Commercial organizing products are available to
slide neatly in the space beneath the bed, or check
to go. Reading lamps and indirect lighting will enhance the restaurant supply store for sturdy, inexpensive bus comfort and induce a sense of calm.
trays. Use them to store handbags, out-of-season
clothing, bulky sweaters, or gift-wrap.
2 Furnish right.
Arrange furnishings to support the activities
you’ll conduct. Add a row of hooks next to the
treadmill to hold exercise clothing, pulse monitor, and 5 Safety counts!
Be sure the bedroom includes basic safety supplies:
a nearby smoke detector, flashlight and batteries,
towel. Set up a restful reading spot on the bookworm’s and for upper-storey bedrooms, an escape ladder. Tuck side of the bed, with reading lamp, extra pillows, a safety supplies beneath the bed to avoid stumbling
basket for books and magazines and, on the nightstand, around in the dark next time there’s a power outage.
a coaster for his or her mug. Use hanging pegs and
A tip from earthquake country: never retire for the
desktop organizers to create a cosmetics center on top night without placing robe and slippers near the bed.
of a bureau; hang jewelry, scarves, and hair accessories for a neat and pretty touch.
6Go for dual-duty.
When selecting bedroom furnishings, look for
double-duty solutions that will add storage space
to the bedroom. A bed headboard that doubles as a
3Avoid “suite syndrome.”
Often, bedroom furniture is purchased as a
suite of multiple pieces—and you’ll find every
bookcase keeps a bedtime reader’s books close at hand.
blessed one of them crammed into many bedrooms,
Toss a long cushion over a cedar chest, and you’ll create space notwithstanding. Pare down bedroom furniture
a seating area and storage in one. Add a fabric skirt to and release living space by dispensing with the idea a dressing table to conceal a small rolling drawer
that a furniture suite cannot be separated. The extra organizer.
tallboy or spare bureau can do good service in the
entryway or hall, where it won’t cramp your style—
▶ Hidden storage. Incorporate organizing products under or your night’s sleep. “Mix and match” works as well the bed, beneath upholstered chairs, or supporting a night table in the bedroom as in the closet.
to increase storage options in the bedroom.
200
CYCLES OF AN ORGANIZED HOME
Mitring a sheet
Taking a tip from woodworkers, who join wood pieces at a 45-degree angle, mitring a sheet bottom keeps it snug and sharp beneath the bed covers.
Center the flat sheet on the bed, and tuck the bottom of the Still holding on to the sheet, pull it up vertically to form a sheet underneath the mattress. Grab the trailing edge of the triangle (the sheet should fold at a 45-degree angle).
sheet, about 2ft (60cm) from the corner of the sheet, to make a 45-degree angle away from the mattress corner and pull toward you.
Putting on a duvet cover
This method of putting on a duvet cover beats crawling inside the cover while attempting to stuff the duvet in—and you won’t feel as if you’ve been in a three-way wrestling match!
Try this method for putting on a duvet
Holding tightly to the corners, toss the
Grab the corresponding corners of
cover that I learned from a Swiss hotel
duvet cover up and inside out, allowing
the duvet through the corners of
maid. Standing, grab the top two
it to fall over your arms. The upper
the cover. Make sure you’ve got
corners of the duvet cover, fabric right side
corners of the duvet (with your hands inside
the duvet aligned properly, matching
out, holding one corner in each hand.
them) should be visible.
short and long sides.
ROOM TO LIVE
201
Lay the triangle of sheet onto the bed, then tuck
Drop the triangle of sheet down toward the floor, then tuck it under the bottom part of the sheet under the mattress.
the mattress to form a mitred corner. Smooth the hanging sheet Building in this tucked fabric is the secret to a well-bottom underneath the mattress, all the way to head of the bed.
mitred, taut-fitting sheet.
Repeat on the other side of the bed.
“Tuck fabric softener sheets into the linen closet—and your bedding will come out smelling sweet and fresh.”
Hold on tight to the duvet-
Flip the newly covered, freshly fluffed
Fasten the bottom of the duvet cover;
cover combo, and shake. As
duvet up and over the bed, and turn
some makes have snaps, others have
you shimmy, the duvet cover
your attention to the cover’s bottom.
buttons or ties. When you’ve finished
will fall right side out, down and
Some covers have sewn-in pockets; if so,
fastening, give the duvet a final shake to
over the duvet itself.
tuck the duvet’s remaining corners into place.
distribute the down or filling. Bed made!
Green and
Reach for sweet, sustainable dreams in the
bedroom with these ideas to cut energy use
and improve sleep quality:
▪ Warm it up. Add an electric blanket or
down comforter to the bed to replace
standard blankets, then lower the thermostat
ser
in winter to save on heating costs.
▪ Chill out. In summer, a bedroom ceiling
fan circulates air for comfortable sleep—and
ene
lowers the need for air conditioning.
▪ Buy organic. Sleeping in your bed for
eight hours each night can mean maximum
exposure to the chemicals and resins found
in synthetic materials. When buying sheets
or mattresses, go for organic fibers to lower
exposure to toxins.
▪ Pick the right paint. Even when dry,
standard paints continue to emit VOCs, or
volatile organic compounds. Preserve a clean
environment in the bedroom by using low- or
no-VOC paint on bedroom walls.
204
CYCLES OF AN ORGANIZED HOME
Decluttering a
child’s
room
Let’s play the STOP clutter game
In addition to the usual STOP clutter tools—timer, boxes,
“Clean your room!” It’s the battle
and garbage bag—you’ll need a good selection of
cry of millions of parents. Try these
lidded plastic shoeboxes or other stackable containers strategies to calm clutter and bring
and a few floor level open containers. Set the timer, and show
the child how to play the STOP clutter game.
order to children’s rooms.
1 Sort Start with a small section of the little person’s Special challenge
domain: a single shelf, a small area of floor, or
It’s a conundrum. Children’s rooms are usually small, often one drawer. Grab each object and ask the question: is shared, and may lack built-in storage. Yet these rooms are this something we want to keep, to put away, to give host to out-of-season and outgrown clothing, surplus toys, away, or to throw away? Nope, we can’t put it down!
and even household overflow from other rooms. Children We’ve got Magic Clutter Sticky on our hands, and we
can’t stay organized when the clothes closet is crammed, can’t put it down until we make a decision!
the drawers are stuffed, and playthings are strewn across the whole carpet area.
The solution: use the STOP clutter method to sort, store, 2 Organize
STOP clutter for 15 minutes, and then begin to
and simplify children’s belongings. Long sessions of “clean sort the keepers. Here’s where the lidded storage
your room” are an ordeal for all concerned, but by working containers earn their star billing. Toss small items such as for a limited time with a defined method, kids and parents all connecting blocks into one bin, dolly’s clothing into can come to terms with clutter.
another, tiny trucks and cars into a third. Playing “match the toy” is a good identification-and-labeling game for Skills for life
young children, and teaches them organizing skills.
For all but the youngest toddlers, resist the urge to wade Warning from an Old Mom: there will be resistance
into the mess alone, garbage bags flying. Instead, look at to the Give Away and Throw Away options. Try tactics the decluttering process as a learning activity, and put the like Choose Three to break through the block: “Yes, you focus on the child. In your role as organizational consultant, may keep the space hideouts—but only three. Which
survey what’s working, what’s not, what’s important to the are the most exciting?”
child, what’s causing the problems, and why the child wants to get organized. If they’re involved in the effort, children are better able to understand the organizational logic and 3Toss and put away
Finally, when the timer bell rings, toss the trash
maintain the new, organized room.
and return Put Away items to their homes in
It will take a number of STOP clutter sessions to clear other rooms. Deliver Sell/Donate and Storage items to a crowded child’s room. Boost your patience with the their storage locations, and stack and store the newly process by remembering that you’re not just clearing out sorted kids’ toys.
the stuff—you’re building skills that will stand the small fry in good stead for life.
ROOM TO LIVE
205
before decluttering ▲
after decluttering ▲
206
CYCLES OF AN ORGANIZED HOME
Top tips for organizing
children’s
rooms
Decluttering achieved, it’s time to bring order to children’s rooms and play areas.
The trick is to take a child’s eye view. Look at the space, storage, furniture, and possessions from his or her vantage point—and tailor organizing strategies to suit.
For younger children, remove closet doors entirely.
Lower clothing rods and invest in child-sized hangers 1Think child-friendly.
To organize a child’s room, solutions must fit the
child. Adult furniture and organizing systems don’t
—adult versions don’t fit children’s clothing. Use floor-translate well to children’s needs. Sticky dresser drawers level open containers to hold toys, and open plastic are hard for small hands to manage. Folding closet doors baskets to store socks and underwear.
pinch fingers and jump their rails when pushed from
the bottom. Closet hanging rods are out of reach, while
▼ The smaller the child, the lower you go. Organize children’s traditional toy boxes house a jumble of mixed and
rooms according to their eye level. For the smallest children, that scattered toy parts.
means floor level. Open bins allow toddlers to play “put away” easily.
ROOM TO LIVE
207
2Hard to get out, easy to put away.
The premier rule for efficient children’s storage?
Reduce, reuse, recycle:
Like children’s clothing, toys are outgrown
Make it easier to put something away than it is
early and often. Shoddy construction and
to get it out. For example, store picture books as a flip-easy-to-lose pieces cause toys to lose play
file, standing upright in a plastic dishpan. The child flips value quickly; inadequate storage options
through the books, makes his or her selection, and tosses mean toys are easily damaged or scattered.
the book in the front of the dishpan when he or she’s Result: the household boasts a wealth of
done. It sure beats a traditional bookcase, where little toys—but nothing fit to play with.
fingers can pull down a whole shelf faster than they Go green in the playroom with these
can replace one book.
strategies to reduce, reuse, and recycle
3
children’s toys:
Organize bottom to top.
Befitting a child’s shorter stature, start the
▪ Buy good once. Sure, it’s fun to dream
organizing process from the bottom of the room,
about buying out the toy store—and take it
and work to the top. Most-used toys and belongings
from a Nana who knows, nearly impossible
should live on lower shelves, in lower drawers, or on the to restrain doting grandparents with the
floor. Higher levels are designated for less-frequently-same idea—but sustainability starts when
childr
used possessions.
shopping. Take a pass on the latest plastic
4
fad items in favor of well-made classic
Label, label, label.
toys. They’ll stand the test of time—and
Use a computer printer to make simple graphic
en’
the toy box.
labels for young children. Pictures of socks, shirts,
▪ Store smart. Most playthings lack viable
dolls, or blocks help remind the child where these items s toys
storage off the shelf, so provide a proper
belong. Enhance reading skills for older children by home for toys and games to protect their
using large-type word labels. Slap labels everywhere: play value. Lidded plastic storage containers
inside and outside of drawers, on shelf edges, on boxes keep game parts together, garage small
and bookcases and filing cubes. Playing “match the
cars, and serve as closets for dolls and
label” can be fun—and turns toy pick-up into a game.
their clothing.
5
▪ Seek to share. Good-quality toys are
Build a maintenance routine.
often outgrown before they’re outworn; one
The usual peaks-and-valleys approach to keeping
family’s old toys will be another family’s
a room in order can vex and frustrate children.
treasure. Share the wealth by shopping yard
Their room is clean and tidy, they play, and suddenly sales for children’s toys; allow children to sell
their room is back to messy normal. Help children stop items at a yearly garage sale. Community toy
the cycle by building maintenance routines into the
libraries allow children to check out toys,
and
family’s day. “Morning Pick-up” straightens the comforter, families to donate unneeded playthings. At
returns the pillow to the bed, and gets yesterday’s
year’s end, contributing to holiday toy drives
clothing to the laundry hamper. Before dressing for bed, helps pare down children’s possessions
“Evening Pick-up” involves putting away the day’s toys.
before the Christmas season.
Show and
The paper tide begins with a toddler’s first
crayoned scrawls, and grows to a school age
high by primary school: children’s artwork.
Displaying a child’s artistic creations brings
bright affirmation to their creative efforts.
Be equally creative when displaying,
sharing, and storing art projects. Lightweight,
shar
inexpensive laundry lines—designed to take
a traveler’s drip-dries on the road—offer a
great way to display the week’s artistic
e
triumphs. Mount these short lengths of laundry
cord behind a desk, and use the clips to hang
paintings and papers. Alternatively, use clear
acrylic frames to display artworks—they make it
easy to swap out projects on an ongoing basis.
Share the wealth with others in your
child’s life. A monthly mailing to Grandma
not only celebrates family ties, but also gives
her bragging rights at the bingo game or
exercise class. Best of all, sharing children’s
artwork in this way helps introduce them to
the delights of correspondence.
210
CYCLES OF AN ORGANIZED HOME
Family room
declutter
STOP clutter in the family room
Gather your tools: timer, STOP declutter boxes (marked The family room: it’s the center of family
Put Away, Sell/Donate, and Storage), garbage bags for life—and in too many homes, the cluster