Organizing small spaces - focus on the bedroom

For some reason, bedrooms often end up being a "catch-all," especially in a small home.  To prevent this from happening, you need to decide the specific purpose of this room and be very mindful of sticking to that purpose. For example, you may decide that your bedroom is going to function as both a bedroom and a small office. Then, only allow things that are necessary for those functions to remain in the space. Everything else needs to find a different home.

Beyond being very specific about the purpose of the room, three things are important when organizing the small bedroom. 

1. Keep clutter (and other things) to a minimum.
No one really wants to look at a cluttered dresser or vanity as they're trying to relax at night. It's important that you tidy up frequently so that everything gets put back in place before you go to bed. If you've read any of my other blot posts, you probably would have come across my "15 minute" bedtime routine. Use some of that time to tidy up surfaces in your room. 

Other things that can clutter up your small bedroom: furniture and clothing. If you can't easily navigate around the furniture in your room, you have too much. Maybe you can use a smaller bed. Or, you could take out the nightstand if you have a headboard that has shelves or cubbies.  Remove furniture that isn't used often. Be thoughtful about what you actually need for storage.

Almost all of us have too much clothing. There is an often quoted statistic that we wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time. Let go of anything you haven't worn in the last 2 years - you probably don't like it or it doesn't fit right. Also, get rid of clothing that is stained, ripped or otherwise in disrepair. Decide on a specific number of jeans, shirts, etc and only keep what you actually wear.

2. Be clever about the type and placement of storage.
Not everything has to be a piece of furniture that sits on the floor. Get wall shelving that you can store things on. In small spaces, both closed and open storage is important, but lean towards closed storage that can be kept neat and tidy. 

If you need to have a desk or vanity space in your room, consider getting a fold down desk like this one from Amazon. You get hidden storage and a work surface!

​3. Don't forget hidden storage areas.
The closet immediately comes to mind for most people - and yes, that is a great storage space, provided it's decluttered and things are put away neatly. Don't just throw things on the shelves. Depending on what you need to access, get open fabric bins to get to things easily, or closed totes to stack on shelves.

​Also think about storing things under the bed. If your bed isn't currently tall enough to get under, think about using bed risers. Make sure they are heavy duty and made for beds and not other types of furniture.

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Don't despair if you have an especially small bedroom. You can make it work. Downsize your furniture and clothing. Think about using the space under your furniture and on the walls for storage. And, above all, minimize, minimize, minimize!