Bedrooms are supposed to be a space to unwind and relax, but clutter can get in the way of sending the right signals to your brain to switch off at night. It's for this reason that there are certain items that professional organisers would never keep in a bedroom.
We spoke to three professional organisers find out what items they always remove when decluttering a bedroom for a client, and while there were five things that made the list do remember that these items all come with caveats. 'Sometimes bedrooms have to function as more than simply a place to sleep, so what to keep in the bedroom is dependent on that,' points out Victoria Fearnley, APDO Member and Founder of Surrey Decluttering. 'The key is to assign areas for each function and try to avoid it getting muddled.'
Keep that advice in mind as space-restrictions might mean you can't banish all these items from your bedroom. Instead consider if they can be moved to more appropriate storage elsewhere, or if you need to upgrade your bedroom storage ideas to keep them out of sight.
So what are the clutter culprits to watch out for in the bedroom?
1. Excess clothing
Mel Carruthers, APDO Member and Founder of More Organised says that excess clothing is one of the items she always has to remove from clients bedrooms. 'Most of us aren't blessed with dressing rooms, so our clothing is kept in our bedrooms,' she says, but that's no excuse for clothes to be littered everywhere.
'It's especially important to be super-organised when it comes to our wardrobes, ensuring that all our clothing and accessories have a home and are put away. This will keep your bedroom as the haven that you deserve!'
So consider this you marching orders to organise your bedroom wardrobe ideas, if you only have a small wardrobe space consider investing in slimline hangers from Amazon to maximise the available space.
2. Kids toys and clothes
'Children’s toys and clothes always seem to have a habit of migrating to their parents’ room for some reason!' says Victoria Fearnley.
Your bedroom is supposed to be YOUR sanctuary, not an extension of the kid's room. If you find toys and other kids items slowing creeping into your room, try keeping a basket in your room as a temporary toy storage idea, pop them in each night, then they can easily be returned to the kids room in the morning.
3. Electronics
Electronics can include laptops, tablets and phones, and Mel Carruthers says she always tries to remove these from a bedroom. 'To promote rest and relaxation, keep electronics, work and hobbies out of your bedroom if at all possible.'
'If you need to work on your sleep hygiene, or struggle to turn off at the end of a busy day, then it's always a good idea to remove your phones from your bedroom and replace it with an old-fashioned alarm clock,' says Mel.
However, if keeping your phone in another room isn't practical Victoria Fearnely's solution is to hide it in a bedside drawer. 'If you rely on your phone as an alarm clock and/or leave it charging overnight, have the charging cable entering your bedside drawer and shut it when you creep into bed,' she recommends.
Alternatively you can try keeping it in a dedicated electronics box or a mini storage crate like these for £2 from Dunelm.
4. Excess Coat Hangers
Laura Haddy, APDO Member and Founder of Clear the Chaos Ltd says excess coat hangers should always be removed and placed elsewhere as they're non-essential items for getting a better nights sleep.
'When it comes to decluttering a a bedroom there are a few things I always insist on removing to create that perfect haven: anything that can be rehomed that does not promote a healthy nights sleep, or at least keep these items out of sight.'
Her solution is to consider swapping any excess hanger storage with your blankets or bedding storage. If you're keeping the latter in another cupboard in the house, consider finding them a new home in your bedroom.
5. Stacks of books and magazines
'Too many books and magazines are another common category,' says Victoria.
Yes, you might enjoy reading before going to bed, but you don't need to cram an entire library and newsagents into your bedroom. Stacks of books on your bedside table and discarded magazines on the floor are not going to help tell your brain it's time to go to sleep.
If you do have a large collection of books that need to be stored in your bedroom, keep them neat and tidy on dedicated shelves. Also be honest with yourself about what books are worth keeping. If you're really not going to read it again and it doesn't have any special meaning to you consider donating it to charity for someone else to pick up and enjoy.
If you're seeking a better night's sleep trying removing a couple of these items from your bedroom first. You might be amazed by the results.
