I’ve always neglected my bedroom, giving it less attention as the eight hours I’m in there are spent in the dark. But as a chronic overthinker and poor sleeper, I’ve been on a mission to remove clutter from my bedroom to create a calmer space - and I’ve been taking tips from the things that people with a tidy bedroom have to make some changes.
Yes, it’s easy to assume that the things people with a tidy home always have are universal tips that can translate into the bedroom. And while many of them are, a bedroom is also a multifunctional room that needs to be a sleeping space, dressing room, chill-out spot, and sometimes even an office, too.
Because of this, it can end up full of stuff that makes it look and feel untidy, and this can ultimately have a knock-on effect on your sleep and your overall wellbeing. But after asking my very organised friends, family and colleagues how they keep their bedrooms tidy, my sleeping space has been transformed. This is how you can do it, too.
1. Multi-purpose furniture
Unless you’re lucky enough to have a huge master suite, most of us have to settle for small bedroom ideas - and we all know that the smaller the space, the messier it tends to look. That’s why it’s so important to keep furniture to a minimum, and instead opt for multi-purpose furniture that will tackle numerous tasks at once.
This could be a bedside table with integrated storage, a dressing table that doubles as a desk for your office space, and storage ottomans placed at the end of the bed to add both style and substance. You could even ditch a basic bed for one with drawers or extra storage - or use one of the best sofa beds in a spare room to free up floor space.
I’ve recently bought the DUSK Ascot Ottoman Storage Bed (£299 at DUSK) to replace an old bed frame that was too low to the ground to store anything under it. But since adding this new bedframe into the mix, I’ve been able to pop all of the practical clutter I need to keep but don’t want on show in the deceptively large ottoman space. And my bedroom looks so much tidier for it.
A bestseller at Argos, this bedside table comes with a drawer and a shelf to keep your sleeping space clutter-free. It also comes in a choice of four colourways.
This storage ottoman isn't just stylish - it's also incredibly practical. You can fill it with all of your practical items, and then hide them with the lid.
Our Sleep Editor, Amy, seriously rates this sofa bed. It's extremely affordable and serves as a multipurpose addition to any tidy bedroom.
2. Cable management systems
I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of wires in my bedroom - from the wires from my bedside lamps to my chargers and the wires from the TV I always said I’d never add to my sleeping space (but now wouldn’t be without on my lazy Sunday mornings). They’ve always left the room feeling very cluttered, though.
However, I’ve recently been introduced to cable management systems - a fancy term for products that not only keep wires out of sight but also organised so they don’t get tangled, broken, or lost. They’re ideal for hiding TV wires and keeping chargers accessible while also combating clutter.
These come in so many different shapes and forms, too, so you can generally find a system that works for you - whether that be D-Line Mini Trunking Electrical Cable Management Solution (£10.96 at Amazon) that I’ve used in my bedroom AND my lounge to keep my living room tidy, to storage bags and baskets for smaller wires.
A pretty but practical addition to any bedroom, these cable management boxes have 4 entry/exit points for cables, and are big enough for a large extension lead.
Ideal for bedside tables, these clips will keep wires out of the way and organised so they don't add any more clutter to the space.
With almost 40,000 Amazon reviews, this cable tidy box has many happy customers. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing, but it'll get the job done.
3. An air purifier
A tidy bedroom is a clean bedroom, and one thing I’ve realised over the past few months is that people with tidy bedrooms always tend to have one of the best air purifiers at their disposal. These must-have appliances remove airborne pollutants from the air, making the air cleaner and even helping you sleep.
But an underrated perk of air purifiers is that they encourage a tidy, clutter-free home. In fact, my bedroom air purifier of choice is the Blueair Mini Restful Sunrise Alarm Clock Air Purifier (was £169, now £134 at Amazon), a 2-in-1 appliance that serves as an air purifier and sunrise alarm clock - which I swear by to beat the winter blues.
Merging the two appliances in one means that I’m keeping less clutter on show in my bedroom, too. And I’ve also developed a morning routine where I turn off the air purifier and tackle any clutter or mess that I didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with the night before - like the pile of clothes at the side of my bed and the multiple water glasses of water I take upstairs.
Crowned the 'best overall' air purifier in our guide, this model is one of the most effective models on the market - and it's super silent for overnight use.
If you're new to air purifiers and don't want to spend too much to begin with, this is a great starter model. It's nowhere near as powerful as alternatives, but it's a great entry into clean bedroom air.
Combining an air purifier with a nightlight, this model is perfect for bedrooms of all ages. It also has an integrated white noise machine for an even better sleep.
4. Smart clothes storage solutions
Adding wardrobes and chests of drawers to a bedroom - which may already be a fairly small room - can make a sleeping space look untidy and cluttered. So, it’s important to keep these storage areas organised to prevent clothes from spilling out and making the space look even messier.
Of course, a good idea is to declutter your wardrobes regularly, but investing in smart bedroom storage ideas is also key. This will ensure that you have enough space to keep the clothes you want to keep, and have organised them in a way that’s accessible and neat.
It could be that you opt for things like these DIMJ 12 Pack Drawer Organisers (£25.99 at Amazon) for your chest of drawers, or simply switch out your larger plastic hangers for slimline options instead. In fact, you’d be surprised at how much tidier a bedroom can look when you get rid of the large additions that could be much smaller.
Ideal for trousers, leggings and scarves, these space-saving hangers can be used vertically or horizontally. They also come in four different colourways to suit your style.
One of the best ways to maintain a tidy bedroom is to remove anything you're not currently using. So, declutter your wardrobe and store your out-of-season clothes in these vacuum bags in the loft.
These stackable clothes organisers are ideal for using up all of the space in your wardrobe, and keeping folded items neatly stacked so they don't end up in a pile.
5. A bin
Until recently, I’ve never had a bin in my bedroom. I never thought I needed one, and I never really wanted one on show in the place where I sleep. But when I realised that so many of the people I knew who had tidy bedrooms had one, I decided to bite the bullet and invest in a small bin - and I’m so glad I did.
Instead of putting makeup remover pads, price tags from new clothes, and other rubbish on my bedside table and chest of drawers while simultaneously forgetting about them for weeks while they clutter up the space, I now pop everything straight in the bin.
For something so small and relatively insignificant, the effect on the tidiness of my bedroom has been massive. And you don’t need to spend a fortune on a bedroom bin, either. They’ll generally cost you a few pounds, so they’re well worth it.
As far as bins go, this is a very stylish and aesthetic one. Scallops aren't going away anytime soon, and the woven aspect adds a softness to your sleeping space.
Basic and affordable, this bin will sit relatively unassumingly in the corner of your bedroom - ready for you to throw away your rubbish as soon as you're done with it.
Offering a lid to keep your rubbish out of sight, this bin can be used all around the house - including in the bedroom to keep things tidy and clutter-free.
With these products and tools at your disposal, you'll have a tidy bedroom in no time!
