Archives for Bedroom

Searching for inspiration for a multipurpose guest room

Our new house has a guest room, which is something completely alien to us. Not really knowing what to do with the space, my husband and I bought a bed and nightstand, hung some artwork, and then closed the door to keep out the cat. (The image at right is the catalog staging of the bed and nightstand we have. Obviously, if our guest room already looked this amazing, I wouldn’t be writing this post.)

Since we moved in March, the room has only been used by guests a few times. The Karen Bussen-inspired entertainer in me loves this idea of having a relaxing room just for guests — make the room like a $400 a night resort hotel room where visitors can truly feel as if they are on a rejuvenating vacation. Conversely, the practical part of me thinks the room should have more utility than a place for visitors to sleep once every couple months.

I’ve been spending a lot of time researching ways to satisfy both of my desires for the space. I’m looking for ways to make it a fabulous guest room and a practical hobby room in one. The solution will have to include storage for the hobby supplies that can be completely closed up when guests are present and using it for their retreat. And, I want it to be extremely practical as a hobby room when guests aren’t visiting.

Here are some of the images I’ve been using as inspiration for what to do with this room:

Have you seen a beautiful guest room that serves more than one purpose? Share a link or describe a solution you’ve seen in the comments. How did someone create a space that effectively met both needs?

Posted by Erin on Jun 16, 2011 | 45 Comments | Tweet This

Storing bed sheets

If your linen closet is cluttered and overflowing with bed sheets, it might be time to unclutter and organize your collection.

Start by sorting through your sheets and pulling out any that don’t match, are stained, damaged, or shouldn’t be in circulation. I live in a four-season climate, so my goal is to only have two warm weather sets of cotton sheets and two cold weather sets of flannel sheets. The idea is that there are two sets in circulation for six months of the year, with one of the sets being on the mattress and the other set ready to go when you want to change the sheets. (Sheets you wish to purge from your collection usually can be donated to a local animal shelter. Be sure to give the shelter a call before dropping off your donation to make sure they have a current need.)

Once the number of linens for each bed is down to a manageable amount, you’ll need to decide where to store the sheets. I’m of the opinion that bed sheets should be stored in the room where they are used. (Store it where you use it.) If your home has a linen closet located near all of the bedrooms, you might choose to go ahead and use it if bedroom closet space is limited.

After you have identified where you want to store your sheets, you’ll then have to decide how you want to store them. If you live in a constant climate and only need two sets of sheets, you won’t have much issue with simply keeping your sheets on a shelf. I like Martha Stewart’s recommendation to store the top and bottom sheets and one pillow case inside the second pillow case. This method keeps everything together and doesn’t make a mess of your closet.

If you’re like me and prefer four sets of sheets, you’ll want to have a box with a lid to hold the two sets not in circulation. This will keep the sheets from collecting dust and make sure they’re ready to use when temperatures change. I use a clear plastic storage box made for sweaters, but any protective container could work.

And, if you’re struggling with folding sheets, check out our post on how to fold a fitted sheet.

Posted by Erin on Feb 17, 2011 | 48 Comments | Tweet This

What to do with clothes you’ve worn once but want to wear again?

Back on November 3, there was a fun comment thread on Reddit discussing “Where the h*ll do you put clothes you’ve already worn but plan on wearing again??” Many of the commenters agreed that they use:

ks50: the floor.

DJgiantboydetective: my system is even more involved. I’ve got the “worn once but totally good to go” area, and the “kind of questionable but OK if you’re just going to the store” area. the two areas are very clear in my head, but if you looked at them, you’d think my place just got robbed.

VladimirKal: My floordrobe is organised in pretty much the same way. People can never seem to believe that there is actually an organised mess rather than just a mess.

electrostate: FLOORDROBE. You sir are a genius.

I think the “floordrobe” is where a lot of people’s want-to-wear-again clothes end up landing. It’s especially common when the clothes are casual — jeans, t-shirts, shorts — and when their isn’t a system in place to handle these clothes.

Even t-shirts, jeans, and shorts cost money, though. Walking on your clothes and making them susceptible to more dust, dirt, mites, and dander than they would get in a more protective environment significantly shortens the life of your clothing. When you throw your clothes on the floor, you’re wasting money. I guess if you have a never-ending revenue stream, having to buy new clothes earlier than you otherwise would isn’t such a big deal. However, I think most people want their clothing to last them as long as possible, and throwing your clothes on the floor isn’t a way to make that happen.

To avoid using a “floordrobe,” consider the following suggestions:

  1. Get ready for bed an hour before you plan to go to sleep. This way, you have enough energy to put your clothes where they actually belong.
  2. Always hang up expensive clothes on hangers, especially when you plan to wear the item again — suits, ties, dress shirts. If you’re worried about these previously worn items “contaminating” your other clothes, hang them up at one end of your closet with a separator (a robe? a suit bag?) in between the two types of clothes.
  3. Create a permanent storage area for your casual want-to-wear-again clothing. This storage solution might be a separate hamper in a different style than your dirty clothes hamper, a suit valet, an S hook, a hanging shelf/drawer unit, wall hooks, back of door hooks, or even an empty dresser drawer. Invest in whatever solution you will actually use.

Do you use a “floordrobe”? Could one of these alternatives work for you?

Posted by Erin on Nov 9, 2010 | 102 Comments | Tweet This

Organizing eyeglasses

My husband and I have five pairs of eyeglasses between us. Since we have a toddler who loves to pull glasses off your face without a moment’s notice, the multiple pairs have become necessary. (When my son was five months old, we learned the hard way that having a backup pair is a very good idea.)

As a result, we’ve been looking for an organized way to store our multiple pairs of glasses. We have decided to get a display stand that one might usually see on a counter in an eyeglasses shop:

We’re setting the display on our bedroom dresser so we will also have a place to safely store our glasses overnight and make them easy to find first thing in the morning.

Because glasses are much less expensive than they used to be (thank you, Internet!) it’s becoming more common for people to have multiple styles of frames, the way they might have a few belts or purses. If you’re in this group of owning multiple pairs of glasses, an eyeglass shop display stand might be a good organizing tool for you, too.

Do you use a different organizing method for storing your eyeglasses? Give us your tips in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Aug 23, 2010 | 31 Comments | Tweet This

Are you getting the Zzzzzzzzzzzz’s you need?

When your sleep schedule is disrupted and you don’t get the amount of sleep you need to function properly, you will instantly experience a drop in productivity and mental processing. If this sleep deprivation continues, you might experience something like this:

In case you can’t read my handwriting:
Lethargy and a decrease of energy leads to a loss of will power, which leads to poor food choices, which leads to stopping or reducing your daily exercise, which causes clutter to pile up at home and the office, which ultimately leads to complete disorganization.

In addition to tanking productivity, fatigue causes high blood pressure, reduced reaction times, a weakened immune system, and a slew of other nasty things that put one’s health in danger.

If you’re looking to be more productive at work and continue to have energy even after you get home in the evenings, sleep is a key component to making this happen. When you’re well rested, you’re also more likely to exercise and eat right, which help to give you more energy.

We each need different amounts of sleep to function at our best — I need nine hours of sleep, but my husband doesn’t require much more than seven — and these needs can change over time. Keep a sleep journal to learn how much sleep your body requires. Additionally, once you have the energy to unclutter and organize your space, your bedroom can be a great place to start. The less clutter in this room will improve your quality of sleep each night, giving you more energy to tackle other areas of your home and office.

Posted by Erin on Aug 17, 2010 | 37 Comments | Tweet This

Reader weigh-in: How do you organize your clothes dresser?

I prefer to organize my clothes in a five-drawer chest of drawers based on the order I put them on: undergarments in the top two drawers, then t-shirts, pants, and finally socks in the bottom drawer. Some clients I’ve worked with prefer to organize based on weight — light undergarments and socks in top drawers, and heavier pants and t-shirts in lower drawers.

If you had a chest of drawers that had drawers side-by-side, you could store clothing from left-to-right based on how you get dressed. Or, maybe you prefer to just stick clothes in whatever drawer has space at the time so that all of your clothes are mixed together.

How do you arrange clothes in your chest of drawers? What do you believe is the most efficient method for your lifestyle? We’re interested in learning how you arrange things in your home. Share your strategy in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Aug 10, 2010 | 74 Comments | Tweet This

Streamlining your morning routines

To know me is to know my love of coffee. My entire morning routine is structured around brewing the perfect cup and drinking it before the busy-ness of the day begins. Hanging on the bulletin board above my computer screen is my mantra: “When in doubt, drink more coffee.”

I’m not really addicted to caffeine, I’m more addicted to the routine of crafting an ideal cup of joe. If there were a caffeine-free drink I savored more, I would be consumed with making it. However, except for a glass of whole milk minutes after coming out of the cow or a Batida from Ceiba restaurant in downtown, D.C., there aren’t any other drinks that capture my attention so strongly.

Why am I telling you all of this? First, it’s a way for me to talk about another of my passions. Second, and this is more applicable to you, I want to share with you my strategies for organizing morning routines.

When we wake up after a night’s sleep (or day’s sleep if you work the night shift), we go through the same steps every time. For most of us, these steps include showering, getting dressed, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, drinking coffee, and possibly helping a small human go through similar steps. Your routine might vary a little bit, but for the majority of days you do the same things over and over and over again.

How many of the things you use during your morning routine, though, aren’t convenient to access? Are your breakfast items strewn in multiple cabinets across the kitchen, bathroom supplies in five different drawers and cabinets, and clothing kept in three different places across a bedroom?

Think about all of the things you access each and every morning, and reorganize these things to better meet your needs and make your routines more efficient. For example, if your family eats breakfast cereal, put all of your cereal boxes into a basket so that putting the boxes on the table each morning is one simple movement. If you have a shaving routine, store all of your supplies in one container that you can pull out of the drawer, set on the counter, and then return to the drawer all at once. In your bedroom, consider arranging your furniture so that your dresser is next to your closet. Store all of your coffee-making supplies together with your coffee cups, above or next to where you prepare your coffee.

Keep the things you use together, in containers that you can pull out and use in the most convenient location, and store them in the easiest place to access.

It’s also a good idea to time yourself to see how long it actually takes you to get ready in the morning. Many of us are under the delusion that we’re faster at getting ready for the day than we actually are — especially families with children. If you have difficulty getting out the door in the morning, I recommend that parents get completely ready before children (especially young children) wake up and always padding your get-ready time by 15 minutes.

The more streamlined your morning routine, the more likely you are to have a smooth, stress-free morning. And, the more time you’ll have to enjoy that beautiful, rich, amazing cup of coffee.

Posted by Erin on Jun 14, 2010 | 35 Comments | Tweet This

Transforming furniture

We’ve featured some transforming wall beds on the site before, and now we want to show you more of them in action. The New York company Resource Furniture has made a demonstration video of all of their amazing space-saving furniture:

Actually, they’ve made two videos, but the second one is produced in a way that kind of makes me motion sick. Regardless, if you live in a small home or have a room that serves multiple purposes, transforming furniture can be a wonderful way to make better use of your space.

Posted by Erin on Jun 1, 2010 | 17 Comments | Tweet This

Wall beds that have function and style

The company Bonbon Trading has some wonderful wall beds that are perfect for small spaces or guest rooms. I’m a fan of the Ulisse wall bed unit with desk:

And, I am quite fond of the Poppi Ponte single bed that unfolds to reveal storage in addition to the bed.

When space is limited, wall beds are a great way to to get multiple uses out of the same room. These designs also remind me of the lofted bedrooms by Tumidei.

Posted by Erin on Feb 23, 2010 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

Creating two bedrooms in a small space

Dwell magazine featured a “Kids’ Room Renovation” project recently on their site that shows how a small room can be transformed into two unconventional, yet spacious, bedrooms:

Rather than simply building a partition down the middle of the 140-square-foot bedroom, which would have created two constrained rooms, the architects decided to build up and within. “The idea of putting the bed on a higher level came up quite quickly in order to win space,” explains Santiard. “At the same time we decide to incorporate many ways to use the bed/partition (storage, office, climb, hide with interior windows, doors, etc).”

The bed seems to soar above the playing space, held up by bookshelf columns and a carefully angled staircase.

The result is a massive piece of what is essentially furniture, crafted out of several large sections of painted MDF and secured to the ceiling to keep it from toppling. Six-year old Eva plays and sleeps in the upper level, while small cubbies hold her toys, books, and dolls. There’s also a built-in desk for schoolwork and drawing. Jean, now almost two years old, mainly scampers around on the bottom level, where easy access to his bed and toys defines his area.

Building up provides for each child to have a designated area, without having to feel cramped and claustrophobic. The built-in storage and bookshelves also keep the rooms clutter-free and organized. I think it’s a very creative solution for a small space.

(Image from the Dwell article. View the complete slideshow.)

Posted by Erin on Jan 5, 2010 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

iPhone alarm clocks

My husband and I need a new alarm clock and, after many deliberations, we have decided to go with a unit that works in conjunction with our iPhones. Since the units are all multi-functional (they’re all iPhone chargers, and all but the first include speakers to play music from iTunes at better quality than the phone speaker), I thought I would share with you our finalists.

The Kensington K33458US Nightstand Charging Dock for iPhone and iPod Touch

The Kensington K33458US Nightstand Charging Dock for iPhone and iPod Touch

This is the most basic of all the options. It’s really only a charging dock that helps your iPhone stand on its side. It works with the Kensington Rise and Shine clock and weather app available in the app store. We found it to be a bit overpriced ($20) for just a charger but its design is simple and straightforward.

The Philips DC315/37 Speaker System for iPod/iPhone with LED clock radio

The Philips DC315/37 Speaker System for iPod/iPhone with LED clock radio

It has a futuristic and sleek design, along with a built-in FM tuner and auxiliary input. I specifically like the auxiliary input to use with even more devices. My husband likes the LED screen on this one, but I’d prefer a bolder typeface. It’s $89, which I think is a bit more than I want to spend.

The iHome iP99BR Dual Alarm Clock Radio with Dock for iPod, iPhone

The iHome iP99BR Dual Alarm Clock Radio with Dock for iPod, iPhone

This one looks like a more traditional alarm clock radio than the others, takes up a bit more space than the others, and is a lot more expensive than the others ($139). It comes with a remote for the person on the far-side of the bed. It’s okay, but neither of our favorites.

The Sony ICF-C7IP Clock Radio for iPod and iPhone with hidden sliding dock tray

The Sony ICF-C7IP Clock Radio for iPod and iPhone with hidden sliding dock tray

The dock slides in so that the unit is smaller when the iPhone isn’t attached. It also comes with a remote for the person to use on the far-side of the bed. This is my choice because it’s functional, good quality, reasonably priced ($62), and looks decent without an iPhone in it. You’ll have to guess which unit my husband prefers.

Do you have any of the units mentioned above? Another one we didn’t consider? We still haven’t made our purchase, so tell us about your alarm clock preferences in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Dec 8, 2009 | 59 Comments | Tweet This

Let go of the past from your wardrobe

Yesterday, I finally got up the nerve to say farewell to what was left of my corporate wardrobe. No longer taking up space in my closet are suits, long-sleeve collared shirts, or “business casual” sportswear. My dresser drawers are free of pantyhose, trouser socks, and sweater sets (wait, I did keep one black sweater set — but all the rest are gone).

I haven’t worked in a traditional office in 3.5 years, but I was holding onto many of my corporate clothes out of fear. What if this writing and organizing thing doesn’t catch on?

After the book went on sale Tuesday, it was like the clouds cleared and the sun came out — I could relax and let them go.

Truth be told, I didn’t own many clothes before I started this process. I’ve pretty much only been wearing the same 10 t-shirts and three pair of jeans the past six months. The rest of the stuff in my closet was just hanging there, waiting on a giant “what if.” They were a security blanket I didn’t need. Also, most of the clothes were two sizes larger than I currently wear. If I had needed to change careers, they wouldn’t have even fit me.

So, I cast them off — the Brooks Brothers suits are going to consignment and the shirts and sweaters are heading to Goodwill. I kept a very small handful of dresses and slacks for media appearances and when I do productivity training and organizing for corporate executives — but only five of those items. I weeded out my shoes, too.

I feel lighter, more comfortable.

In Unclutter Your Life in One Week, I talk about setting guidelines for your wardrobe to help you decide what can stay and what should go. The eighth item on this list is “You should have an occasion in the next year to wear it.” Thankfully, none of the clothes I’m getting rid of meet this definition.

Here are the guidelines, from page 24 of the book, that I’ve set for myself when sorting through my wardrobe:

  1. The item should represent your current style and the image you wish to project to others.
  2. The item should fit you well and complement your body type.
  3. The item should work in coordination with a minimum of two other items in your wardrobe.
  4. You should be able to wear the item with shoes you already own (for shoes, you should be able to wear them with clothing you already own).
  5. The item should be in good condition and should not need to be repaired.
  6. There should be space for the item to be properly stored.
  7. You should like how you feel when you wear the item (for shoes, they should not cause blisters).
  8. You should have an occasion in the next year to wear it.

Do you have similar guidelines? Are parts of your past lingering in your wardrobe, acting as an unnecessary security blanket? Is it time to let them go?

Posted by Erin on Nov 5, 2009 | 60 Comments | Tweet This

Tips for encouraging children’s chores

On the continued topic of inspiring children to establish organized routines, the HGTV website has a helpful article on motivating and prompting kids to clean up their rooms.

From the article “Cleaning Children’s Rooms“:

Make a cleaning map for a child’s room, showing where everything is to be stored. Include items such as compact discs, shoes, books, stuffed animals and dirty laundry. Not only is this fun and educational, but the child also has no excuse about not knowing where to put away items.

How do you inspire your children to do chores? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments.

(Thanks to Parenthacks for the link.)

Posted by Erin on Sep 29, 2009 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

Weekend project idea: Bed-side table cleanup

The small tables we set next to our beds that hold the alarm clock, a lamp, a book, and reading glasses acquire random objects from time to time. This weekend, give your nightstand a little attention and see if it can use some uncluttering love.

Purge the clutter, organize the items that belong, and make any repairs necessary to the piece of furniture. I picked mine up to get a good look at it and discovered three cat toys that had been trapped underneath it for months. I also found a pack of expired Tums that went straight into the trash. Honestly, I was surprised that I didn’t find more clutter, but I was glad to have gone through this easily overlooked space. Maybe a year from now, I’ll remember again.

While we’re talking about bed-side tables, I spotted a Nightstand Charging Dock for iPhones that transforms the phone into a more traditional alarm clock. Check out this review on Apartment Therapy to learn more.

Have a relaxing, uncluttering weekend!

Posted by Erin on Jul 25, 2009 | 19 Comments | Tweet This

How to fold a fitted sheet

Fitted bed sheets are notoriously difficult to fold. I used to do the folding method where you tuck corners into each other, but my sheets always ended up looking more like clouds or gigantic cotton balls than something that could be stored easily in my closet.

After buying a new pair of sheets, I decided to unfold the fitted sheet from the packaging in such a way that I might be able to determine how the manufacturer was able to get the sheet extremely small and flat. Based on this process, and a few tweaks of my own, I have found the following steps to be the least cumbersome way to fold a fitted sheet. Here’s how I do it:

1. Either lay the fitted sheet top-side down on a clean surface or, with the help of a buddy, hold the sheet in a similar manner:

2. Fold into thirds (lengthwise):

3. Fold in half (this step is only necessary for queen and king sizes):

4. Fold the long strip in half (bring short edges together):

5. Fold the strip into thirds:

I purposefully made the bed sheet a little off kilter so that you could see that you don’t have to do every step perfectly to obtain superior results.

Posted by Erin on Jul 9, 2009 | 52 Comments | Tweet This

Hinge hooks

Back when I was a home renter instead of a home owner, I spent a lot of time trying to hunt down organizing and storage solutions that didn’t force me to change my space. I haven’t forgotten that frustration, and I like to keep an eye out for products that I can recommend that renters and home owners can use.

Recently, I learned about these simple hooks that fit over the pins of door hinges. You pull out your hinge’s pins, slip the hook onto the hinge, and then slide the hinge pin back into place. When it’s time to move, you remove it as easily as you installed it. No nail holes to fill or patches to paint. Plus, the hook is behind the door and out of sight when the door is open.

Posted by Erin on May 12, 2009 | 14 Comments | Tweet This

Our year without a dresser

dressersAfter living in our new home for just under a year, my wife and I finally have a dresser. It has been a big adjustment to all the new storage space. The year without a dresser went by very quickly and it forced me to take stock of my clothes time and time again.

I purged unnecessary clothes from my wardrobe on numerous occasions last year because I didn’t have room for extra clothes. The first purge was our yard sale in preparation of our move. Then, I made a donation to the Vietnam Veterans. With just these two clothing purges, I easily cut my wardrobe by half.

Living without a dresser in our bedroom was a bit of a pain at times, but it did get my wife and I to live with less clothing clutter in our lives. Now, we’ll need to be mindful and remember not to let the clutter creep in just because we have more storage space than we used to.

Posted by Matt on Mar 31, 2009 | 39 Comments | Tweet This

Storage beds

Sometimes referred to as a captain bed, a storage bed can take the place of a bedroom closet or dresser. I wrote about bedroom storage a couple of weeks back, but I thought I would expand upon the storage bed as a space-saving option.

I came across this article on Furniture Today featuring new captain beds that have been introduced to the market. From the article:

Depending on the construction, the added storage can be used for anything from extra blankets and pillows to sheets or seasonal clothing such as bulky winter sweatshirts and sweaters.

The beds also tend to be more transitional or contemporary in nature, largely in response to the style preferences of younger consumers. However, some traditional beds have storage as well, making the option available to an even broader market segment.

The added storage often increases what you will pay for beds, but for small spaces it may certainly be worth it. The estimates, depending on the manufacturer, can add anywhere from $300 to $450 to the retail price. Some companies new to the captain bed market listed in the article are:

Posted by Matt on Dec 15, 2008 | 16 Comments | Tweet This

Bedroom storage

My wife and I currently have a rather sparse bedroom when it comes to decor. Since we moved into our smaller house, we have yet to purchase anything for our bedroom. When we downsized our home, we got rid of a lot of furniture and we just haven’t had the chance to make decisions about decorating our bedroom. As it is right now, the room only has a bed. There is nothing else in the room. I have become rather used to such an arrangement since bedrooms are for sleeping, but the lack of storage is an issue.

Like I said, our bedroom is sparse. We only have a bed and even that doesn’t include a headboard at the moment. So the issue of storing extra sheets, blankets, pillows and clothing has been designated to our closets on another floor. Our bedroom doesn’t have closets, so it gets kind of annoying at times. We are eventually going to invest in a dresser, but I’m not exactly sure what else we will need. I’d like to have a bed-side table for each side of the bed. Other than those items, I don’t see much else that we would need for a bedroom. We might want a trunk at the foot of our bed for storing extra sheets and our heavier comforter, but that’s about it.

Excess storage in the bedroom can lead to expanding one’s wardrobe beyond what is needed. If there is a place to store something, chances are you will hold on to it. That’s what I’m trying to guard against. I don’t want to invest in too much storage just to pack it full of clothing that we eventually forget we own. Here are some ideas we’ve been throwing around:

Under the bed storage: We are trying to put all the space in our closet-less bedroom to use. Seasonal clothes can be stored in plastic under the bed storage boxes.

Dresser, armoire or both?: I have to go through my clothes and sort them into a “keep” pile and a “donation” pile, again. Even after that we will have to find a decent sized dresser to store our clothes. We are not settled on either, but we definitely need to find something with plenty of storage. It will likely come down to whichever ends up having more storage.

Captain bed: My wife isn’t too fond of this idea, but I figured a captain bed would be a two-in-one solution to the storage issue. It would serve as a bed frame and add about six drawers of storage underneath the mattress.

Do any of our readers have some insightful suggestions as to solutions to bedroom storage for closet-less bedrooms?

Posted by Matt on Dec 1, 2008 | 56 Comments | Tweet This

Lofted bedrooms by Tumidei

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when I’m not blogging over on Real Simple magazine’s website, my counterpart Holly from decor8 graces the community with her insights into the design world. Last week, she wrote about Tiramolla Loft Bedrooms, and I was awestruck.

The lofts are created by the Italian company Tumidei, are perfect for small spaces, and are incredibly inspiring:

Thank you, Holly, for the great post! All images are from the Tumidei website.

Posted by Erin on Oct 11, 2008 | 43 Comments | Tweet This