Archives for Bedroom
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!
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.
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.
Our year without a dresser
After 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.
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:
- American Drew (pictured above)
- Largo Furniture
- Lea Industries (children’s furniture)
- Magnussen Home
- Universal Furniture
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?
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.
Do you have the messiest master bedroom in America?
The Oprah Winfrey Show is looking to help someone declutter his or her master bedroom. Is your bedroom in need of some tender loving care? If so, e-mail their representative with the following information:
Are you willing to have Peter Walsh, Oprah Show Producers, and camera crews in your home for at least a week within the next month?
Do you own your home? Or do you rent?
What are the dimensions of your bedroom?
Is there a connecting bathroom? Walk-in closet?
How long has it been this way?
Is your master bedroom the only room in your house that’s messy? And everything else is spotless?
Why do you think your bedroom is such a mess?
Do you have emotional attachment to all of the “stuff”?
Did something happen in your life, maybe something in your childhood that makes you want to have such a messy bedroom?
Are any of your other family members like this?Are you married? How long?
Have children?
What do you and your spouse do for a living?
Have pets?Tell us everything!!
In addition to the questions above, please include in your email photos of your master bedroom!! — the more the better! Also, please include a family photo and/or a photo of yourself. You can also give us a guided video tour of your home/master bedroom and send it to the address below!! Please include your contact information.
