Did you know that a cluttered bedroom can affect the quality of your sleep? It’s true. Having too much stuff can detract from the peaceful, calm feeling that should encompass your sleeping space. If you want your space to be a clutter-free room with ample space to relax, rest, and unwind after a long day, read on to learn how to declutter your bedroom in seven easy steps.
Developing these new habits will help you avoid putting off cleaning your bedroom and help promote a sense of calm instead of disarray in your room. Decluttering your bedroom may even help you fall asleep faster and get better sleep too.
How do I start to declutter my bedroom?
Most of us have an abundance of stuff in our bedrooms. We may have unnecessary furniture, countless throw pillows, a plethora of bedroom décor, as well as a corner that serves as a dumping ground for everything. Where do you even begin?
The first step in decluttering your bedroom is to get fed up enough to want to change. You need to be willing to get rid of things in order to deep clean your space, better organize what you plan to keep, and have a bedroom that is calming instead of stressful.
Some people like to have the bare minimum amount of items in their room, while others may find that too restrictive and stale feeling. You need to pick a style that works for you. When you decide to declutter your bedroom you are not committing to getting rid of everything except your bed. Instead, you are going to just keep the items that you need, use, and have intentionally decided to keep.
Once you have made the decision to declutter your room, it is time to get to work. Maybe you do not have a full day to devote to the task. However, can you spare 15 or 30 minutes to just get started? Even small steps in the right direction can really add up.
Oftentimes getting started is the hardest part. Once you get going, you might find it hard to quit mid-project. Do not let the clutter overwhelm you. Just get started!
How to declutter a room step by step
Step 1: Analyze Your Time
The first step to decluttering your bedroom is to analyze your time. How much time do you have to devote to the decluttering process in this current season of life?
First, consider whether you are trying to tackle your entire room or just a problem area or two. For example, you may determine that you really just need to declutter your dresser and nightstand in order to create a more calming bedroom space.
Alternatively, you may determine that you need to declutter the entire room if you hope to view it as a relaxing space. In that case, the decluttering process will take longer.
Consider your schedule and time
After determining how much work you have before you, consider your schedule and the time you realistically have available to work on the project. Are you wanting to spend a few minutes a day for several days or weeks working on it or do you prefer to spend several hours on the weekend working on it so that you can knock it out in one day and be done with the task?
It is important to analyze the amount of time you have available to devote to this project at the beginning so that you do not bite off more than you can chew. You want to avoid creating an even bigger mess in the name of decluttering only to run out of time and have to stop midway through the process.
As the expression goes, “It looks worse before it looks better!” You want to avoid having to stop mid-project and leaving your room looking and feeling worse than it did when you started.
Step 2: Consider Your Space and Develop a Strategy
After determining the time you have to commit to the project, the next step is to consider your space and develop a strategy that will work for you. What type of aesthetic are you seeking? Do you want clutter free spaces akin to a minimalist design or do you prefer a bedroom that looks more lived in with your favorite decorations such as decorative pillows, extra furniture such as a chair, or other items that point to your style and preferences?
What works for one person may not work for another, so consider what you actually want your master bedroom to look and feel like. It is so easy to avoid putting things away, especially if there are flat surfaces in your room that can easily hold the clutter. Keep this in mind when deciding on your preferred bedroom aesthetic.
Similarly, consider the storage that you have available in your room. Do you have a large walk-in closet or do you have to use shelves or a small dresser in order to store your clothes? The types of storage that you have available will greatly impact how cluttered your room feels, especially if you have a lot of clothes.
Decluttering is not necessarily easy, but it should be responsive to your needs and realistic for your current season of life. That is why, before you even begin decluttering, you need to take time to consider how you want the space to function so that it supports you, not hinders you.
Step 3: Gather the Necessary Supplies
Now you are ready to get to work. You have thought through the task and it is time to gather the supplies that you will need to help make the decluttering process easier. I suggest having some garbage bags handy, along with boxes or plastic tubs to collect items that you plan to give away or try to sell.
Inevitably, you will come across items that are not worth keeping or selling/donating. These items can be disposed of in the garbage bags.
Similarly, if you encounter an item that still has useable life left but you no longer want or need it, you can place it in an appropriately labeled box or plastic tub to give away (either to someone you personally know or to a local donation center) or try to sell via a consignment shop, yard sale, or online site.
Having these supplies ready before you start the decluttering process means that you can quickly make decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of and sort the items appropriately without having to stop and go get materials. This will help you avoid getting distracted and losing momentum to work on decluttering.
If you have a larger chunk of time to devote to the decluttering process, you should also go ahead and gather the cleaning supplies that you will need to use to clean the space that you have cleared out. For example, you may need a rag and furniture cleaner to wipe down dusty furniture or a vacuum cleaner to clean the carpet.
Gathering all of these materials ahead of time means that you are ready to fully devote your attention to the decluttering process for the full length of time you have allotted to the task.
Step 4: Pull Out the Items
At this point, you are now ready to actually get started. While you may be tempted to jump straight to this point, the foundation you laid in the previous three steps is helpful and will improve your efficiency and help you not get overwhelmed with decluttering.
Based on the strategy you decided upon previously, it is now time to start pulling out the items. You might have chosen to start in a certain corner of your room or with a certain trouble spot that stresses you out.
Regardless of the size of the starting point, you want to ensure that you can see the items. Physically touching them will help you analyze each item individually and make the choice whether to keep it or to remove it from your bedroom.
Other helpful tips
Here are some helpful tips as you are removing the items. Aim to keep your room clutter free. Think of how nice it will be to walk into a room that is not piled with stuff everywhere. Instead of feeling frazzled or stressed, you can feel calm. That is the power of a decluttered bedroom.
As you are pulling out items, pay attention to what stuff means to you and if there are certain spaces that are clutter magnets. For example, does clutter accumulate on any flat surface available or that chair in the corner that you have not been able to sit in for months because there is always random stuff sitting on it? If so, you may decide that it is better to get rid of the chair so that you are not tempted to just toss stuff onto it.
As you declutter your dresser, take it one drawer at a time. Consider whether you need the item, as well as if you actually wear it. Be realistic here as you are pulling out the items to decide what to declutter.
Bedrooms should foster a calm, peaceful environment where you can stay asleep, not be the catchall room for random items in your house. As you touch each item currently kept in your bedroom, you may be surprised what you find. Remember that the goal is not necessarily to get rid of everything, but rather to create a clutter free environment with just the items that you need.
Step 5: Decide Whether to Keep the Item or Get Rid of It
After you have pulled out the items, it is time to make a choice. Is it something you need or want to keep or is it something that you are okay with letting go of?
This is where those bags, boxes, and/or plastic tubs mentioned earlier come in handy. You can quickly sort what you want to toss, such as broken items, what you want to sell, and what you want to give away.
Some items will be easy to decide on. For example, if dirty laundry has found its way to your bedroom floor, those are obviously clothes that you wear, they just need to be put in the right place. Clutter like this is easier to deal with as it does not require a lot of thought about whether or not to keep the items.
Some decorative items may be okay, but perhaps you feel overwhelmed and stressed out by the amount of stuff in your bedroom. In that case, it may be a better choice for you to pair down the number of decorative items such as throw pillows so that your space is more calming instead of cluttered.
As you are aiming to declutter, keep in mind what you keep you will have to store somewhere. Consider what is reasonable for your space. Owning less is one way to make a bedroom feel less cluttered.
Step 6: Clean the Empty Space
After you have removed all of the items in a space, it is now time to clean it. This is the best time to deep clean, as the space is already empty.
Be sure to clean the floors and wipe down the furniture. This is also a good time to clean harder to reach areas like the baseboards or tops of shelves.
Places that are out of your line of sight can really accumulate dirt and dust without you even realizing it. Now is a good time to clean the space without all of the items that are regularly in the way.
Step 7: Implement an Organizational Strategy
Now you are ready to replace the items that you have previously decided to keep. Each piece should be practical and functional, as you made the decision to hold onto it instead of selling it, trashing it, or giving it away.
Part of decluttering is owning less. This also helps with your organization as well as the functionality of your home, as you are able to easily find what you are looking for.
When it comes to organizational strategies, you need to pick one that works well for you in this season of life.
Here are some ideas:
- Add drawer dividers to your dresser drawers to make it easier to find what you are looking for in the drawer. For example, you can have a section for casual socks, a section for work socks, a section for shorts, etc.
- Keep a laundry basket by where you change clothes so that you can easily toss your dirty clothes there instead of on your floor. This will make it easier to put the clothes where they need to go without a delay or adding an extra step of “I’ll put them in the hamper later.”
- Clean laundry should be put away quickly. By spending the few minutes putting the clothes up right away you will not be tempted to move the clean clothes around – like from your bed to the chair and back to the bed.
- Find a storage solution that works for you based on your space and the types of items you need easy access to. Consider clear bins so that you can quickly see what is inside or add labels to the outside of the storage bin.
- All the clothes in your closet should be worn regularly. Consider sorting your clothing by type to make it easier to find what you are looking for. This means all the pants would be together, all the shirts would be together, all the formal wear would be in one section of the closet, etc.
- Make use of the space under your bed. If there are items that are deemed worth keeping but you do not need regular access to them, consider storing them under your bed in a plastic tub. This will keep other areas from becoming overly cluttered. However, be aware of “out of sight, out of mind.”
- Make use of any shelves in your closet by making the most of the vertical space above the clothes rack. Consider adding storage bins that nest or easily stack to get more mileage out of what is often unused space in most bedrooms.
Be realistic
Be realistic about the space that you have. All the furniture you can fit in a room may make it feel too crowded. The more clothes and shoes that you buy, the more you will have to store. Consider your closet space and room layout before making a purchase.
Ultimately, a well-developed organizational strategy combined with owning less can help you declutter your bedroom and create a calming, inviting space as opposed to one that causes feelings of stress and overwhelm.
Decluttering Bedroom FAQ
How do you declutter a really messy room?
The best way to declutter a really messy room is to choose one area to start with, set a timer for 30 minutes, and get started. Try to avoid overthinking the decisions or trying to tackle everything all at once.
How do you declutter your room when you are overwhelmed?
When you are overwhelmed by the size of the task, it is easy to put it off. The best way to declutter is to just get started. Try setting a timer or make it a competition against yourself to see how quickly you can find one full bag of items to declutter.
How do you declutter a messy bedroom?
If your bedroom is messy, choose one area to start with. For example, maybe you start with decluttering your floor, or your closet, or the dresser drawers, or that random pile of stuff that has accumulated in the corner.
How can I declutter my bedroom in one day?
If you want to declutter your entire bedroom in a day, it is best to set time goals per section of your room, make quick decisions about whether you are keeping something or getting rid of it, and minimize the amount of clutter you keep.
How do you organize a messy bedroom?
If you choose to keep fewer items, there is less to organize. Be ruthless in the purging of items you no longer want or need and then place the items you are keeping back in a way that makes sense based on the frequency with which the items are used and where it is logical to keep them in your room.
How can I declutter my bedroom quickly?
Make decluttering a game or a challenge where you compete with a timer. This will keep you on task, allow time for breaks, and keep you motivated to make fast decisions on whether to keep something or get rid of it.
What should you not keep in your bedroom?
The fewer things you keep in your bedroom, the more calm and peaceful the room will feel. Avoid cluttering your bedroom with too much stuff that will detract from the peaceful retreat your bedroom should be. Remember, if you do not feel calm when you are in your bedroom, it may be harder to enjoy a restful night’s sleep.
How do I purge my bedroom?
I like to develop a rotation system where I regularly assess what I have in my bedroom and whether it needs to be there. Decluttering your bedroom should not be a one and done type of task. Instead, by regularly evaluating what you have and whether it is actually needed, you can avoid getting overwhelmed by the entire task. Purging your bedroom will then be a manageable task filled with removing the items that are no longer needed or wanted and efficiently storing the items that are.
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