bedroomYou work hard so you deserve to have a peaceful sanctuary to retreat to every night. The right paint, drapes, and other décor can put you in a relaxing frame of mind, but first be sure you have a plan for quieting the clutter.

Relaxation Dedication.

We spend a third of our lives asleep, so it is appropriate to devote one room to JUST rest.  I know it seems downright counter-cultural to ban the television from the bedroom, (heck, I have one myself!), but it pays to keeps as many non-restful elements out as possible. Computers and workspaces don’t make it easy to switch off. Bright colors, mirrors, and lights from electronic devices, create energy and discourage rest. The more you focus on relaxing in your bedroom, the more you can focus on everything else outside of it.

Laundry Quandary.

If your laundry is littering the floor, you need an easier system. Perhaps you keep your laundry hampers in your closet because they look unattractive next to your bed. There are plenty of attractive hampers to choose from, but none of them are as ugly as clothing on the floor. You’re tired at night. Do yourself a favor and make filling the laundry easy. It doesn’t get any easier than dropping the clothes off your back into an unlidded hamper at arms-length from the bed on which you are sitting. When it’s an easy system, it gets used.

Roving Clothing.

Dresser drawers and closet doors that cannot close, because they are overstuffed, do not promote rest. Same goes for the dry cleaning piled up on a chair. If your clothes are encroaching on your peaceful space, fight back. For starters, it might make sense to circulate the summer clothes out to storage for the season to free up space, but odds are good it’s time for a purge. Don’t be afraid of what’s inside your closet. Exposed to the light of day it becomes vulnerable, like a vampire. Have lots of clear bags ready for donation, spread your clothes out on your bed, and for each article ask three questions:
1. Does it fit?
2. Do I love the way I look and feel in it?
3. Does it need repair before I can wear it?
Isolate the repairs to see how many there are and to see if it’s really worth it and give away the non-fits and non-loves. Now you can hang the dry cleaning, close the closet door, and get some sleep!