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Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organised Bedroom in 7 Steps
Create a sanctuary where you can relax and dream without the nightmare of lurking clutter
If what you notice when you walk into your bedroom is not peacefulness but an overstuffed wardrobe and dust, it’s time for some clutter-busting and cleaning. Let’s get started – one day at time.
Also in this series: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organised Kid’s Room in 7 Steps
Also in this series: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organised Kid’s Room in 7 Steps
Day 1: Streamline the wardrobe
Decluttering tasks: Take everything out of your wardrobe and drawers. Assess each item by looking it over for damage and trying it on. Don’t skip trying it on!
Put clothes that no longer fit or that you don’t like in a pile to give away or sell. Put out-of-season clothes and accessories in a separate pile for storage. Put clothes you love that need alterations or repairs in a tote bag to send to a tailor or alterations company.
The clothes you put back in your wardrobe should be ones you love, that fit you right now, that are appropriate for the current season and are in good repair. If your wardrobe needs serious paring, this could take all day, so plan accordingly. It’s no fun to get everything out and then realise you have somewhere to be, leaving your room worse than it was before! If you know you don’t have as much cleaning to do, consider tackling the wardrobe today and the chest of drawers tomorrow.
Cleaning tasks: While your wardrobe is empty, vacuum the interior. Wipe down shelves and inside drawers.
Read more: How to Achieve ‘Barely There’ Bedroom Storage.
Decluttering tasks: Take everything out of your wardrobe and drawers. Assess each item by looking it over for damage and trying it on. Don’t skip trying it on!
Put clothes that no longer fit or that you don’t like in a pile to give away or sell. Put out-of-season clothes and accessories in a separate pile for storage. Put clothes you love that need alterations or repairs in a tote bag to send to a tailor or alterations company.
The clothes you put back in your wardrobe should be ones you love, that fit you right now, that are appropriate for the current season and are in good repair. If your wardrobe needs serious paring, this could take all day, so plan accordingly. It’s no fun to get everything out and then realise you have somewhere to be, leaving your room worse than it was before! If you know you don’t have as much cleaning to do, consider tackling the wardrobe today and the chest of drawers tomorrow.
Cleaning tasks: While your wardrobe is empty, vacuum the interior. Wipe down shelves and inside drawers.
Read more: How to Achieve ‘Barely There’ Bedroom Storage.
Day 2: Do a whole-room refresh
Cleaning tasks: While the bedroom doesn’t get as grimy as the kitchen or bathroom, it can accumulate a surprising amount of dust.
Cleaning tasks: While the bedroom doesn’t get as grimy as the kitchen or bathroom, it can accumulate a surprising amount of dust.
- Vacuum the entire room from top to bottom. Use an attachment to clean window treatments and walls, and be sure to reach the wand all the way under the bed.
- Get on a stepladder and clean the light fixtures and the tops of high shelves.
- Clean the tops of bedside tables, chests of drawers and other surfaces.
- Launder small rugs and curtains if they’re washable.
- Spot-clean rugs after vacuuming or take them to the dry cleaner.
- Mop wooden flooring.
Day 3: Spruce up the bed
Cleaning tasks:
Cleaning tasks:
- Clean the headboard.
- Vacuum and rotate the mattress.
- Launder the mattress protector and valance if you use one.
Day 4: Take notes
Now that you’ve removed much of the clutter and dust, it should be easier to figure out what needs changing or updating. Note anything you’d like to change, remove or shop for.
Now that you’ve removed much of the clutter and dust, it should be easier to figure out what needs changing or updating. Note anything you’d like to change, remove or shop for.
- Do you have adequate light, both mood lighting and task lighting (such as for reading in bed)?
- Are you happy with your bedding? How about your pillows?
- Do you have a nice set of hangers in the wardrobe?
- Do you have proper storage for your shoes, or are they in a big pile on the floor?
- Would it be helpful to have drawer organisers or shelf dividers, such as to keep jumpers from toppling over?
Day 5: Beautify the bedside
Decluttering tasks: Sort through all of the books, magazines, journals and other things that have made their way onto your bedside table. Move all but the items you use nightly to a different space.
Cleaning tasks: Clean the bases and shades of your lamps, and dust the objects on your bedside tables.
Decluttering tasks: Sort through all of the books, magazines, journals and other things that have made their way onto your bedside table. Move all but the items you use nightly to a different space.
Cleaning tasks: Clean the bases and shades of your lamps, and dust the objects on your bedside tables.
Day 6: Take care of the little things
Decluttering tasks:
Read more: 5 Choices to Make Before You Design Your Bedroom.
Decluttering tasks:
- Sort through jewellery and other small accessories, letting go of pieces you no longer wear.
- Care for plants, dusting large leaves, trimming off dead leaves and repotting if needed
- Throw away old candles, tired throws and anything else that’s seen better days.
Read more: 5 Choices to Make Before You Design Your Bedroom.
Day 7 and beyond: Do maintenance every day
Cleaning tasks: If you’re not already in the habit of it, make your bed as soon as you get up in the morning and tidy up your bedside table before you leave the room. In the evening, drop dirty laundry right in the basket and put accessories away instead of piling them on a chair or other surface.
Decluttering tasks: When you shop for new clothes, bedding or anything else that will live in your bedroom, let go of something similar to avoid accumulating clutter. Mark a date in your calendar near the start of each new season to overhaul your wardrobe and bedding, and store some of the previous season’s things elsewhere.
Tell us…
What’s the biggest cleaning or decluttering problem you face in the bedroom? Let us know in the Comments.
Cleaning tasks: If you’re not already in the habit of it, make your bed as soon as you get up in the morning and tidy up your bedside table before you leave the room. In the evening, drop dirty laundry right in the basket and put accessories away instead of piling them on a chair or other surface.
Decluttering tasks: When you shop for new clothes, bedding or anything else that will live in your bedroom, let go of something similar to avoid accumulating clutter. Mark a date in your calendar near the start of each new season to overhaul your wardrobe and bedding, and store some of the previous season’s things elsewhere.
Tell us…
What’s the biggest cleaning or decluttering problem you face in the bedroom? Let us know in the Comments.
Assess your bedroom. Where are the problem areas? What’s working well?
The bedroom should be a sanctuary, a restful place in which to relax and dream. If your space is pretty clean, but your wardrobe is stuffed to bursting and you can barely close your drawers, it makes sense to spend more time decluttering. On the other hand, if your wardrobe is already fairly streamlined but you suffer from allergies, you’ll want to devote extra time to banishing dust and pet hair.
Read over the whole plan below before beginning and decide where to focus your efforts.