Ever take a serious look at your nightstand? You may never have given it much thought, but since it is the last space you look at each night (and the first you see each morning), it is worthy of attention. If you have been wanting to tackle clutter in your home, this little project might be a great place to start.
To improve this area’s functionality and appeal:
- Clear everything off the surface, empty any drawers, remove any items that are piled nearby on the floor, and wipe everything clean.
- Sort out the contents and put similar items together (e.g. books, change, pencils, paper, clothing, personal supplies, etc.)
- Be thoughtful about what you want to put back! The key to a soothing bedroom is to keep it as simplified as possible. A nightstand can easily become a dumping ground, so remove anything that doesn’t need to be here:
- Throw away trash (empty bottles, broken items, etc.)
- Remove books you’ve read or have given up reading
- Recycle old magazines
- File any paperwork you’ve let pile up
- Fold or launder clothing
- Return jewelry or cuff links to a storage container on a dresser
In addition, relocate any items that can possibly live in another space in your home. For example, instead of piling change on your nightstand, designate a collection jar near your main entry door. Be aggressive in clearing away anything extraneous.
- Reload the space. The goal is to return only the items that suit your needs while in bed. A well stocked nightstand should have:
- A pleasing visual, such as a small painting, photo, plant/vase of flowers, or a favorite verse or thought.
- Task lighting, in the form of a low-wattage table lamp or wall-mounted swivel lamp.
- A clock that you can easily read. Large displays are nice if you have impaired vision, as is this one that projects the time onto the ceiling. Try and have one with a battery back-up so you won’t be late if the power should fail.
- “Hidden” storage for personal items such as eye drops, medication, and intimacy supplies. Drawers work well, but if you have a table with no drawers, you can use a basket or bin, or a bedside organizer that hooks under your mattress. Another option is to gather small necessities on a tray.
- A box of tissues, especially if you suffer from allergies or are fighting a cold.
- A notepad and pen. If you get a call in the middle of the night, you want to be able to record the pertinent details you might not remember in the morning.
- A phone. If you use your cell phone, it is handy to have an extra charger that you can leave plugged in next to your bed.
- A designated space for your glasses. This can be an eyeglass holder like this one, or just a space on the nightstand where you put your glasses when you take them off. Always put your glasses in the same spot so you can find them quickly.
- Book, kindle or reading material, if you enjoy reading in bed.
For a bit of inspiration, here are a few visuals of soothing bedside layouts.
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The place where you lie your head at night should be tranquil and refreshing. What ideas do you have for making this space work well?
What great tips and as the kids go back to school this week, I am slowly but surely getting organized all over and am now going to tackle this space as well with your suggestions. Thanks Seana!! 🙂
Janine Huldie recently posted…Disney Family Vacations – It’s the Memory That Lasts
With the girls back in school, now is the time to focus on a space that is all yours:) A happy mom = a happy house, right Janine?
Great post! I agree. I love keeping my bedroom less cluttered. It helps me sleep better. Thanks for sharing your tips.
Sabina Quairoli recently posted…The Adventures of Bob The Bin
So good to have a soothing space before you go to sleep. I find a lot of people “stash” items in the bedroom to make the public spaces look better, but it can backfire in the end when your bedroom feels like the family clutter collector.
Great advice and inspiration pics.
Kathy @ The Salvaged Boutique recently posted…Vintage Printer Tray Upcycling Ideas & Giveaway!
Thanks, Kathy! As they say, a picture says a thousand words… I know YOU understand the power of the visual since you always have such terrific images to show your amazing transformations!
Great post Seana, I see the bedside table loaded down in clients home, it makes such a difference when you have space for the essentials.
Jill Robson recently posted…Do have a morning routine?
I see the same thing, Jill. And this is a “bite sized” project that almost anyone can tackle, see an immediate result, and have a good chance of maintaining!
There’s one thing I keep on my nightstand that doesn’t meet your criteria, and that’s my purse. I keep it there because it’s handy to grab when I go out or to get cash for pizza delivery, yet out of sight for the most part. Where would be a better place to keep it?
Janet Barclay recently posted…How to get results from your business blog
Sounds like this is a convenient place for you, so if you are content with it, I say leave it be. That said, I typically suggest a designated place near the entry where you can safely secure your purse when you first walk in, such as a pot on the floor near an entry table, a cubby, or even hanging from a hook on the wall.
I think I’ll keep it where it is then. I don’t like to keep valuables near the door – too convenient for would-be thieves!
Janet Barclay recently posted…Students and Time Management – Professional Organizers Blog Carnival
We don’t even have nightstands! We always wanted them but our last bed was really high up and we had trouble finding tall nightstands. And now that we have our new bed (for almost two years..gulp), it’s time to get one and organize it!
Tamara recently posted…I’m a Tough Grader.
A shelf can work well if you have a difficult room layout for a nightstand. Lots of great options!
So soothing! Just as it should be for a great night’s rest!
Exactly, Ellen. Even if this is the only space you can carve out, that spot near your bed should help you relax and sleep!
This is a perfect list Seana! Mine and hubby’s nightstands are on the fall to do list! One think I also don’t like is our bedroom set is 10 years old but still beautiful it’s just to matchy-matchy for me. So I may split up the furniture and use it in different rooms. It’s also a dark and heavy wood. I just need a change in the drawers as well as outside the drawers ya know!
Autumn Leopold recently posted…2 Fabulous Inexpensive DIY Art Ideas For Your Home
We all bought the “matchy, matchy” sets back in the day:) Just switching out nightstands can be a perfect solution. Either move them to another room, or just let them go and get a couple of new ones. I’m also always amazed with new hardware or even a coat of paint can accomplish!
You have no idea how happy I am to learn that matchy-matchy is no longer in style. 🙂 We have two nightstands which match each other, but nothing else. I have my mom’s old dresser, my husband has a chest of drawers from another old set, and we bought our headboard a few years before the nightstands. It’s eclectic, to say the least!
Janet Barclay recently posted…Selecting the Typography for Your Website
Sounds like you are right “on trend,” Janet!
This is something I seriously need to work on. Sometimes my nightstand is clear but often it’s cluttered with paper I need to sort through.
Nina recently posted…How to Save Money on Diapers
I think it is worth the effort to clear out this place. Waking up to a pile of paper can be sort of discouraging. If you clear it out, I’d love to see the photos:)
My husband built our nightstands so I keep them clear to show off his craftsmanship. And I love the fact that we have wall-mounted, swivel lights so there are two less things on our bedside surfaces.
How lucky are you to have a handy, “builder” husband? He sounds like a keeper:) I agree on the lights… very nice to have the functionality without having to take up the surface area.
My bedside table is a shambles right now… gonna be focusing on it soon! – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
Gingi recently posted…Old Faithful Inn and the Old Faithful Geyser
This is a great little project that you can do in an hour or so and make a BIG difference in your bedroom. I’d love to see photos if you go ahead and tackle it!
I always had a small nightstand with no drawers so not much clutter, but mine never look so nice as those in the photos!! Would be nice to have some decorations.
Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats recently posted…A Walking Tour with San Francisco Native Tours
Only because it is nice to look over and see something that makes you happy before you nod off and when you wake up!
This has been a struggle for me. I keep wanting to get a bigger and bigger night stand so I can keep even more things there. I think the issue is I need to stop spending so much time in bed! sigh….. 😉
Ericka Samuels recently posted…Computer File Organizing, It's easier than you think!
That is so funny, Ericka – you are making me laugh over here!
I wish my night stand looked like the ones in these photographs. I’m embarrassed to say mine is a mess—a bottle of lotion, a clock, a stack of about eight books, a few picture frames, a dusty lamp….and the drawers are stuffed to the gills. I need a week off of the internet to get my entire HOUSE organized.
Marcia @ Menopausal Mother recently posted…Eight Types Of People Who Annoy Me
Yes, the internet definitely steals time…hours just evaporate. But careful what you wish for… I might end up reading a post from you about how the internet went down in some crazy catastrophe and then I’ll feel guilty:) Have a great Labor Day weekend, Marcia!
This post has inspired me to finally get a nightstand for my side of the bed. We just have one on my husband’s side. There is no lamp. On the stand there is only our alarm clock, a valentine bear my husband got me years ago, and a Father’s Day picture frame with our son’s picture in it. The drawer holds some of my things, including a notebook and pen for those midnight thoughts I don’t want to forget, but I have to reach over hubby to get to it. Thank you, Seana, for the inspiration! 🙂
I think you definitely deserve your own, Nicole. I’d love to see it if you buy one and set it up!
In my case I had a mess of electrical cords and multi-outlets that created visual clutter right behind my slatted (see-through) headboard. I removed some of the electrical items and got a power strip that makes the rest less visible. Better!
Hazel Thornton recently posted…Comment on Why Virtual Organizing? by Olive Wagar
Power strip – great addition to my list, Hazel. I’ve got one of those, but forgot to mention it. If you use a lot of devices, that can really help things look better.
Hi there,
Love the conversation. My room is probably a little too matchy matchy lol and also my furniture is really too big for the room. I will think about how I can work on that. My bedside table is full of books so this post has motivated me to either put away the books or donate the ones that really am I ever going to read?? Books are hard to let go of though. Thank you all 🙂
Kim recently posted…Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
Books can be hard to let go of, but knowing someone else will get to use them helps. They are a wonderful “reusable” item. It’s been fun watching this conversation unfold about the bedside space!
nice pictures, but where is the clock radio, much less the Kleenex box?
Well, have to admit the clock radio isn’t pictured, although there are some shots with clocks. I guess the electronic versions aren’t quite as pretty! If you regularly use Kleenex at night, an attractive holder is the way to go. Tends to be a seasonal item for me, so I just tuck a few into the top drawer for emergencies and leave the box in the bathroom the rest of the time. Thanks for the comment!
they are all so pretty! The good thing about sleeping a couch is I don’t have space/room for a side table…so no clutter..
karen recently posted…This Week I Read…
There is no doubt that empty spaces tend to attract clutter! If you don’t have a place to pile stuff up, you won’t. Love that perspective:)
I love the photos – especially the pop of yellow in the tray. I just tackled my nightstand in one of my mini decluttering missions. It is very soothing. Makes me think the next thing is to paint it (and to tackle my husband’s nightstand!) Thanks for your great tips!
Angela @ Setting My Intention recently posted…The “F” Word
I love that pop of yellow as well, Angela. You don’t want so much color that you can’t sleep, but a bit of brightness makes the space feel “finished.” Sounds like you’ve got a beautiful space in the making for sure!
First of all, I just love the photos you included on the peaceful, clutter-free nightstands. They exude relaxation and calm. I also appreciate the idea of taking off the books on your nightstand that you aren’t going to read. I admit to having a lot of books on my nightstand. And while I do read them and take some away occasionally, I think it’s time to take another quick pass to remove some. I agree that the less clutter next to the bed (or in the bedroom in general) the more restful and relaxing of an environment it is. Thanks for the great reminders.
Linda Samuels recently posted…How to Change Your Life With More Love and Compassion
Since the nightstand is the thing we see last before we sleep and first when we wake, it is worth a bit of effort to create a pleasant visual. Of course, my husband is so blind without his glasses that he never notices, so I have to admit that I do periodically go over to his side and do a bit of decluttering. Nothing he would want, but a little tidying can put a fresh face on the whole room!
I also appreciated the lovely photos you included with this post!! My bedside table is actually a reproduction of a library card catalog with drawers that are the size to hold CD’s. I also keep a variety of office supplies in the drawers. On top I have a charming old glass lamp that seems to compliment my white iron frame bed. Beside that is a glass dish with my lip balm and a small flash light. Just enough! Thanks for sharing this with POBC readers.
Olive Wagar recently posted…RECLAIM AN EMPTY WALL FOR FABULOUS STORAGE SPACE
I have a client who has one of those library card catalog pieces… they are so cute and very functional. She has CDs in many of her drawers as well because they are the perfect size. Sounds like a charming set up to see each morning when you wake!
My bedside cupboard desperately needs organisation its a mountain of books and junk with draws full of junk, i gonna give it a clearout today using these tips
Van Man recently posted…Advice when moving home and packing boxes
Wishing you great success. This is such a rewarding little project!