Look to the cultural phenomenon, Marie Kondo, for her famous de-cluttering practices. Ask yourself what items in your bedroom truly give you joy. [2] X Research source Put these items in a definitely keep pile. Make other piles to donate, to recycle, and to throw away. Make an immediate trip to the donation center so that you don’t put it off. If there are any items you’re unsure about giving up, box them up, date the box, and put them away in a closet. If you don’t reach for any of them within six months, give the box away without even opening it. Include furniture. Does your furniture add to the space? If not, do you need it, and if so, do you have funds to find something else? If you have furniture you don’t need, can you use it somewhere else in your home so you don’t have to get rid of it?
Get to all the tasks you don’t think about in your normal cleaning routine. [3] X Research source Dust your baseboards, molding, and ceiling fans, and clean the glass of mirrors and windows. If you have curtains, take them down and wash them. Sweep and mop hardwood floors, and thoroughly vacuum carpet. Make sure to also clean under your bed. If you have furniture against your walls, move it a few inches so you can clean behind it. Use a magic eraser, like Mr. Clean’s, to get any scuff marks off your walls. Wipe down all your furniture to remove any dust.
Shades of white work well in any space. White paint will make your room feel brighter and more open. It’s a calming color and good backdrop to make decorations pop. If you want a little more drama in your space, try painting your walls a velvety black or navy blue. [4] X Research source A darker room done right can feel cozy and timeless. Be wary of these colors, however, if your space already feels a little cramped. If you don’t want to paint your entire room, paint an accent wall on the wall behind your bed. [5] X Research source If you like your current paint color, just do a few touch-ups with a paintbrush or paint the trim white to help make the walls pop.
Choose a color scheme. Pick a neutral base and a few coordinating accent colors for decorations like coral, teal, and mustard yellow. When you are choosing items to bring to your room, refer back to see if they loosely fit this scheme. Think about how you want your space to feel. Do you want it to be minimalist, crisp, and bright, or cozily full of sweet, quirky items and various patterns? Do you want wood in your room or accents of metal? As you begin to update your space, think about whether the changes fit into your vision for the space. You can make a mood board using cut-out pictures from furniture and design magazines, or you can make one on the computer using images you find online.
Try to move your bed against a different wall, and reorganize your other furniture based on the placement of your bed. You don’t have to place your bed against the wall. Consider putting your bed a diagonal or leaving it to float free in your space.
Your headboard doesn’t have to be a standard frame or hard headboard because it isn’t structurally important to your bed. Consider hanging a piece of art: an oversized poster or a woven tapestry work well. [7] X Research source You can even hang a woven rug on your wall as a tapestry. If you have a plush headboard, recover it. New fabric will give an instant face lift to your bed. Paint a mural above your bed or adorn it with wall decals. [8] X Research source This will give you a more intricate image than you’d get with a traditional headboard.
If you are able, install dimmers on your lights, so you can change the brightness of your lights. Keep practicality in mind. You’ll need a lamp by your bedside, and you might want a stylish nightlight near your bathroom. If your room has harsh, fluorescent lighting, switch out the bulbs with softer lighting to make your room feel cozier and more relaxing.
Pretty candles, whether they are real or artificial, can add a soft, relaxing glow to your space at night. You can even keep an entire shelf of varying sizes of candles. You can also hang string lights on your headboard for a relaxing, romantic look.
Depending on your vision, choose sleek and metal minimalistic hardware or bright focal points like crystal door knobs and painted ceramic hardware. You can even get creative and make your own hardware. [10] X Research source You can use anything from ribbon to yardsticks or old cutlery.
If you want a clean look to your walls, get your art and pictures framed and hang them equally spaced apart. [11] X Research source For a more organic look, hang unframed artwork with pretty pins or washi tape tacked in the corners. Before you hang any artwork, take everything off your walls so you’re starting with a blank canvas.
Think about getting a fluffy white comfortable and white pillowcases. The white looks bright, soft, and inviting. If it gets dirty, you can simply bleach it back to its original bright white. If you don’t want white, choose a pattern you love. Feel free to mix a patterned quilt with different patterned pillows for a more textural look. Get new sheets. This is a small luxury that can make you more comfortable. Opt for 100% cotton or linen sheets, which will only get softer with time and will last for years.
Choose a bright patterned rug if the rest of your space is fairly minimal. This is a great way to add art and whimsy without cluttering your walls. [13] X Research source Add a soft, shag rug. These are great to put around your bed so that your feet will sink into them each morning as you get up.
When picking plants for your space, make sure to take into account the amount of sunlight your room gets. [15] X Research source For lower maintenance plants, choose succulents and cacti. Use large baskets and beautiful ceramic pots as decorative holders for your plants. If you have pets, make sure the plants you’re using aren’t poisonous to animals. You can also decorate with fake plants if you’re looking for a low-maintenance option.
Invest in candles, incense, or an essential oil diffuser for your bedside. Scents like lavender, jasmine, and rosemary are calming and clarifying. Try a plug-in scent diffuser and hide it behind a piece of furniture so it’s not visible.
