by Cary Farrell July 22, 2019 Can you imagine walking into your VRBO and finding this? This is not what you paid for or what you hoped your VRBO would be like. However there are many people who live like this everyday and pay rent or a mortgage on a home with bedrooms like this! If you wouldn’t want to vacation in a room like this, why would you want to live year round in a room like this? You might be saying, “I don’t really want to live like this but I am so overwhelmed and I don’t know where to start or have the time or motivation to clean it up!” You might not have the energy or motivation to clean it up as a result of sleeping here every night. Researchers are discovering that sleep problems can often be caused by the clutter in the bedroom. The bedroom often becomes the dumping ground because you can close the door if someone comes over and hide the piles. Unfortunately you are saving your reputation but destroying your health. Here are some simple steps to allow you to rest through the night recouping from the day and recharging for the next. Your bedroom should feel like your oasis and vacation at home. Turning your bedroom into a peaceful oasis might take a few days but YOU ARE WORTH IT so carve out some time and follow this step by step guide to get you started! Gather some baskets and large bags. Put on some good music and envision the relaxing oasis you are going to create where you can vacation all year long! Here are four simple organizing steps to help create that relaxing bedroom: 1. Find the Perfect Place for the Bed. The bed is the largest piece of furniture in the bedroom, so start by making sure your bed is well positioned. Allow space to get around three sides so that making it up is doable. Once positioned, I recommend making the bed with fresh, clean linens. If the budget allows, splurge on new bed linens; a beautiful bed with soft clean sheets will allow greater relaxation every night. Next, remove everything that is stored under the bed and clean underneath thoroughly. If that storage space is absolutely needed, use clear plastic bins or bags to keep the items organized, clean, and easily retrieved. 2. Add Nightstands or Bedside Tables. Nightstands or bedside tables are handy for items that are needed while in bed but don’t be tempted to keep a library, medicine cabinet or all your memorabilia here! Pull out the items you really do need next to the bed and only put those items in the nightstand or on the bedside table in a basket. Evict everything else by either finding it a home where it is used or letting it go. If your husband needs a place to unload his pockets each night, give him a drawer or box and help him clean it out when it gets full. 3. Organize the Dresser and Chest of Drawers. Hopefully the dresser drawers were tackled while organizing all the clothes but if not now is a good time to purge the drawers. Use the same principle here by pulling out the items that are regularly worn first and then letting the rest go. Put back the keepers and donate the rest. (Unwanted underwear and unmatched socks should be thrown away.) Can you see the top of the dresser? Clutter just seems to pile up on dresser tops; but the tops of dressers should be kept clear of clutter as well. 4. Home Office and Work Projects. In smaller homes, it is tempting to use the bedroom for projects, work or a home office, I would implore you to reconsider. It is very difficult to rest in a room with unfinished work or projects. If no other space in the home is available then consider hanging a curtain, putting up decorative walls, using bookshelves to create a nook or using decorative containers or cabinets to house the necessary equipment or tools so that they can be tucked away at night. Only keep the bare necessities in this space and use attic, basement or other storage space for extra items. Remember! The goal is to walk into the bedroom each night feeling that you just walked into a relaxing vacation home. It won’t feel like that if the bedroom is used as a work/storage room. If you have a one room flat or are living in a dorm room, put away the daily projects when it is time for bed, draw the curtain or put up the decorative wall to let your brain know it is time to relax and unwind. Now, throw back the covers, crawl into bed and enjoy a night of peaceful sleep. You’re going to love it!