Fun fact: I find the bedroom the hardest room in the house to organize. It has lots of items that need to go in it, which are hard to fit in while still maintaining the aesthetic.
That being said, it’s important to make sure that all your bedroom items are in the right place and are working for you. I don’t know about you guys, but I struggle to relax when I’m going to sleep if I’m surrounded by mess. Two things that really aren’t cute are eyebags and clutter.
I spoke with organization expert Kristy Edwards, owner of Neatly Balanced, to find out exactly how to organize a bedroom, plus answered common questions at the end.
Your bedroom is gonna look so boujee once you’re done with this guide. So, scroll on down to find out all the deets...
Kristy Edwards, organization expert and owner of Neatly Balanced, transforms lives through recreating the sacred spaces of homes. By incorporating her low maintenance method, she sets clients up for success, allowing them to follow her minimalist configuration of each space. Her clients range from influencers, to single dads, to overwhelmed moms, to college students, and more.
Good to know
Time: 1 hour tops.
Difficulty: Easy.
Helpful hints: Don’t be afraid to be ruthless when getting rid of items. If you don’t use it, you don’t need it — period.
Here's what you'll need
- Trash bag: If you’re all out, Amazon Basics’ are best sellers
- Storage containers: Iris’ storage boxes are Amazon best sellers
- Dry erase makers: Volcanics’ are Amazon’s Choice for dry erase pens
- Under bed storage containers: Clear ones are best, like this Brightroom container from Target
- Velvet hangers: Over 1,600 Wayfair shoppers love these ivory ones
- Pant hangers: These Kalimdor hangers are Amazon’s Choice
How to organize a bedroom
Step 1: Empty out everything
This sounds like a lot, but in the long run it’ll make things so much easier. “I like to take everything out of the storage units, and put it on the bed," Edwards explains. "Even though it's a little bit overwhelming, when you can see it all at once, it helps you know what all you have."
Edwards also recommends hanging up as much as you can, to make it easier to see what you have, so you can go through more quickly. “When you’re only sorting your pants or your shirts, it’s harder to see what else you in your wardrobe.”
Step 2: Sort what to keep and what to trash
Once you’ve got everything laid out, you can start to make two piles of things to keep and things to donate. You could categorize these into different pile couples, such as closet piles, under the bed piles and shelf piles. “When going into my clients’ homes, I go in and ask what they are utilizing every single day or every week that they can't part with," says Edwards.
She advises bringing those to the forefront of the bedroom, so you don’t overlook or forget them. “Anything and everything that my clients don't use actively, I suggest donating to local organizations.” Anything that can’t be donated, you can then throw away.
Step 3: Put any leftover items into storage
Chances are you’re gonna be left with some items that you need to keep, but can’t use as decor or day-to-day. “I love when a client doesn't need storage because they get rid of everything they're not using, but the reality is most people do need them,” Edwards explains. “I always suggest if you're going to have a storage bin, get the clear ones, and then label them.” Edwards says that dry erasers are great for labelling, as you can easily write on the boxes and wipe them off. If you’re low on pens, these ones on Amazon are a fab option.
Top tip: make sure to utilize under bed storage. I’m terrible for shoving items under the bed and hoping they just magically sort themselves. But spoiler alert: they don’t. “I like the long, not so tall storage bins for storing under the bed, which are great for off-season clothes,” Edwards says. These Brightroom boxes, which over 300 Target shoppers have given five stars, are ideal for this.
Step 4: Hang up the remaining clothes
Putting clothes in the closet isn’t just the case of folding up and throwing in — there’s a serious art to hanging up your garms. “A lot of people use plastic hangers, but they’re so thick which means they take up a lot of space in your closet. I definitely advise switching to velvet hangers, as they don’t allow your clothes to slip off and fall off as easily as plastic or wire.” She also suggests using pant hangers to hang up the same kinds of clothes, like tank tops and shirts, so you can see exactly how many you have of each item.
Loving these ideas? Check out these top-rated velvet hangers from Wayfair, and these pant hangers that are Amazon’s Choice.
Top tip: want to get really your closet really organized? “I suggest turning all of your hangers around backwards where the little hook that goes over the clothing rod is actually facing you instead of facing the wall. Then as you wear things, and you hang them back up, then hang the hanger up correctly,” Edwards tells me. “At the end of the year, if any of your hangers that are still hanging backwards, you can get rid of these items because you haven't worn them.” Total genius.
Step 5: Neaten up the shelves
Shelves are a really useful way to organize your miscellaneous items and to show off your style. “I like decorating them in a minimalist way but that also brings out your personality. I always like to get to know my clients and ask if they’re into hobbies such as art, reading and photography, and then I try to match that to the shelving decor.” For books, Edwards loves laying some down flat and then standing some up, pulling the eye to different sections. She also recommends breaking items up with personal pieces such as family photos. It’s all about keeping things practical but interesting, people.
Step 6: Re-arrange the nightstand
It can be so easy to just throw trash into your drawers (I'm guilty as charged, BTW). But by keeping your nightstand items minimal, it will work so much better for you. “Most people use nightstand drawers as a junk drawer, but I always say to try and be careful about what you’re putting in there. I'm a big reader, so I always ask my clients if they're big readers, and if they are I tell them it’s a great place to store books.” In terms of the top of the nightstand, Edwards says to keep it down to bare necessities, like cell phone chargers and a lamp — basically anything you might need to grab before bedtime.
Step 7: Tidy the bed
This is def the area I always beeline for in the bedroom… because sleep, obvi. “I am a huge pillow girl, so I’ll always throw on some accent pillows and pillow shams,” Edwards says. She is also big into blankets, and likes to style hers by folding it onto the corner of the bed. “I love to get a blanket that has some sort of tint to it that that accentuates and complements the comforter color. Or if your comforter is full of color and design, grab a blanket that just pulls out one of those colors.” This way, you get a sweet pop without the whole bed looking OTT.
How good is your bedroom looking now? Or it will look so good if you’re reading this and planning on doing it later. And if you want to take your tidying to the next level? Here’s how to give your bedroom a clean.
FAQs
How to organize a bedroom with too much stuff?
Edwards says to ask yourself whether you have any other storage spaces, such as an attic, basement, or garage where you can store things, and move any clutter there. She always says that we spend so much time in the bedroom that items end up there that don’t belong, so be sure to return those snacks and books to where you originally found them.
Where to start when organizing a bedroom?
“Definitely the storage closet — if you clean out the things you don’t need in closet, then you have extra space to take things from your bedroom to put into your closet, so they’re easy to access but not in the way,” Edwards explains.