A bedroom should feel like a personal sanctuary.
When you feel relaxed in your bedroom, you’ll feel peaceful. Unfortunately, when you have clothes piled up on the floor, stacks of books on the bedside table and overflowing dressers, it is anything but a sanctuary.
When decluttering your home, you’ll create a happier environment. This is especially important in bedrooms because clutter is not at all conducive to getting good rest and relaxing. The bedroom is one of the most important rooms in your house. A cluttered bedroom can really impact mood and quality of sleep.
Decluttering Your Bedroom - That Overwhelming Feeling
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to decluttering, especially in your bedroom. That is especially true at the beginning when you just don’t know where to start. Rather than trying to dive right in all at once, work within sections of space. In other words, it may be a good idea to break the room into manageable sections that can make the decluttering process less overwhelming.
One good way to get started is to pick up just one item off the floor and return it to its correct place. Then another, and so on. Then perhaps move to the bookshelves of to a side table or dresser. Take it one step and one place at a time. While this is contrary to the KonMari Method® by Marie Kondo, for some, it is the only way to get started. Soon, the momentum will kick in and you’ll be able to declutter with much less effort.
Where Do I Start When Decluttering the Bedroom?
Before you begin to declutter the bedroom, think about your vision. Think about what you hope to achieve so that when you start, you feel inspired. Have a plan for finding a home for items that you no longer need. That may mean calling a charity organization that picks up items from your home that you want to donate. It’s important, once you are finished, not to have piles and bags of unwanted items cluttering your room.
Begin with the easy stuff - that’s typically what most people say gets them started. Pick clothes up off the floor and make your bed. These simple habits not only help with the decluttering process, but also keep the house clean and tidy. And this little step is instant gratification that will keep you moving. You’ll feel like you’re making progress quite quickly. This will encourage you to continue.
A freshly made bed also gives you a good place to put everything on while you’re working. It is a great place for sorting and folding. Start with either a category or a specific area. The KonMari Method® starts by category, but if the specific area approach is better for you, start there. The most obvious place to start in the bedroom is with your clothes. You can even narrow down a specific category of clothing, like with your shoes or sock drawer.
Begin by Sorting Clothing into Categories
Remove all your clothing from the closets and drawers, if possible, and put them into sections. This may include jeans, t-shirts, dresses, shoes, and underwear. Then proceed to declutter that one section. How many white t-shirts does one person need? How many black shoes does a person wear? Look at what you have, where you have many multiple items, and what may have seen better days.
From there, place your items in either a “Keep,” “Donate,” or “Trash” pile. Try to make decisions that are fast instead of lingering over whether to keep something. Marie Kondo suggests holding each item to your heart to see if the item Sparks Joy®. I suggest that you not linger but make the decision that first comes to you. Have you worn an outfit recently and felt uncomfortable in it? If so, let it go. Do you absolutely love something else? You know what you like and don’t like, what you wear and don’t wear. If you need to try something on, don’t linger. Try it on, make the decision, and move on.
Sorting Clothing in Categories - Tips
Purchase organizational products in advance. While some organizing companies tell you not to do this, it may help you get a head start. Make sure you know how you’re going to organize your clothes, shoes, and other bedroom items before you start so you can order organizing products. Having them on hand can help you organize as you declutter. Make sure you measure your space in advance so the organizing products you purchase work. For example, if you’re going to use drawer dividers, measure. Don’t guess!
Another good tip is to do the decluttering process alone. That means, don’t ask for help. While it can be tempting to ask others to give you a hand, it will slow the process down. The only exception is if you want to hire a professional organizer. You will need to think as you organize, so having a chatty friend nearby will take away your focus on the issues at hand. Go it alone.
Going it alone allows you to be present with your thoughts and ask yourself the important questions that help you know what to keep and what to let go. Try not to be influenced by the past and try not to focus on what you’ve spent for an item. In other words, stay focused on whether that article of clothing is relevant now. If you have sentimental clothing items, save them for last. Give them some thought, but don’t overthink them either. Not everything that is sentimental is important to keep. Maybe take a picture and then let the item go.
A third tip is to use a timer. If you have a specific amount of time that you’ve allotted, you’ll work more quickly. Knowing that there is a time limit helps you make quicker decisions, too. Just don’t be tempted to rush through the decluttering and organizing process. Think about what you’re doing. Decluttering and organizing is a thoughtful task.
Lastly, you may want to use another room in which to do the sorting so that you can clear out the space where you’re working. Sometimes being in a different room from which you’re used to seeing things can help you be more objective.
Removing Everything That No Longer Belongs
Return items that don’t belong in the bedroom to their rightful places. This will leave you with an easier space to start. It will also make clothes sorting easier because you won’t be tripping over everything that doesn’t belong. That includes toys, things that you’ve brought in from the kitchen, and bags that belong in the mudroom. When you’re decluttering your bedroom, you need to focus on the things that belong in there.
This can also help you stay focused because you will immediately see results. While some people think that putting these items in a box is the way to do it, we suggest that you move the items out of the room. This will encourage you to see how much you have in the bedroom that doesn’t belong.
Staying Motivated to Finish the Job
Half the battle of decluttering and organizing is staying motivated during the decluttering process. A visible area will make you feel like you’re making progress and keep you motivated. Open shelves, too, or the piece of furniture that you want to donate but is stuffed to the brim will feel like huge wins once they're finished. A huge win will help you move out of the bedroom and into other areas of your home that need attention. And, because you feel peaceful at sleep, you’ll have the energy to keep going.
Declutter Deck®
For other tips and tricks in the decluttering process, see our Declutter Deck®. Our Declutter Deck® is a set of 52 cards that helps you declutter and organize your entire home. Designed and sold by Hack Decks, this will help you declutter and organize your home at your own pace. Makes a great gift item for those who are struggling with the decluttering and organizing process.