How to get a good night’s sleep

World Sleep Day is coming up! On March 18, the benefits of a good sleep are celebrated to raise awareness of problems related to sleep disorders. And wow, the benefits are many, a good rest is not only important for energy and concentration, sleep also has an important metabolic role, as well as in regeneration of the immune and hormonal system. Therefore, in this article we tell you 6 Tips that will help you get a good night’s sleep.

6 Tips to Sleep Better

To have a good night, you need two essential things; a good place to sleep and have a good day. We know that sounds even more complicated, especially for those things that get out of hand, but these tips will help you feel better, even on bad days and therefore help you to sleep better.

1. Schedules

 Our brain loves routine! Our brain programs the time to sleep and the time to wake up, thanks to the circadian system. This complex system has a kind of pacemaker and integrates external signals, such as light or temperature, and allows the brain to synchronise with the environment, so it “knows” what time it is time to sleep, and sends the signals necessary for us to do it. If you wake up at the same time every day and try to sleep at a specific time as well, you will make it easier for your Circadian system to synchronise, which will end up making you fall asleep at the same time every day.

2. Food

Eating healthy is essential for our well-being in any way, and of course to get a good night’s sleep. A balanced diet will help you feel better at night. Avoid the consumption of caffeine, alcoholic beverages and high-fat foods, especially after sunset.

3. Exercise

Exercising is extremely good for resting at night. So make sure you include at least half an hour of exercise in your day. It doesn’t matter what time of day you can exercise, just try to make it at least two hours before your bedtime, otherwise it could have the opposite effect of what you’re looking for.

4. Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation that leads you into deep meditation and relaxation. It is done lying down in with your eyes closed. Yoga nidra has been found helpful in various ailments from insomnia and stress to depression. It transforms anger, fear, jealousy and tension into positive attitudes and feelings of power, happiness and peace. It also deals with psychological problems like depression, anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms. You can find some wonderful Yoga Nidras on the free app Insight Timer

5. Create the perfect atmosphere

Make your bedroom a nice and warm place to rest. Check the lighting and noise conditions, as well as the temperature of the room. This will also help your brain to sync up your Circadian System so don’t underestimate the importance of a sleep atmosphere.

6. Meditation to Sleep Better

As we have already said, there is nothing better to fall asleep than feeling relaxed and calm. And one of the best ways to achieve this is by meditating. One of the meditations that works very well and is easy and effective for people who are not used to or find it hard to meditate, is the mirror meditation: It consists of sitting one meter away in front of a mirror, as big as possible (a mirror door is excellent so you can have a complete vision of yourself) with your eyes open, your back straight in a comfortable posture, (use a support if you need it), and direct your gaze to your reflection, specifically to the area between your eyebrows. The goal is to keep your focus still and concentrate only on your breath. Try to blink as little as possible. Using some music to meditate and essential oils will help a lot. You can perform this meditation for as long as is comfortable for you, even if you only have 5 minutes it’s better than none at all. Doing this will help you sleep better from the first night!

10 + Unique and Creative Extra Storage Hacks You Can Do at Home!

Creating Extra Storage Space – The most important feature that we look for when finding a house or apartment to buy is storage spaces. We want a house with lots of storage where we can store and keep all our stuff organized. But here’s the thing. No matter how many storage areas your house has, if you don’t know how to declutter and organize them properly, then most likely it still would be a terrible mess.
Even if you have a small limited space, you don’t have to worry much because surely, there is a certain storage idea that will be fit for your home and you can simply do it by yourself. We’ve gathered the best extra storage hacks below to give you more options on what storage idea is perfect for your home.

Delve in!

1. Staircase Storage

You’ve probably seen this on DIY blogs and Pinterest boards. I think everybody can agree that the space under the stairs is the most ideal space that can be converted into a storage area. There are a lot of ways to make use of that space under your stairs. You can create a bookshelf, a shoe rack, or general storage where you can place extra items like cleaning essentials, hardware, and other home repair equipment. You can also transform the steps into drawers if you have very limited space like those in small apartments and condo units.

2. Bedframe Drawers

This storage hack also tops the list of the most common storage ideas. Well, why not right? Leaving the space under your bed empty will only make it a haven for cobwebs. Might as well use it as an area to store your extra stuff like beddings, sheets, pillows, and blankets. That way, your closet won’t be too packed and your bedroom will look less cluttered and more organized. Bedframe drawers are also perfect for a kid’s room as kids tend to have a lot of stuff, not just clothes, but books, stuff animals, and toys. If you don’t want to modify your bedframe, you can always opt for storage boxes and organizers and just slid them on the space under the frame.

3. Storage Couch

Storage couches are convenient, functional, and very practical, especially in today’s modern world. If you live in a small house, chances are, chesterfields and huge modular sofas won’t work in your living area. And while they are comfortable and fab, these types of seating won’t be too functional for you. So, consider investing in a storage sofa or couch. Sofas with storage often have a sleek and modern look. They are also easy to maintain and you can basically store whatever you want in these storage spaces. You can also leave it empty so when your friends or relatives came over to your house, they can use the storage underneath the sofa to place their stuff.

4. Headboard Shelf

Headboard shelves are ideal for small bedrooms. There are many designs of headboard storage that you can do in your bedroom. If you’re into a more minimalistic look, you can incorporate a simple headboard like a slender table. This style works best for contemporary and Scandinavian bedroom look. If you have no space for a bedside table, this type of headboard can definitely serve as a nightstand as well.

5. Creating Extra Storage Space Behind Mirrors

Mirrors have a lot of benefits in a space. Having a mirror whether for functional use or a décor item, can instantly enhance the aesthetic appearance of your interior. Mirrors brighten up the space and make your room feel and look more spacious. Another benefit of mirrors is that they take up almost zero space and you can mount them on any surface whether on walls, doors, or simply lean them up against a wall. The next time you think of putting up a mirror somewhere in your house, think about functional ways to incorporate it such as medicine cabinets with a mirror, storage doors with mirrors, or perhaps, the most popular among all, transform your closet doors into mirrors!

6. Storage Ottoman

This type of storage hack is perfect for a nursery room or kid’s playroom. Ottomans come in a variety of designs. They are simple and comfortable and look very stylish everywhere you place them. Ottomans with storage are as simple as a box with a lid. It is modest in design and very practical. My best friend has an Ottoman bed, she keeps her very vast collection of shoes in there! 

7. Window Seat with Storage

The window seat with storage is a classic design. This concept started way back in the 18th century. If you’ve seen the movie “Emma” and the popular Netflix series “Bridgerton”, you have probably seen these gorgeous Georgian mansions during the Regency era in England. These mansions have the window seat feature with storage. This design feature shares similarities with the Victorian window seats usually incorporated in bay windows.

8. Magnetic Wall Organizer

The magnetic wall organizer is a great storage hack commonly used in kitchens and home offices. It is an extra storage space where you can place small stuff like your phone, car keys, and pens. If you don’t like seeing small stuff scattered on your table or kitchen countertops, get a magnetic wall organizer and put it up on your wall or stick it on your freezer, and voila! You have instant extra storage space for convenience.

9. Creating Extra Storage Space in the Bedroom

The most common clutter in the bedroom is laundry. Sometimes, when we change our clothes after a long tiring day, we tend to leave them hanging on chairs, or at the foot of our bed. To avoid making such clutter, prepare a laundry bag at the foot of your bed. Wicker baskets are also a great laundry storage option. They look stylish and simple and can actually be a room décor! For bedrooms with limited spaces, hang a laundry bag behind your door or bathroom door.

10. Hidden Shelves

Hidden shelves are unique for every home. The trick to incorporate a hidden shelf is to look for extra and empty space in your house that you can convert into a storage area. These spaces can be a nook in your kitchen where you can place tiny shelvings to place spice jars and other cooking essentials. You can also incorporate hidden shelves on bedroom walls. Perhaps the most common is the hidden door bookshelf. You can also use this trick to connect rooms like the master bedroom and home office. Another somewhat similar thing is hidden door panels. This works on bedroom closets, storage under staircases, and kitchen pantry.

11. Pantry Door Shelf

Depending on the size of your house, your pantry can be a walk-in room or a double door cabinet pushed up against the wall. Either way, you can use the pantry door as an extra shelf as well. There are a variety of ways to do this. You can put a door rack organizer where you can place bottled food products and just basically anything that will fit into the rack. Avoid overcrowding though because the rack may not be able to bear the weight and might fall off. To ensure that it is safe and secure, you can opt for a shelving design.

12. Creating Extra Storage Space Behind Doors

Maximize your wardrobe storage by placing hooks on the back of your closet doors. You can use this to hang your sling bags, hats, belts, purses, and coats. Having this feature on your closet can also make your cleaning and decluttering process easy because you will always have that extra storage space where you can simply hang everyday stuff to keep your room neat and organized.

13. Underfloor Storage

Inspired by the Japanese way of storing their food, underfloor storage is also being acknowledged and admired by home design enthusiasts, and DIY remodelers. Imagine having hidden storage space under your floorboards. It’s an amazing feature and a great space-saving method! You can use this storage space to store things that you only use occasionally or try the Japanese way and use it as a mini-fridge to store and preserve food. You can simply search it up on the internet and look for DIY tutorials and blogs on how this underfloor storage works.

14. Creative Racks

From kitchens to closets, and study rooms, there is almost always ways of Creating Extra Storage Space that you can incorporate in nooks and crannies for extra storage. Racks are super convenient when it comes to organizing your stuff. You can have a kitchenware rack on your sink to dry dishes, and you can also have another to place your pots, pans, mugs, and teacups. You can also find racks for books and stationaries to keep your home office free of unnecessary clutter.

There you have it! What storage idea do you think would fit best for your space? Plan and start organizing now because one thing is for sure – clutter has no room in your home. Also check out our Spring Cleaning Checklist

Your Ultimate 7-Day Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring Cleaning Checklist. When spring comes, the world feels fresh and renewed. Flowers blooms, the outdoors look greener and full of life, the birds are chirping, and everything seems so vibrant and alive. But then something is missing. Your house doesn’t seem to catch the spring bug because it looks dull and boring. Well, it’s that time again where you need to spring clean your house to match the season. Spring cleaning may seem like a daunting task but once you finally did it, you will thank yourself for such a fulfilment.

Your spring cleaning checklist doesn’t have to be a difficult task. It is actually a fun and exciting activity that the whole family can embark on. So, to help you make your house come back to life, we’ve created a room-by-room spring cleaning guide to get you started.

But first, prepare the supplies you need:

Check if you have enough cleaning supplies and list down the necessary cleaning items that you don’t have so it will be convenient for you when you shop.
Cleaning supplies checklist:

• Broom
• Bucket
• Dustpan
• Duster
• Mop
• Sponges
• Plastic Gloves
• Dusting mitt
• Garbage bags
• Scrubber
• Microfibre cloths
• Window cleaner
• Vacuum
• Spray bottle
• Disinfectant spray
• Dish soap
• Washcloths
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Scented room spray
• Storage boxes

Once you start cleaning, you will find a lot of clutter so always have a garbage bag with you. Also, prepare at least 3 empty boxes for segregation purposes. Sometimes, house cleaning activity takes a very long time because we often get distracted by things like old clothes, shoes, books, old pieces of jewellery, and photo albums. The trick to keeping your momentum is to have 3 boxes classified as keep, throw away, and donate. You can go through those boxes again after you’ve cleaned the whole house.

Let’s get down to the ultimate room-by-room spring cleaning checklist:

Spring cleaning is not an activity that you can within a day. So, we divided the tasks into a 7-day spring cleaning guide to make the tasks easier for you.

Day 1: Entryway and Living Room

• Trim the plants and bushes on your driveway to achieve that ideal curb appeal. Doing this will make your house look fresh and updated.
• Sweep your porch and dust off the windows on the front façade of the house.
• Repaint your porch and fence.
• Wipe the doors, walls, and entryway baseboards.
• Change the doormat
• Hang a beautiful spring wreath on your front door for a fresh spring look.
• Decorate your entryway console table with fresh florals.
• Clean your shoe rack and put away shoes that you no longer use. You can place the shoes that can still be used on the box you labeled “donate” while those old dilapidated ones go on the “throwaway” box.
• Place mounting hooks to hang items and organize coats, hats, and other everyday stuff.
• Mop the floor and give it a glistering shine.
• Put an entryway area rug to create a welcoming vibe. Rugs made of organic fibre like jute, sisal, and seagrass are perfect for the spring look.

Day 2: Dining and Kitchen

• Clean your appliances. Clean your oven, microwave, and dishwasher.
• Dedicate an hour to clean your refrigerator. Defrost your freezer and check for food and food products that are already expired and need to be discarded.
• Organize your pantry and check for expired products. While organizing your pantry, come up with a list of items that need to be restocked.
• Wipe and degrease cabinets, countertops, and kitchenware.
• Wash dish rags and sponges.
• Clean and degrease your sink and drain.
• Mop the kitchen floor.
• Add small potted plans on counters and a basket of fruit
• In the dining area, mop the floor squeaky clean.
• Wipe and polish furniture and vacuum upholstery
• Clean the windows and update your window treatments.
• Dust off your lighting fixtures and check if all the bulbs are still working.
• Update your tablecloth if you prefer using one.
• Vacuum your rug or consider switching it with a new one.
• To make your dining room spring-ready, arrange a bouquet of fresh flowers on a vase.

Day 3: Bedroom Spring Cleaning Checklist

• Change the beddings. This includes pillow covers, duvets, bed sheets, and blankets. A fresh set of beddings will instantly improve the overall ambiance of your bedroom.
• Put these sheets in the washing machine
• Vacuum your mattress
• Organize closets. This is the best time to declutter your closets. Fold your clothes in a neat pile and hang jackets and suits. Put the clothes that you don’t wear anymore on the donate box. Always have the 3 segregation boxes when you declutter for convenience.
• Gather your laundry and put them in a washing machine. Don’t put off your laundry for later because as you go through each room, you’re going to find lots of clothes that need to be washed and the last thing that you want is to have a huge pile of laundry stuck in your laundry room.
• Dust or wipe windows and window sills
• Update window treatments
• Vacuum and mop the floor
• Dust lighting fixtures like chandeliers, and table lamps
• Wipe and polish bedroom furniture like your bedside tables, drawers, closets, vanity table, and armchairs.
• Apply a room scented spray for a fresh scent

Day 4: Study Room/Home Office

• Dust your bookshelves, drawers, and storage areas.
• Vacuum and mop the floor.
• Wash and clean windows and window sill
• Dust window blinds and change the curtain into sheer linen to brighten the room.
• Wipe and polish chairs and tables.
• Vacuum sofa and lounge chairs.
• Empty your trash bins and throw out unnecessary clutter.
• Organize your stationaries.
• Arrange the books.
• Dust your computer and keyboard.
• Clean your office chair.
• Wipe computer monitors and other gadgets.
• Declutter your drawers and discard unnecessary items.

Day 5: Bathrooms

• Throw away old and expired care products as well as empty shampoo bottles and toothpaste tubes.
• Empty trash bins
• Organize a new set of care products
• Wash towels
• Change bathroom mats
• Update shower curtains
• Wipe mirrors
• Organize your medicine cabinets and discard expired items.
• Clean the water closet
• Clean the shower room or bathtub
• Mop the bathroom floor
• Disinfect all surfaces with an all-purpose bathroom cleaning product.
• Place potted plants or faux plants on your bathroom and vanity for a fresher, cleaner look.

Day 6: Outdoors

• Spring means a vibrant sunny day outdoors so make sure that your outdoor space, whether it is a garden or patio is spring-ready.
• Move your outdoor furniture to another area temporarily to clean the deck.
• Your way of cleaning would depend on the type of flooring material in your deck. If it is concrete, you need to sweep it with a stiff broom and rinse it along with a water hose. If it is made of brick, you can brush it or clean it with a sponge to avoid damaging it. If it is wood, however, don’t use soap cleaning solutions and other acidic cleaners because it will damage the surface and quality of the material. Instead, buy a protective wood cleaner at your nearest home essential store.
• Sweep your backyard and pull out overgrown weeds and grasses.
• Fix your landscaping
• Clean your furniture. If your furniture is made of wood or plastic, simply wipe it clean with a sponge. If it is fabric upholstered, you can vacuum it or remove and wash the coverings.
• Arrange your outdoor furniture
• Place potted plants on your outdoor table, and outdoor plants around the patio to add visual interest.
• Incorporating hanging plants will also complete the spring vibe of your outdoor space.

Day 7: Wrap up and rest

Day 7 is the day you look around your house and finally experience the joy of spring. Your house is clean and good as new. But the spring-cleaning activity doesn’t end there. Remember the boxes where you segregate your items? It’s time that you go through those boxes again and filter the items you’ve put there. Check thoroughly if you still have items that you need to keep and use for later. Segregating them a second time around will help you decide clearly whether you want to keep an item, throw it, or give it away, now that everything in your house has been organized. After this, place the box for donation in your garage and the box of items to keep back in your storage area. Next, segregate all the garbage that you have gathered from the previous days and put them out for disposal.

Once you’ve done all this, look around your house again and take three deep breaths. Express appreciation for the whole family who helped with the Spring Cleaning Checklist!  Then you may want to check out our ‘Is Your Bedroom Ready for Summer” guide.

Spring is a beautiful season and is definitely something that should be acknowledged and celebrated. Don’t miss out on the beauty of spring and dress your home for it. So, if you’re thinking about cleaning your house for spring but think it’s too tiring? Think otherwise. Grab that broom and scrub and start cleaning now.

 

10 + Creative Girl’s Bedroom Ideas Any Girl Would Love

Girl’s bedroom ideas is perhaps some  of the most fun and exciting room ideas to design and decorate. Girls can be really meticulous and detailed when it comes to decorating their rooms but the process is surprisingly not that difficult. Unlike designing other interior spaces with certain design styles or periods, a girl’s bedroom design more than anything else should reflect her style and taste in fashion. Her favourite things, colours, and just any other girly stuff should be placed in her room in the most stylish and adorable way possible. Every girl wants their bedroom to look aesthetically pleasing – like it came straight out of a Pinterest board. But alongside the visual factors, a girl’s bedroom should also be designed for convenience that will make her feel comfortable and safe.

 

Here we’ve compiled Creative Girl’s Bedroom Ideas that every girl will surely fall in love with.

 

Funky and Creative

 

A bedroom that is brimming with colours, patterns and a touch of creative décor makes any girl’s bedroom look a lot more interesting. Adding funky wall décor and graphic artworks and prints on the walls is a great way to personalize the room. Don’t be afraid to make design experiments and be bold in using paint colours as well as fabric patterns. Create a focal point within the room. It could be a colour blocked wall behind your bed or a huge patterned tapestry hanging above your headboard. Huge art graphic prints also make for great statement wall pieces.

 

The Artist Type

 

The artist vibe girl’s-bedroom-interior is gaining a lot of attention among teenage girls. Girls at this stage tend to be more inquisitive and adventurous. Things like learning to play a new instrument, dancing, singing, painting, writing, and even sewing are the things that interest them and they would want to try to do these things for fun and exploration. It is important to design with the room owner’s best interest in mind. Incorporate the artist’s vibe interior design by adding things that will help her encourage her artistic endeavours. Place a desk or study area, and make sure that the bedroom layout allows for good footpath navigation and access.

 

Cute and Playful Girl’s Bedroom Ideas

When it comes to a girl’s bedroom, cute and playful never seems to go out of style. It’s a very simple and easy decorating scheme. For kids and tweens, this bedroom design idea would be perfect for a start. Kids love to play and sometimes their bedroom can get really messy. Keep the décor to a bare minimum and add a pop of artistic elements with patterned wallpapers. Incorporate fluffy items such as throw pillows and bean bags. A cute and playful theme for a girl’s bedroom is effortless. Even the girl’s collection of stuffed toys and dolls is enough to pull off the desired girl-bedroom interior look.

 

Minimalist Chic

 

As girls start to mature, they are more precise about what they want in their room. Their style changes and they become influenced and interested in a lot of things. At this point, their lifestyle, study, and work scheme would become the main factor to take into account when designing and decorating their room. A lot of girls love the minimalist chic style. Of course, who wouldn’t? It’s stylish, sophisticated, and practical without losing the girl power vibe.

 

Bohemian Vibe

 

There are a lot of factors why the boho style is very popular among girls – not just in fashion but also in interior design and home décor. The bohemian style mirrors a life of independence, eccentricity, freedom, and artistic expression. Boho style is primarily rooted in nature. It is most likely composed of organic elements and furniture pieces made out of natural materials such as rattan, wood, wicker, and jute. Indoor plants also add vibrancy and make the room look refreshing. Boho is a design statement that induces a stress-free environment that would make any girl want to laze around in their bedroom and feel at home.

 

Feel like a Princess

 

Fact: When you hear of the words “girl’s bedroom ideas” the first thing that comes into your mind is the picture of a Victorian castle-like princess bedroom. Many if not all girls do dream of having a princess-themed bedroom. If you are going for the princess vibe bedroom, the first step that you need to do is to stick to a particular colour scheme. You can choose pink, deep blue, or a combination of gold and white for a more royalty feel. Add a vanity table and decorate with light fixtures and window treatments. Of course, don’t forget the princess bed! It’s the cherry on top!

 

Pretty in Pink

 

Another fact: Pink wasn’t always a girly colour. It was only in the 1950s when the colour pink became popular among girls when fashion designers started to dress women in pretty garbs in pink. It influenced a lot of people and soon the pink-fever-girly-colour spread across not just in the fashion industry but also in other fields of design as well. there’s no denying it, pink is indeed a pretty colour. It’s the perfect hue that evokes the impression of modesty and power without being too glaringly bold.

 

Cottagecore Vibe

 

Cottagecore aesthetic inspired by the beauty and peacefulness of rural country living. It is rooted in traditional interiors mixed with a farmhouse vibe. Cottagecore started to gain popularity on Pinterest and social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok. Many girls jumped into the trend captivated by its nostalgic and fairy-like vibe. It’s easy and simple to incorporate the cottagecore look in your bedroom. Think of organic materials, shabby furniture pieces, lovely hanging plants, and handmade crafts on Etsy.

 

Nordic Magic

 

There’s just something about the Nordic-inspired design that keeps design and home décor enthusiasts captivated by it. The Nordic design originated in Scandinavian countries and is mostly characterized by modesty and practicality. Its design concept is all about creating a snug and comfortable space. It’s an ideal bedroom design for girls who are living in countries up north where the winters can sometimes be dark and long. This bedroom design features a subtle colour palette with a little pop of colour, complemented by wooden organic design elements. Fluffy items such as wool rugs, hand-knitted chunky blankets, and throw pillows are added to top the look.

 

Pastel Hues

 

Pastel colours make the room look bright and airy. It’s the signature paint colour palette commonly seen in nurseries. Well, little girls just love the magic and dreamy vibe that these colours bring into their imaginations. To decorate with this theme, choose decors that complement the pastel colour scheme. Materials like wood also go well with this style. Add a touch of personality by placing geometric wall elements, paintings, and a stylish table lamp or floor lamp. Having an open storage shelf adds depth and volume to the subtle composition. Shelves can also be used to keep the toys organized and display cute décor items and girly stuff.

 

Stylish Twin Girls’ Bedroom

 

Designing a twin girl’s bedroom is not just about putting two identical beds in one room. Since two girls are going to occupy the space, regardless of whether they are twins or not, these girls have different preferences and styles. This is something that a designer should take into account to come up with a coherent design composition that both girls will love. A way to do this is to stick to a neutral colour scheme. This colour scheme will serve as a guide for the overall design. Keep the beddings simple and stylish. If the room is small, incorporate a Mirrored Wardrobe door to create the illusion of more space. This will add visual interest to the room and make it look brighter.

 

Blush and Gray

 

Another girl’s bedroom design style that is gaining attention in the design world, is the play of contrast in colour, material, and texture. Gray and pink are considered a perfect combination for creating a cosy warm bedroom feel with a touch of something sophisticated and contemporary. The combination of these colours is not girly all the way which is ideal for girls who are also into darker shades and neutrals like black and white.

 

The Mirror Wardrobe

 

Mirrors are important for girls. It’s basically the most important thing that can’t go missing in their bedrooms. There are different ways to decorate with mirrors. You can choose to hang a rounded mirror, or a full-length sized mirror pushed up against the wall. But the most convenient way of incorporating a huge mirror into your bedroom without having to worry about the right placement is to opt for a mirror wardrobe. Having a mirror wardrobe will make your room look more spacious. Its design is sleek and modern which evokes a very contemporary feel to your interiors.

 

What are your favourites among these girl’s bedroom ideas? Let us know in the comments or reach us through email! Tell us how we can help. We’d love to hear your insights!

The start of a new year is a perfect time to refresh your space, and learning how to declutter  is a great place to start. Getting rid of items that you no longer need or want can free up extra space, make rooms feel bigger and ensure that cleaning is that little bit easier.  But decluttering can also feel like a daunting task, with years worth of items to sort through in multiple rooms of the house. In this blog post, we’re going to take a look how to declutter with handy tips and tricks to make the process simple and more manageable.

Getting Started

 

• For each section, I find it’s good idea to gather every item you own in that category and set it out in one place. This will give you a better idea of your starting point and make it easy to see how much you have managed to get rid of.
• If learning how to declutter feels a bit overwhelming, you might like to start with just one category and tackle the others over the coming weeks or weekends.
• Before you start, designate an area (it can be on the floor!) for items you will give to charity, items you will sell and items you will throw away.

How to Declutter Clothes

We’re all guilty of sometimes buying clothes that we never end up wearing, and the wardrobe is a great place to start decluttering. Not only will it clear out some space, but it will be much easier for you to see what you have when picking your outfit in the morning. When sorting through your clothes, keep the following guidelines in mind if:

 

• You haven’t worn it for more than a year, then chances are you won’t wear it again.
• It is no longer your style or doesn’t fit you properly, then it’s time to donate it.
• You think you will be tempted to keep more than you need, try setting yourself a limit for the number of items you want to keep. (e.g. 3 coats, 5 pairs of trousers.)

 

If there are clothes that you do want to keep but won’t be wearing for a while, like summer outfits, then you can store them in a way that takes up less space. Vacuum bags are a great way to keep clothes well-protected and out of the way. Compressing items to just a fraction of their original size. Once in the vacuum bags, clothes can be easily stored on a shelf in the wardrobe or even put away in the loft until you’re ready to use them. When the seasons change you can simply swap them over, for instance bringing out your summer wear and storing away your heavy coats and jackets.

Toiletries

It’s all too easy to fill up our bathroom shelves and drawers with free samples, gifts and toiletries we stocked up on ‘just because’. But the average person only uses a handful of items, leaving the rest to take up space and gather dust. First, separate the items that you use every day, or at least on a regular basis. These can go in your ‘keep’ pile. For everything that’s left, try and be honest with yourself about if you will ever actually use them (this includes all those free samples!)

 

We can sometimes feel like we should keep an item just because we spent a lot of money on it. But if you’re never going to use that expensive face cream, you’ve already lost the cash you paid for it. If you don’t feel right throwing it away, you could always give it to a friend or donate it to a charity that accepts gently used items.

 

If you do find other items you would like to keep, be sure to check the expiry date to make sure they are still ok to use. For makeup that’s been opened, liquid products should be used within six months, while other products should be kept for no more than a year.

How to Declutter Kitchen Items

The kitchen is another area where gadgets, ingredients and containers end up thrown in the back of a drawer or cupboard. With plates, bowls, glasses and mugs, take stock of what you really need. It’s fine to have a few extras, like a couple of additional glasses for when you have company, but you don’t need endless spares of every item.

 

For things like herbs and spices, throw out any that are past their expiration date or that you have only used once or twice. Getting rid of bulky kitchen gadgets that you no longer use can clear up a huge amount of cupboard space, making more room for items that are genuinely useful and that you reach for most weeks.

 

If your cookbook collection is getting out of hand, this is an easy area to simplify. For books where you only use a couple of recipes, write them down and store them in a binder or take photos of the pages on your phone and then donate the book. If you hoard recipe magazines, you can also rip out the pages you use and put them in the binder.

Junk Drawers

We all have those drawers or cupboards that are used for collecting those random bits and bobs that don’t fit anywhere else. It’s all too easy for the mess to build up, safely tucked away in the drawer. Take a look at the contents and be realistic about if you are ever going to use them (not if they might come in handy ‘one day’!) If you find items and you’re not even sure what they’re for, then it’s definitely time for them to go in the bin.

 

There’s nothing wrong with having a junk drawer, but it’s well worth making it a bit more organised so the mess doesn’t get out of hand. Sort the leftover contents into general categories, like DIY supplies or stationery. Use storage boxes, baskets or drawer dividers to separate them out. Creating a little bit of order will make your junk drawer feel a lot more manageable and will make it much easier to find what you are looking for.

 

How to Declutter Paperwork

As with cookery books, this is another area where digitising can make a world of difference, though there will be plenty that can be thrown away too. Start with your oldest paperwork, where you can be more confident that it can be shredded or recycled (no one needs to hang on to a 10 year old electricity bill!) This should get rid of a sizable chunk.

 

Once you’ve moved on to newer paperwork, if in doubt, simply scan it onto your computer. That way it is there if you need it but not taking up any precious room in your house. To make sure it is safe, you might like to save it to the cloud, where you can still access it even if your computer stops working. For physical papers, try and keep only the most important, like those that are considered legal documents.

 

Going forward, to help reduce paperwork clutter you should see if any of the companies you use offer paperless billing. It’s usually really easy to switch over and will go a long way in preventing your papers from accumulating.

Kids Toys

With what you buy your children along with the huge piles that accumulate for every Christmas and birthday, toys can build up lightning fast. Many children have more toys than they will ever play with, and the remainder is left to make a mess and take up space in their bedroom. You may feel a bit mean getting rid of kids toys, but you may even find that once you have purged them then the toys that are left get a lot more use. Fewer toys can also encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, and will also help them value the toys they do have.

 

This is a great project to teach your children how to declutter, though you may have to do so in short bursts. To help guide their decision making, you can always offer up a choice of two toys, asking them which they would like to keep and which they will get rid of (this is especially useful for toys in the same categories, for instance toy cars).

 

For other things like games, puzzles and sets, one easy way to see if it should be thrown away is to check whether it has all of its pieces. If it’s no longer complete it’s no longer useful and can definitely be discarded.

Conclusion

Learning how to declutter isn’t always easy, but it’s a great project for the start of the year that will benefit for months down the line. We hope that we have given you some useful tips for cutting down your junk and setting you on the right path for a tidier, more spacious home.

 

If you would like to upgrade your storage to go with your new, streamlined look, then our mirror doors can be a great addition to wardrobes. Made to measure and easy to install, they will give a sleek appearance to your bedroom storage and help make the room feel lighter and larger. Head over to our shop page to take a look at what we offer, or send us a message if you have any questions.

The average person spends a lot of time in their bedroom. It’s not just the place that we sleep, it’s where we lose ourselves in our favourite books, enjoy an occasional breakfast in bed, and unwind at the end of a long, stressful day. The bedroom is an integral part of the house, so it’s important that you make a space that works for you.

Colour is an integral part of any interior design, and one of the biggest decisions when it comes to creating a look you love. But choosing the right bedroom colours isn’t always easy. Here is our guide to choosing colours for your bedroom, from the walls to the bedding and everything in between.

Walls

The colour you choose to paint your bedroom walls will have a knock-on effect on what you choose to fill it with. What you decide on will not only depend on your personal taste and how you want your bedroom to feel, but also on more practical considerations like the size and scale of your space. Here are a few things to consider.

Mood

Research has shown that colour can have a direct impact on our mood and even has the power to prompt physiological reactions like increasing our blood pressure. The bedroom is a place we go to relax, and so choosing colours that are in keeping with this idea will create a much more restful space. Colours that have a calming effect on our mood include:

• Soft blues
• Beige-greens and yellow-greens
• Blush pink
• Violet
• Grey
• Taupe
• White

With that being said, what works for one person might not work for another. You might prefer for your bedroom to make you feel energised and alert, helping you to start your day off on the right foot. If that sounds like you, colours such as butter yellow and bold red will help bring some energy to the room. You might be surprised by how much of a difference it makes!

Size

As a general rule, if your bedroom is on the smaller side you will want to avoid dark colours. That’s because darker shades absorb light, making small spaces feel cramped. However, if you decide to go for a deeper colour, there are a few things you can do to help stop the space feeling small. Here are some ideas:

• Bring in some reflective materials, either through glass furniture and decor or mirrors. For example, Adding mirror doors to the wardrobes in your bedroom can make a huge difference, helping to bounce light around the room and making it feel much bigger.
• Keep your bedroom as neat and uncluttered as possible, making sure your clothes are stored behind closed doors and relegating any superfluous decor to other rooms in the house.
• Make sure that there is nothing blocking off light from the windows and try to keep them as clean as you can and always opt for light window treatments over dark.

 

Style

Colour and interior design are both highly subjective. As you spend time in your bedroom every single day, it’s important to go for colours that reflect your personal style and that you won’t get fed up of looking at. So if you are more drawn to bright, bold colours, don’t feel like you need to tone things down just to get a more typical bedroom look. Using atypical colours in the bedroom can give it a real sense of character and lend it a statement look. However, if you are really stepping outside of the box it’s a good idea to test out your colour first to make sure it’s the right fit for you.

Equally, there’s nothing wrong with a plain white wall! Sticking with neutrals is simple and versatile, making the rest of the decorating process a breeze. Plus, as we touch on a little later, it makes changing up your interior much easier and more affordable. You can always express your personal tastes through smaller objects in the room, like artwork or decorative accessories.

Bedroom Colour Combinations

You needn’t feel restricted to just one colour when it comes to painting your bedroom. An accent wall is not only a flexible choice but can also add a really stylish element to the room. In the bedroom, a different coloured wall directly behind the bed creates a striking focal point and is an easy way to update the room.

An accent wall doesn’t have to be a bold colour and can work equally well as a neutral shade that compliments or contrasts the rest of the walls. If you would prefer to make more of a design statement, there is also the option of patterned wallpaper that will bring a sense of depth and a bit of personality. These days there are even wallpapers out there that can be peeled off when you’re done with them, making this a viable option even if you are renting.

Bedding

Once you have the colour of your bedroom walls decided, then comes the challenge of what colour bedding to go for. The bed serves as the focal point of the room, so making a wrong decision here could completely throw off the balance of the interior. Luckily, there is a simple rule you can use to help you on your way.

The 60-30-10 Colour Rule

This timeless decorating rule will set you well on your way to a perfectly balanced interior. Here is a breakdown of how it works:

• The primary colour that takes up 60{477b05d2bc2f78b2ae981e3c31a288385e62cd4fcbdd4bd436917efc0e86eaaa} of the room is likely the colour of your walls. The idea for this colour is that it serves as a backdrop and is the one that ties everything else together.
• The colour that takes up 30{477b05d2bc2f78b2ae981e3c31a288385e62cd4fcbdd4bd436917efc0e86eaaa} is your secondary colour, used half as much as your primary colour. This is what you will use for your bedding. The goal here is to support your primary colour by choosing a tone that compliments it.
• The colour that takes up 10{477b05d2bc2f78b2ae981e3c31a288385e62cd4fcbdd4bd436917efc0e86eaaa} of the room is where you can have a little fun. This is the accent colour that you will use for cushions and decorative items and artwork.

Though your secondary colour will be informed by the colour of your walls, you’ll no doubt find a long list of combinations that will work beautifully together. If you have a neutral interior then the possibilities are almost endless, and will really just depend on what colours you like most.

If you have decided on a bolder colour for your walls, then there are some handy tools out there that can help. This colour wheel will help you find all different kinds of colour combinations with just a few clicks of a mouse. Once you’ve found your ideal palette, you can simply screenshot it on your phone or print it out to take when you go shopping.

Undecided?

If in doubt, you could always opt for plain white bedding that you can easily change the look of through cushions and blankets. This is a particularly good option if you find that your tastes change frequently or if you often get bored of your interior. There are plenty of beautiful soft furnishings out there that don’t cost the earth, giving you the freedom to mix things up as often as you like.

Or, you can simply leave your white bedding as it is. An all-white look has a tranquil and soothing effect that will go a long way in creating a relaxing bedroom sanctuary. If you have children or pets this may not seem like the most sensible option. But bear in mind that white bedding can withstand being washed at much higher temperatures than their coloured counterparts, making it easier to clean than you might think.

Conclusion

Giving any room a makeover can be a challenge, and the bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the house. It will take some careful thought and a bit of strategic planning, but put in the time and you will be left with a bedroom you can be proud of. We hope that this guide has given you some useful guidelines for how to navigate colour in the bedroom and find a style that works for you.

If you would like to add the finishing touch to your bedroom makeover with some made to measure mirror doors, we would be delighted to help. Head over to our shop page to take a look at your options or get in touch with any questions and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.