Organizing the Right Bedroom Furniture
October 28th, 2006 (Cleaning)
Most people have somewhere (other than the bed) to sit and put on their stockings, sock, or night slippers. Depending on your taste and the size of your room, you might choose a hassock, a trunk, a rocking chair, or an overstuffed wing back. If you’re cramped for storage space, a trunk or a lidded bench is a good idea. (Don’t sit on a corner of the bed; over time it will begin to droop.)
You’ll need a nightstand for your alarm clock, a phone if you so choose, and a small bedside lamp (in case you like to read to get sleepy). Framed photos and other pretty objects will depend upon how large your table is. A dresser is generally placed against one wall, often with a mirror above it.
Even if you have a mirror such as this, install a full-length mirror somewhere so you can see
how you look head-to-toe, not just from the waist up. If you have bare floors, a rug next to your bed makes it easier for warm feet to greet the day. Keep a robe and slippers handy.
Knickknacks, paintings, and other decorations are all fine; just make sure they are soothing. Do you really want to stay up all night watching the eyes of a Felix-the-Cat clock looking
back and forth all night?
What Not to Put in the Bedroom
Sleep is the primary function of the bedroom, not desk work, not Internet browsing, not exercising. If you have the space, keep your work, entertainment, fitness area, and computer elsewhere, not where you need to feel drowsy. Staring at a “to- do” pile increases stress; it doesn’t reduce it. You want your brain to associate this room with winding down.
People have varying opinions about television in the bedroom. I’ve always found it unromantic and annoying, but if you’re a late-night TV fan, suit yourself. A good place to install a television is in an armoire where you can close the doors and have a restful-looking bedroom when not watching.
A bookcase is fine, if you have room, but not if you stay awake studying the spines and wondering what to read next. And keep hobbies, calendars, bulletin boards, briefcases, stacks of mail, and all awake-time paraphernalia in other rooms.
Do not pile laundry or dry cleaning in the bedroom; keep it in the closet where you won’t see it. Another reason to keep this, and other unnecessary items, out of the bedroom is so you won’t trip over them en route to the bathroom late at night. Plants are fine, but remember that molds grow in moist soil, and you may find that you react to them. Basically, the fewer stimuli you have in the bedroom, the more restful it will be, and the more conducive it will be to sleeping - as well as, of course - romance.