Ah, the bedroom. That place where we’re actually supposed to sleep but so many other things happen. We clutter it up with our clothes, papers, computers, televisions, furniture… on and on and on. This Sleep Month, why not create the ultimate, purely relaxing, amazingly sleepworthy escape right in your own home? Don't know where to start? Let us help you.
Come. Join us for some ideas that have made a difference in our sleep life.
Clear the clutter
This is a sort of mantra for us. When it comes to your bedroom, your space, your special area to truly wind down, you want it to be clear for your mind as much as for your physical being. Lofty, right? But absolutely true. Take a look around your bedroom objectively — does it feel like a place where you can truly rest and relax or is it a storage room with a bed? Successful clearing is a process. Whether it’s a little or a lot of excess that needs to be out of the way, you need to prepare before you approach it. A couple of quick tips:
- Take a look at the clutter and get a sense of what it includes. Books, papers, clothes, whatever. Have a sense of what you need to clean out so you can categorize them into
- Trash, File, Recycle, Donate — label piles then when you’ve done that, follow through.
- Sell is our last category because so many of us have the best intentions of having a garage or yard sale then never get around to it and the clutter just sits there. If you’re really committed, once you’ve separated your items go through the “Sell” and price them, prep them and schedule a day.
- Go through your room, section by section, spending no more than about 10-15 minutes at a time. Give yourself breaks.
Decluttering takes time and making sure your room doesn’t get filled again takes commitment. You can do it, really, and if you don’t feel like it, then don’t. There’s nothing more exhausting and frustrating than taking on a project like this when you’re not in the mood. Give yourself a break, jump in when you’re ready, and once you do you can move on to making your bedroom the haven of your dreams.
Lighting is… well, a lot
Okay, so you’ve cleaned your room and you’re now ready to turn it into the best sleep retreat ever. Creating an ambience that supports relaxation is awesome. The right lighting does that. Add some dimmers in your room to create a softer, warmer feel or use candles. Remember, you want to limit the “blue light” in your sleep space — media, phone, television, clock. You want to bring in good lighting — soft, warm, natural — and eliminate the invasive.
As far as your eye can see
You’ve taken out what doesn’t belong in your room. Now you want to bring in those things that will enhance your sleep space, draw your eye in a way that soothes and comforts, makes you feel at peace when you awake and eases you into slumber when you close your eyes. Plants, beautiful prints, photos, draped fabric — it’s your bedroom. Let your artistic side flow. And when in doubt, check out different looks that appeal to you and see about emulating them. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, after all. Become inspired and bring it home but remember, if you bring it into your bedroom, make sure it belongs there; it adds to your life not takes away from it.
Make sense of it
Whether it’s a beautiful smelling candle, relaxing and calming colors, textures that relieve tension, bring touches into your bedroom that give you a sense of peace and ease. A cool room makes for better sleep, a weighted blanket provides a feeling of security for some people — these things address your senses. Visceral experiences create an instant connection, good or bad, and what your eye sees, your hand touches, your nose smells, your body feels and your ears hear combine to make your experience positive or negative. Turn your bedroom into that place that relaxes you on a deep level by filling it with little things that calm you. Need help figuring it out? Visit your local spa and let them know what you’re up to. They can point you in the right direction (and you can get a soothing salt scrub or relaxing massage while you’re at it).
Now that you’ve made your bed, yes, lie in it
We’re not going to tell you what kind of mattress you need. Every body is different and what is comfortable and best for you is very personal. We ARE going to tell you to lay your head on a variety of pillows and mattresses to find the one that makes sense for you. There are some great ones that offer good air flow and healthier materials and we’re definitely all about that — one of our favorite mattress toppers, by the way, is Copperfresh. No matter what, however, take the time to really put your bed together in a way that feels best for you. Your bed isn’t just your mattress, by the way. It’s the entire outfit — box springs, frame, design, all of it. Your mattress, pillows, linens, blankets and comforter are those things that envelope you. This is your ultimate sleep place, the home for your body to bring you to the best snooze possible. Give it the attention it deserves and wrap yourself in ultimate comfort. If you plan on getting a new mattress or bed, feel free to ask as many questions as you want, do research and even talk to your doctor if you’re having clinical sleep issues. Shopping for linens? Grill the salesperson. We can’t stress enough how much we believe in giving yourself the best bed experience possible. It makes a ton of difference.
Love where you lay your head
Fall in love with your bedroom and make it that true escape at the end of the day. Where we sleep determines how we sleep. Even little changes help — you don’t have to do a giant room makeover. Look around where you slumber, think, “Hmm… does this work for me?” and take it one step at a time.
Good night.
