Spring Cleaning Party: Making Your Bedroom a Haven
We have lived in five different homes since we got married, and this is the first time that we’ve had a beautiful master bedroom. In the past, it’s been the room that guests don’t see – the one that has a door that can be closed when people visit – and we’ve neglected to make it into a beautiful room to enjoy for ourselves.
We knew we wanted that to change when we built our new home, and this time it was one of the first rooms we finished. We actually converted our master closet to a nursery and just added Ikea wardrobes in place of the closet. Because the space is limited, our room is no longer a “storage space” for all the things that don’t have a home, and it really has made a huge difference.
Regardless of whether you’re married and looking for a romantic space or just looking for a quiet retreat in your home, I really encourage you to take the time to make your master bedroom into a haven where you can rest and relax away from the responsibility of life.
Tsh shares some great tips today for organizing your clothes and decluttering your room in general, and be sure to link to your before and after shots in her comments so we can see what you’ve accomplished!
Here are a few more tips for making the master bedroom a haven:
Not a Storage Room
The first step to creating a haven is to decide that your bedroom will not be a storage area or the place where you put everything that doesn’t have a home. Clean out the closet, under the bed and the nightstand drawers. Give away, sell or trash as much as you’re willing to part with and find proper homes for the rest of it. I know those things are in your bedroom because you haven’t been able to think of a better place for it, but think through all possible alternatives before you decide your bedroom is the best storage space.
Little Touches
The key to making any room beautiful is little touches such as pictures, art work, paint color and lighting. For a romantic retreat, hang pictures of you and your husband, add sconces or dimmer lights for romantic lighting and keep the room clutter free. Pick colors that reflect the mood you want for your room – neutral colors for a serene retreat, dark and rich colors for a luxurious space or splashes of bright color for a refreshing and invigorating tone.
Minimize Knick Knacks
While little touches do make the difference, there’s no need to go overboard with the knick knacks and decorations. Having a minimalist design can make a room feel more serene and relaxing, and it also reduces the amount of dusting and cleaning you’ll have to do! I love Tsh’s reminder to consider whether the knick knacks create memories or just happen to be things you collected during trips or events.
Quick Tip: Empty Those Pockets
Finally, if you or your husband often have a pocket full of change, receipts or other miscellaneous items, use a pretty bowl on the dresser or a little box in one of your drawers as a catch all for the contents of your pockets rather than just dumping them on top of the dresser. You’ll still have to set aside time each week to go through them and find homes for the things that don’t end up back in a pocket, but at least they’ll be out of sight and contained!
How much effort have you put into making your bedroom a haven in the past? Is it last on your priority list? Do you use it as a storage room for things that don’t have a home?
[...] Today, Mandi at Organizing Your Way has some wonderful ideas on making your master bedroom a haven. [...]
Thanks for the ideas! With 4 kids we need that haven and have not found it until now!! Thanks for the ideas, we will be working on that one!
Chele’s last blog post…Thank You so very much, you are a blessing!
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Thank you! I need to make this a priority for us – I’m so grateful to you and Tsh for putting all this together. Such basic, simple, common sense advice that makes an enormous difference in our home life.
bellaguinness’s last blog post…Daring Cooks :: Zuni Ricotta Gnocchi
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Great post Mandi and I LOVE your last tip – Quick Tip: Empty Those Pockets. My husband comes home and dumps a huge pile of “crap” onto the table and it makes me livid! LOL! I’m off to search for a beautiful little dumping bowl
We did make it a priority however to make our bedroom a haven when we moved a few months ago. We’re in a rental and the master bdrm is tiny. We have a Cal King bed… you get the picture. However we kept it as simple as possible and it doesn’t feel at all overwhelming or cluttered. The colors are soft and clean and it is very shabby chic (which in itself makes me squeal!). I just love it and really hope others are taking the time to make their master bedrooms a haven – it truly doesn’t influence your attitude, your day, and of course your marriage.
Happy Thursday!
Angie @ The Creative Mama’s last blog post…Get inspired.
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Hey, Mandi!
Thanks for all the great tips! I have FINALLY found a system that I like for decluttering & have gone through the whole house! To my surprise, I have found that I LOVE the challenge decluttering & organizing.
Anyway, these tips sound like so much fun-& now that the clutter is gone, the projuect of making our bedroom a haven is much more fun!
KIMBO1, SL Forums’s last blog post…Short Blog Break…….
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We are in the process of making our master bedroom a haven. Okay, we haven’t started. I agree that when you have a space that you love and want to be in, it changes your attitude, sleep patterns, and it can change your marriage. We are working at making that sanctuary you never want to leave, but with two small kids, it is a challenge…I am sure you know.
Great spring cleaning posts Mandi! Thanks, Abbie
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Thanks for the great tips. As a mother of 4 kids,Boy almost 18 years old,Girl 7 yrs,Boy 5 yrs and my genus child 3yrs going on 16 is my youngest daughter.And also Phil,a GIANT Mastiff (180lbs)that lives in the house too. I’m more than running 24/7 and my DH would say I’m obsessed with cleaning,organizing. I can’t see the light at the end. I believe that less is more, my goal is to rid the entire house of things we don’t use but try to get my DH to do the same is impossible. It’s gotten so bad I have asked relatives to set aside the money they would spend on toys and put it in their college fund. But for them to receive something they get a few dollars to put into a Disney World fund. If the toys aren’t there,the mess isn’t there either…..Thanks R White
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