Rooms can become messy without us even noticing, and one clear effect of having an untidy space is the added stress that this brings mentally. A study by Princeton University, for example, found that a cluttered environment impedes your ability to focus.
The inability to concentrate due to mess and clutter can increase feelings of stress and anxiety in the room that is most important for relaxation and sleep – your bedroom.
How can you reduce clutter in your bedroom to improve sleep?
Fix your routine:
Often, your bedroom become gradually more and more untidy on a daily basis. If you can amend your daily routine and find five to ten minutes a day to put away any clothes lying about, take the dishes and glasses back to the kitchen and clear away any dust, this will dramatically reduce the build-up of clutter.
Improve storage:
Something that can lead to clutter building up quickly is a lack of storage. A great way to increase the storage space in your room is by fitting over-bed wardrobes. These will offer more areas to keep things housed in a tidy manner, while making the most of wall space rather than having your valuable floorspace invaded.
Under bed storage:
Opting for a bed with storage built in underneath is a great way to utilise more space in your bedroom. These areas are great for storing things like bed linen, ensuing it is always on hand when you want to freshen the sheets.
Devices:
It’s been proven that having multiple devices in your bedroom can affect your ability to drift off, as well as the quality of sleep. Try to remove as many devices from your bedroom as possible. You can do this by leaving them outside of your room to charge. You can also put all your devices into a bedside drawer. This is a good initial step you can take in your search for a better night’s sleep.
Artwork and pictures:
Artwork can be a great way to reduce stress, however, it can also have the opposite effect.
Having images with an intense look can subconsciously stimulate your brain while it is trying to calm down for the night. Instead, include artwork into your bedroom that is calming and relaxing. Make sure not to have any artwork hanging over your head at night, as this can also play on your mind during the late hours.
By following these simple steps to declutter and re-zen your bedroom, you should hopefully start to feel the stress lifting from your shoulders and finding an improved ability to focus, as well as making it easier to drift off to sleep.