If you find solace in an orderly home, a bedroom organization project might be your idea of fun. On the other hand, maybe you're an organizational novice and need a bit of inspiration to kickstart such a massive undertaking. In any case, you've come to the right place.
Maybe you're moving into a new home, and you want to start things off on the right foot. Or you might be hunting a few ways to declutter your current sleeping quarters. Or maybe you’re just ready to embrace a minimalist interior decor scheme. Whatever home decoration need is driving you, Parachute is here to help. Find helpful hacks and tips on how to organize your room below.
Tips and Inspiration for DIY Bedroom Organization
Getting your bedroom into an organized state can feel like an overwhelming task, but it doesn't have to be. No matter the size of your room or your budget, there are tons of things you can do to eliminate clutter and maximize your space. In the process, you’ll create a peaceful environment for slumber, for getting ready in the morning, and for relaxing at the end of the day.
Here are 19 easy ways to organize a bedroom, make it tidier and achieve long-lasting order.
1. Take Inventory
The first step in any DIY bedroom organization project is to take inventory of what you currently have. This includes all your existing furniture and storage solutions (bed, dresser, nightstands, vanity, shelves, etc. ) and anything you need to buy.
In addition, you'll want to go through your closet. Do you need more hangers, hooks, drawers or shelves? Are there items or categories that don't have a home? Take stock of your wardrobe and note any gaps or areas that may need attention.
This is also a good time to separate your clothes into categories, and get rid of ill-fitting and threadbare items. It’s also freeing to remove anything you don't like enough to wear regularly. When downsizing a closet, the general rule of thumb is to donate or toss anything you haven't worn in over a year.
2. Tackle One Section at a Time
Bear in mind that you don't need to go through everything all at once. Break up the project into smaller tasks and tackle one at a time. For instance, organize your dresser or clear the area underneath your bed. That way, the entire process will feel much less daunting. Also, getting rid of unused items can be emotionally draining for some, and starting small can help cushion the blow.
3. Declutter With Bins and Baskets
One way to quickly conquer a cluttered bedroom is with ample bins and baskets, like the hand-woven options you'll find at Parachute. Once you've taken inventory of your closet and sorted things into categories, you can create an organized bedroom system with these storage containers.
Bins are generally best used inside your closet (though it depends on the style). Baskets can work nearly anywhere. For instance, you can put a basket on your bedroom floor or inside your armoire and use it to stash slippers, extra blankets or decorative pillows.
4. Get a Closet Organizer
Whether you're lucky enough to have a walk-in closet or are working with a shallower option with sliding or bi-fold doors, you'll need an organization solution. Luckily, there's no shortage of closet organizers on the market.
They come in various sizes, styles and configurations, including options with rod hangers, drawers, shoe storage, hooks, shelves and even built-in hampers. Sometimes, figuring out what type of closet storage you need can put off an otherwise relatively simple project. A closet organizer allows you to get started right away.
5. Spring for Matching Hangers
Matching hangers are often key to achieving a clean, put-together look in your closet. Matching your hangers may seem like an insignificant detail, but you might be surprised how big a difference this small touch makes. Plus, this bedroom design tip can be applied no matter the size of your space.
6. Get Multiple Dressers
If you have the space, another excellent bedroom organization idea is to get multiple dressers — as in more than one per person. When it comes to tidying up, you can never have too many drawers.
You can place one or more dressers in your closet and then another one in your bedroom. Also, depending on the size and height, your dresser doesn’t necessarily need to look like a dresser. Lots of folks use chests of drawers as TV stands, credenzas, vanities or even nightstands.
7. Section Off Drawers and Shelves
Speaking of dressers, you can make the most of your storage space by sectioning off individual drawers and shelves. Like closet organizers, there are virtually endless products on the market designed to create smaller sections within a larger drawer or shelf.
This is especially useful for smaller items like socks, undergarments, beauty products and cloth face masks. Additionally, shelf dividers can help prevent carefully stacked shirts, scarves and sweaters from toppling over.
8. Surrender to a Shoe Rack
If you own more than about four pairs of shoes, there's really no way around it: you need a shoe rack. These organizational solutions come in a plethora of styles, including door racks, stackable boxes and free-standing options with multiple shelves.
There's no one-size-fits-all shoe rack design. The most important factor here is to create easy access to your favorite pairs. Also, anything made of a delicate material such as suede should be stored accordingly. That also applies to styles that could become misshapen when crushed beneath heavier footwear, like boots and high heels.
9. Get a Jewelry Organizer
Keeping jewelry not just tidy but also untangled is often one of the most challenging bedroom organization tasks. There are tons of boxes, racks, caddies and lazy Susans promising a solution to the problem, but you may not want to buy the first one you see.
It's crucial that your jewelry organizer is designed so you can store chains and dangly pieces knot-free. That usually means everything needs its own compartment. Also, you should be able to see everything clearly — or at least the pieces you wear most frequently.
10. Use Specialty Clothes Storage as Needed
If you're storing a wedding dress, vintage jacket, tuxedo or any other highly delicate, expensive items, you may want to buy some specialty clothes storage solutions.
Depending on the nature of the garment, this could include a garment bag to keep things climate controlled and free of wrinkles while hanging on a rod. Or it might be a gown box to avoid rumpling a dress, or padded silk hangers to prevent puckering and stains.
11. Install Wall Hooks
Another smart bedroom organization idea is to install wall hooks in your closet and around your bedroom as needed. That way, you'll have a designated spot to hang your purse, favorite hat and bathrobe. Not only that, but you'll have somewhere to put those in-between items. You know, things that aren't dirty enough to toss in the hamper, but also aren’t clean enough to fold back into a drawer.
12. Create Designated Hat Storage
If you're someone who owns lots of hats, you'll want to create a designated storage area for them. This could be a basket or bin inside your closet, a shelf reserved only for caps or an over-the-door solution.
If your hats are worthy of display and you're looking for cute organization ideas for the bedroom, consider installing several wall hooks. You don't have to hang all of your hats. For a more curated look, choose just one to two colors or styles, and leave the rest in bins or baskets.
13. Opt for a Storage Nightstand
In most bedrooms — and especially those in which the bed is centered on a wall — nightstands are non-negotiable. So why not kill two birds with one stone and get a design that doubles as storage? Short dressers make excellent end tables. They create ample storage for your book, reading glasses and other bedside must-haves. But they can also manage anything else in your room that needs a designated home.
For a more open, versatile look, opt for a narrow shelving unit. While you might think you need to go with a shorter stack of shelves, taller units can look surprisingly chic and offer a framing effect when used as nightstands.
14. Make Use of Under-the-Bed Storage
One of the best small bedroom hacks is to use under-the-bed storage. You can get a storage bed with drawers on the foot or sides, but there are also a bunch of great products designed to go underneath an existing bed. This includes rolling drawer-like compartments, shoe organizers, shallow baskets and bench-style products with cubbies.
15. Get a Storage Bench or Ottoman
Another handy and cute bedroom organization idea is a storage bench or ottoman. These multi-functional containers offer casual seating, and a spot other than the floor or bed to lay out clothes. They also create a place to store anything you'd like to keep out of the way, like extra bedding, pillows or seasonal jackets.
Benches look great at the foot of the bed or up against a wall. Ottomans can go almost anywhere — in the middle of the room, in a walk-in closet, or next to a window.
16. Consider a Vanity…
Do you like to have a fair amount of beauty products on hand or want to keep your jewelry somewhere other than your closet? A vanity can work wonders when decluttering your space. Other than beds, nightstands and dressers, vanities are one of the few furniture items at home in a bedroom.
17. ...Or Floating Shelves
When you think of floating shelves, you might picture a living room or kitchen. But these handy organizing ideas can look just as tasteful in the bedroom. You can place candles, small plants, framed art pieces or books on a bedroom wall shelf. To avoid a cluttered look, aim for similar colors (such as all white or black books) and leave some empty shelf space.
18. Upgrade Your Hamper
Sometimes your clothes might end up on the floor because you're too busy or tired to put them where they belong. But that most often happens because you need a larger (or better) hamper. Check out this canvas hamper from Parachute. It's made of undyed, pre-shrunk cotton with a convenient top flap and a collapsible powder-coated black metal frame.
19. Embrace Minimalism
When your bedroom has to hold too much, it can feel like your space is messy even when it's tidied up. That's why embracing minimalism (as both a lifestyle and a design approach) is one of the best ways to achieve long-term bedroom organization. Think toned-down colors, pared-down prints, less-is-more furniture and simple decor accents.
For a deeper dive into creating a simple, serene sleeping quarters, see our guide on How to Design a Minimalist Bedroom.
How to Keep Your Room Clean
An organized, decluttered bedroom doesn't necessarily equate to a clean bedroom. So other than making sure everything has a designated place to be put away, keeping up with vacuuming and dusting is vital.
In addition, it's a good idea to have a small trash can (and maybe a recycling bin too) in your closet or potentially hidden in a lidded basket. That way, you'll always have a place for tissues, cosmetic product boxes, clothing tags, wrappers and anything else that tends to sit around because you don't have anywhere to toss it out.
Curate Your Dream Bedroom With Parachute
These 19 bedroom organization tips, should give you a wealth of inspiration to get started. Bear in mind that you don't have to use all these ideas, and certainly not all at once. Lean into the hacks that speak to you and forgo any that don't work for your space.
Parachute founder Ariel Kaye's book How to Make a House a Home is another excellent resource when you’re interested in learning about interior design, organization, decorating and furniture arrangement.
Want more personalized guidance? The experienced stylists at Parachute are at your service. Schedule your free video or phone consultation with an expert designer today!