Inside: where to start decluttering – 5 really good reasons to declutter your bedroom first
Lively voice: “Good morning! How did you sleep?”
You: “Ugh! I need coffee.”
Is that you in the morning? Do you wake up tired, wondering how the heck that chipper person is so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first thing every morning? It could be that what you’re missing is an oasis in which to recharge.
That oasis would be your bedroom, free of clutter, peaceful, and calm. Is it like that now?
Even if the rest of your home is a hot mess, your bedroom should be your sanctuary. And that’s why it is the first room you should declutter (step-by-step instructions if you need them).
Think about it: your bedroom is where your day begins and ends and where you sleep to recharge and prepare for tomorrow. Getting good sleep is an essential part of self-care, and building good habits starts with making your bed in the morning.
Let’s take a closer look at why it’s so important.
Restful sleep recharges you
Imagine this: as your eyes flip open in the morning, your alarm goes off, you reach over to turn it off, and smile.
That alarm was just a backup plan, but your body wakes up naturally at the same time every day. You smile as you jump out of bed, ready for whatever the day might bring.
That is the power of high quality, restful sleep. No waking during the night, no sleeping in, no dragging in the morning. Ready for the day ahead, full of energy and joy – that can be you when your bedroom is a clutter-free oasis. After all, it is where your day begins.
The bedroom is where you start the day
Your brain processes clutter as stressful – the last thing you want in the morning. Ideally, your morning should be peaceful and uncluttered so that you’re not wasting your brainpower on unnecessary visual stimuli.
You want to be able to focus on your plan for the day.
And if your mornings are often hurried, that’s even more reason to make your bedroom the first area to declutter.
That way, everything you need is right where it should be, so you’re not wasting time looking for things or moving clutter out of the way to get to something else.
When your day starts off without the stress of clutter, you can get a lot more done.
Even if you’re not “working” first thing in the morning but getting ready for your work commute, starting off the morning on a high note carries you through the rest of the day.
Make your bed to change the world
Umm, what? How do you go from here to there? Here’s how: making the bed is your first finished task each morning. The sense of accomplishment you get from it will help you complete many more tasks throughout the day.
It seems like such a small thing and like it shouldn’t matter. But it does. Because the little things matter in life. If you can’t get them done right, how will you ever tackle the big stuff?
And don’t just take my word for it. “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed,” said Admiral McRaven in his 2014 Commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin.
Your bed totally sets the tone for the rest of your bedroom. When your bed is a mess of sheets, it’s easy to pile on clothes and whatnot.
But when your bed is made, you’ll find yourself reluctant to mess it up and will be more likely to put things away to keep the room clutter-free.
Good habits start in the bedroom and set you up for a more productive day. So, prioritize the bedroom and start your decluttering journey there.
The bedroom is where you end the day
At the end of your busy day, it’s time to wind down. In a clutter-free, peaceful oasis of a bedroom, this is easy. It’s quiet, calm, and allows your brain to settle into rest mode.
When your bedroom is cluttered, that doesn’t happen. Your brain continues to process the visual clutter, making you feel stressed and unable to relax fully.
That makes it hard to leave the day behind. Yet another reason to make sure your bedroom is clutter-free even if the rest of your home isn’t.
Rest is part of self-care
I don’t think I can overstate the importance of getting enough sleep. Aim for at least 7 hours of high-quality sleep and consider it an essential part of your self-care.
Improving your sleep is the #1 factor in improving your well-being. But it’s near impossible to sleep well in a cluttered space.
So be kind to yourself and prioritize your rest. Start by decluttering your bedroom and turning it into a calm, peaceful space where you can recharge fully.
There may be other things you’ll need to do to improve your sleep, like skipping caffeine in the afternoon, no screen time in the last hour before bed, and sticking to a regular bedtime.
But keeping your bedroom clutter-free is an excellent first step. Your body and your mind will thank you.
Final thoughts
Turning your bedroom into a calm and peaceful sanctuary will help you recharge every night and set you up for a productive day every morning. Make it a priority and start your decluttering process there.
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