Although our nightstands or end tables/cabinets may often be overlooked, they can become cluttered very quickly. Since they are often on the smaller side, a little bit of clutter can render them unusable and messy. As we work to declutter these spaces I want you to consider the following: only the most important items can stay. Yup, I said it. As much as you may want to have many items on these all important stands, I want you to try and only have those things that truly need to be there.
Now, we are all different in what our must haves are, so my suggestions are simply those – suggestions. Even though I will set out some ideas for what might live on your bedside table, you will of course personalize the things you want to house there, but I want you to try and stick to the rule that only ‘must haves’ reside in this area. Sure, some of us may have more space than others, but regardless of the real estate you have available beside your bed, we want to keep it to streamlined necessities.
- Reading glasses – this one is an absolute must for many of us, and whether it is reading glasses or other glasses, having these handy bedside is very important.
- Charge station for your devices such as phone, ipad, headphones, apple watch, etc. Some people have a no device in the bedroom policy which is not a bad idea, but not something I ascribe to. I like to ensure my chargers for my devices are available to me and handy bedside. There are so many charger options from 3-in-1 set ups for phone, watch, air buds to other options, so pick what works for you to keep your items charged and ready to go.
- The book you are reading – if you are a before bed or morning reader, having your book (or e-reader, or ipad) handy bedside is a good idea.
- A light – all of our set ups are different but for many, a bedside lamp is important to help light our areas; depending on your surface space, size of the light can vary.
- Room for a glass of water – I always go to bed with a mug of water beside me, and this is a non-negotiable; if water is important to you make sure you leave some space for this. Might I also suggest putting your water in a mug with a lid because I cannot tell you the number of times I have knocked a glass over and who wants to deal with that in the middle of the night!
Your own list of items for your bedside table may be different, but I hope you get the gist – less IS more. Things that you are not using or that are merely decorative may not need to live on your bedside table. Extra things create clutter and mess and it is nice to drift off to sleep without having a leaning tower of books or paper pile coming at you. IF there is something that really creates a calm bedroom environment then by all means include it, but try to keep decorative items to a minimum leaving space for what you truly need bedside.
A good night’s sleep is so important and our night stands can help set us up for success – sweet dreams!
One thing that might help you get some sleep is some yoga. I have a podcast called Journey Into Yoga which this week features double leg lifts.
Avery Rich
Avery hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a background in both law and yoga! As a long time Yoga Instructor, she hosts the Journey Into Yoga podcast, a show which explores and demystifies a different yoga posture each week. A true believer in creating space in our bodies through yoga, her Declutter U newsletter is designed to provide tips and tools on how to create more space in our lives by decluttering.
