Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your bedroom? Or maybe felt overwhelmed with odour, clothes, display or simply your furniture layout in your bedroom? If so, it could be time to revise your habits and improve your mood by maintaining a clean bedroom.
It’s widely accepted that a fresh and clean bedroom improves your mental health. Starting the day with a visually appealing room, no dirty socks on the floor or any unknown odours, will get you off to a good start. The Sleep.8 team listed 11 tips to implement these easy life-changing habits to never have a messy bedroom again.
Hygiene & Maintenance
#1 - Don't eat or drink in bed
One of the top reported bad habits in the UK is eating or drinking in bed. Naturally, professionals advise against this for the simple fact that it’s not hygienic. This is made worse if you don’t maintain your sheets by washing them every week; the collection of crumbs can turn into mould which is dangerous for your health.
#2 - Don't smoke in your bedroom
The harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, like nicotine, can linger for up to five hours. This can cause long-term complications as well as increase health problems. You may find yourself waking up feeling groggy or experiencing more frequent headaches. Ditch the cigarettes inside and try to smoke outside whenever possible.
#3 - Don't leave or throw things on the floor
We’ve all been there at the end of a long day – you just want to slip into bed and drift off, not caring whether your socks are on the floor by your bed or in the laundry basket. After a while, miscellaneous items begin to pile up on the floor and suddenly, your bedroom is cluttered. And unwanted visitors like spiders may just set up camp in the depths of your dirty sock pile. So take the extra time at the end of the day to make sure your dirty clothes are where they’re supposed to be – the laundry basket!
#4 - Don’t leave dirty dishes or empty food containers around
If you heed our advice from #1, this problem will solve itself. But sometimes it’s nice to enjoy your morning coffee beneath the covers, or even breakfast in bed on special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. But bacteria can spread and cause more harm than you might think. So, don’t leave your dirty dishes too long. Plus, who wants a mouldy mug or smelly crisp bag by their head whilst they sleep? Make sure to bring any dishes or empty packaging with you as you leave the bedroom.
#5 - Keep outdoor pets away from your bed
As a nation of pet lovers, this may be a hard pill to swallow. But outdoor pets bring pests, dirt, bacteria, and other unwanted elements into the house. Worse still, imagine if they brought those unpleasant things onto your mattress? If you can’t keep your pets away from your bed 24/7, then a cover for your bed may help to protect the sheets you sleep on.
#6 - Change your bedding at least twice a month
For increased mood and better health, it’s recommended to change your sheets every other week as a bare minimum. It decreases your chances of developing eczema or other skin problems in the long term.
Organisation & Wellness
#7 - Put your clothes away where they belong
Much like dirty socks, a good rule of thumb is to never leave any clothes on the floor. Not only do you reduce the risks of a fall, but you are also more likely to either fold your clothes and put them away, or hang them in the wardrobe. Visual clutter can have a negative impact on your mood and wear you down. It is also far more sanitary to keep your clothes away from the inevitable dust and dirt you find on the floor.
#8 - Prep for the next morning, the night before
This tip is well-known advice from Steve Jobs, who reduced “decision fatigue” by dedicating clothes to work. He would wake up in the morning and get dressed without thinking about which clothes to put on. Similarly, if you were to prep your clothes for the next morning, you’d feel more productive from the get-go.
#9 - Quick "deep-cleaning" tip
Get a basket to remove what's not desired in your room, then filter out what needs to be thrown out against what needs to be organised. You’ll reduce the clutter in your room in no time, leaving you some time to think about what to do next with the items in the basket.
#10 - Banish any excess or unused furniture
By keeping your room fresh and decluttered, you are improving your mood. By removing any excess furniture, you’ll open up more space and start to appreciate the added room around you. As an added bonus, less furniture means less dust floating in the air.
#11 – Bring in plants where possible
Plants are known to improve mental health. Having a collection, or just one plant in your room, will help renew the indoor air quality and make you visually happy. Make sure to pick a plant you like, avoiding any known allergies you may have, and make sure to keep it healthy. As a last resort, pick a fake plant for decoration purposes.
To Conclude
It’s highly recommended to use the bedroom only for sleeping and changing clothes. Some specialists advise against eating, drinking and working in bed. This is so that the mind understands the connection with the body and bed; an environment for sleeping and resting rather than an activity room.
It has been shown that people who experience difficulty falling asleep find peace and calm whilst in their bedroom after following this advice. If the bedroom is your only living space (e.g. living in a flat with tenants), make sure you can associate a different piece of furniture for your living activities, such as an armchair.
We hope these tips will help you keep a healthy bedroom and a positive mind. If you need some expert advice or want to talk to a coach about your bedroom and sleeping tips, you can also reach us here: https://coaching.sleep8.uk/
