Bedrooms & Bedding

 

I find the easiest way for me to keep my bedroom neat, clean, tidy and restful is to keep it really simple.  I don't have a lot of stuff in my bedroom - a bed, a side table with a lamp on it and a chair I keep in the corner, mostly for décor and to help me organize (not dump) my clothes throughout the week.  There is no dresser in my room.

 

This closet organizer is perfect for optimizing space

In my closet I keep a minimal amount of clothing, shoes and accessories.  Several years ago I installed a closet organizer with hanging rods at various heights, shelves and three drawers.  All of my clothes, shoes and accessories fit within that organizer with room to spare.  I have no need for anything else.

 

Make the bed every day

You all know I make my bed first thing when I get up.  Every day.  Once a week I dust, vacuum, change my sheets and tidy up my bedroom.  It takes me less than fifteen minutes because there isn't much in there for one thing and I don’t allow things to accumulate and get cluttered.  It is quick and easy.  And because my room is always neat and clean I feel like I get a much better rest at night when I sleep.

 

No dust bunnies here!

As part of my housekeeping checklist I make sure things are given a deeper clean as needed.  At least twice a year I like to turn my mattress and that is the perfect time to pop up the boxspring and clean underneath my bed.  I time it on the same day as I wash all of my bedding, my pillows and the mattress pad.  I prop the mattress and box spring against the wall, vacuum the area beneath the bed, wipe down the bed frame with a damp cloth, replace the box spring, put the mattress on (turned) and then vacuum the mattress.  Done!

 

Pillows, bedding & mattress cover all washed up
Stella always supervises

I wash my pillows with hot water and bleach along with the mattress pad and then tumble them dry while the sheets take a spin in the washer, usually with any other laundry that happens to need done.  While my sheets are in the dryer I run the blankets next and then my bedspread and pillow shams.  I do it in this order simply because that is the order they go back onto the bed.  I just pull them straight from the dryer and put them on the bed right away.

 

Pillows & shams get washed

Once my bed is made up it is a simple task to dust the side table and lamp, vacuum the lampshade and organize the items I like to keep on the table, usually just some books and my eyeglasses.  Lastly I vacuum the carpet and I'm all finished.  Quick, easy and super clean.  No marathon project here!

 

Awww..... So lovely

On another day I'll wash the walls and the ceiling.  You can do this by hand with a damp cloth or a pad mop works well too.  Just some warm water with a touch of dish soap is adequate because all I'm really doing here is removing dust and cobwebs.  I may not do this every quarter, however because to be honest once or twice a year is plenty especially if I vacuum the walls and ceilings in between. I wipe off the outlets, light switches, doors and door knobs more regularly and my closet doors are mirrored so they get cleaned each quarter as well.  Again on a different day.  No need to try and do it all at once.  I have other things to do!

 

My large capacity front loaders make washing bedding really easy

My daughter does her own room so I don't have to worry about that one (thank goodness, it is all teenagerdom) but I do keep up the guest room in much the same way.  I find I can do both rooms simultaneously and it doesn't take much more time.  Mostly I'm waiting on laundry to run so I have other things planned to do while waiting, but the actual time spent working on those rooms is pretty minimal and that is how I like it.