7 Ways To Transform Your Bedroom Into A Sleep Sanctuary

Right around midwinter, we could all use a hearty dose of self-care to push us through to sparkling spring. February is a month when we celebrate love, and no one says we can't shine that love on ourselves too!

Your bedroom is supposed to be a sanctuary, right? A quiet, cozy place to wind down and relax in the evening and wake refreshed in the morning.

Sounds delicious, but for many of us, this is definitely not the case. Instead, our bedrooms are filled with books, clothes, bags we've dragged in from other rooms in the house, and the omnipresent TV. All that clutter can make it difficult to wind down at the end of a long day.

You can reclaim this space by asking yourself some clarifying questions: What do you want your bedroom to achieve? Should it help you wind down at night and sleep? Do you need a space to read or perhaps do morning yoga or stretching? Do you want your bedroom to be more of a romantic haven?

Clutter under beds is thought to represent things that are unresolved in your life and therefore might disrupt the sleep cycle. A good rule of thumb is that if you have to move other items around to get to something under your bed, you've got too much stuff.

With the underside of your bed clear, you're ready to give your sleep zone some room to breathe. Many of us sleep with beds shoved into corners or up against walls, or next to large, looming dressers. Ideally, only your headboard will be touching a wall. Your bed should be centered in your space, with nightstands within an arm's reach and dressers across the room, or at least not too close to your bed.

Even if you have a small space, try to move the side of your bed away from the wall—just a few inches will do. This will allow comforters and blankets to fall nicely, and it should also make your bedroom feel more fluid and easier to navigate.

A typical nightstand is piled high with books, chargers, clocks, and sometimes medicines. If it has built-in drawers or shelves, it might also hold tissues, papers, magazines, picture frames... You get the picture.

To minimize distractions before bed and create more of a sleep sanctuary, clear your nightstand of all clutter and wipe it down. Then, only put back items that inspire you: favorite photos, treasured memorabilia, perhaps a clean-scented candle, or a glass of water—things that make you smile or help you to relax at the end of the day.

With the big picture set, it's time to think about nuances that make your bedroom feel like home. The quickest way to cozy up a bedroom is to choose a theme color, then stick to it. A unifying color helps to ground a bedroom and bring its look and feel together.

As you explore your bedroom, think about how you can personalize the room with color. Can you paint the walls something fresh and new? Or add colorful, cozy throw pillows, a fresh duvet, or a plush rug? When it comes to decorating your bedroom, embrace colors and textures that you love, and build a space that's appealing to you. 

Most of us go years sleeping on the same sheets, pillows, and mattress pads. We fall in love with cozy, worn-in bedding, learning to ignore pilled fabric, tiny holes, or set-in stains. The truth is, bedding goes through a lot of wear and tear, absorbing dirt, dust, sweat, and odors as we sleep.

The choice about when to replace bed linens is personal, but if your space hasn't been spruced up in a while, think about a new comforter, bed sheets, or even pillow shams. Occasionally, I like to make my bed, step out of the room, and then walk back in to see what catches my eye first. Do the pillows look flat? Would a different comforter lighten the mood?