Bedroom Sanctuary

Do you sometimes go to bed feeling overwhelmed by the mess that surrounds you? Our bedrooms are where we should be able to go to get away from it all, switch off, be close to the ones we love, and fall asleep. So the idea is that you need to turn your bedroom into a little holiday place, where you can feel cut off from your daytime responsibilities. It should be the place where the mess from the rest of the house just doesn't go... so here are my top tips for a comfortable clean bedroom.

Photo by Sparklerawk

Chuck it out:
1. A pile of ironing, you don't want to go to bed with a reminder of things you still need to do.
2. Used plates and mugs on your bedside table. Having bacteria grow on manky crockery near your head is not great for your health.
3. A computer, briefcase or piles of work papers. Shut work away when you go to bed! If you have to have a computer in your room, have it in a cupboard, or make a pretty cover for it.

Bring it in:
1. Nightlights for reading, reading is a great way to switch off.
2. Laundry baskets with lids, so that you can pile away your dirty clothes out of sight.
3. A glass of water by your bedside so that you don't have to get up if you're thirsty.
4. Hooks on the back of the door, so that gowns, towels and other garments don't have to be piled up onto the bed or floor
5. A beautiful picture opposite your bed (your favourite holiday spot perhaps?), and wake up to something lovely.

The Mattress
1. Instead of replacing your mattress, a mattress topper such as the one from IKEA could prolong the life of your mattress.
2. Turn your mattress twice a year- use this fabulous idea to help you remember when
3. Dust mites are the most common allergen to trigger asthma, so vacuum your mattress with an upholstery attachment every time you change the sheets.
4. While you've got the vacuum handy, vacuum under the bed, believe me, if you don't you will be disgusted to see how much dust gathers over a short time, and to think, it's all your dead skin cells! Yuck!

The Air you breathe
1. Air your bedroom by opening the windows daily as you make the bed (unless you'll freeze to death doing it)
2. Shake out the quilt, and fluff those pillows to help circulate the air as you do it.
3. Try not to use any artificial air fresheners or chemicals in your bedroom, you want the air you breathe as you sleep to be clean, no smell is a clean smell.
4. It's been suggested not to put a plant your bedroom as plants produce oxygen during the day, but at night time they produce CO2, removing Oxygen from the air. However a small plant in the bedroom should do no harm, especially if your bedroom is well ventilated.

Bedding, lovely bedding
1. Sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers should be washed weekly- the human body sweats more than you think when sleeping.
2. Quilts, duvets and pillows that can't be washed in a washing machine (such as feather duvets) can be steamed cleaned or hung out in the sun to kill off those nasty dust mites.
3. Natural materials such as cotton, wool, silk and feathers will keep you warm while still allowing your skin to breathe.

But most importantly start off by making your bedroom look beautiful, you'll want to keep it clean if you love the space.
Here are my finds and inspirations for a more comfortable bedroom.

Left to right

Row 1: Fall asleep on this organic pillow from the Natural Collection; Gorgeous dotty bedding from Dunhelm Mill; wake up to music with this Cath Kidston Digital Radio available from Home Vision

Row 2: Add a vintage touch with this recycled handkerchief lampshade by Recycleeh; Lap up the luxury with a silk duvet from Gingerlilly; Make your mattress comfortable again with an IKEA mattress topper.

Row 3: Doze off to the scent of organic lavender from elk home; Add these delicious glass Handmade Heaven coasters to your bedside table to avoid coffee mug stains; tidy away dirty clothes into these fair trade laundry baskets from the guardianecostore.

That's it for now, look out for my next post which will be a 10 step illustrated guide to making the bed (yes, with hospital corners too).
Hope to see you soon!