Curating the Conscious Bedroom

Between the global pandemic and the popularity of Marie Kondo and her elegant decluttering KonMari Method® for bringing harmony to our indoor spaces, we’ve never had more reason to consider our home environment and how it feels to us. Of all the rooms to consider, many interior living experts believe the bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the house to focus on—and it’s certainly our favorite room in the house! Especially now, as Spring blooms for us here in the northern hemisphere, there’s no better time to clear out the old and welcome the new. Below, we provide information to help inspire you to declutter, rethink, and create your ideal sleeping environment. 

The Why

Cultivating an ideal bedroom atmosphere is time well spent for many reasons, including:

• In terms of time per day, it’s the room we generally spend the most amount of time in.
• It’s often the most personal room in the house.
• Because sleeping is a vulnerable state, we are susceptible to the energies there. If the bedroom doesn’t feel harmonious or peaceful, chances are it isn’t conducive to sleep.

Bedrooms should feel cozy, but not cluttered. Neuroscientists at Princeton University studied the ability of participants to focus on tasks in organized versus disorganized environments. Not surprisingly, organized environments came out on top, because the lack of competing items in a participant’s visual field contributed to less stress. And if there’s one thing we know is detrimental to sleep, it’s stress!

The How 

Declutter and Prioritize

Marie Kondo advocates not just getting rid of things, but to also connect to what brings joy. She suggests imagining your ideal life, which will vary depending on the individual: “​​For some, this vision might be to surround yourself with the bare essentials; for others, it could mean living in a home teeming with beloved art, books, collections and heirlooms.” The ancient Chinese traditional practice of Feng Shui harmonizes energy forces within an individual and their living spaces, and according to that method, all clutter should be removed from beneath the bed. If you store things there, consider ensuring they are only soft, bed-related items. Our wool mattresses are perfect for this as well, because they allow for air flow to circulate!

Remove Electronics

Yup…the TV on the wall needs to go. We all know by now how electronics interfere with a good night’s sleep—but are we actually doing it? The blue light emitted from our phones, laptops, tablets, and TVs interferes with our body’s natural circadian rhythm and ability to produce melatonin, one of the most important sleep hormones. Keep it analog in there with books to read (just don’t let them stack up on the nightstand…read above) and an old-school alarm clock instead of your phone.

Arrange

Feng Shui suggests placing your bed, if you can, facing the door so no unexpected surprises shock you awake. However, the bed should not be placed with your feet directly pointing out the door. Use a headboard, and make sure it’s flush against a solid wall with room around all three sides of the bed if possible.

Feather the Nest 

Consider your bedroom colors, artwork, and decorations carefully. Earthy tones invite relaxation, cool greens and blues support rejuvenation, pinks and peaches radiate warmth, and red hues can ignite passion. Interestingly, the bedroom may not be the place for those family photos…keep those in public areas. Anything that brings a sense of excitement or stress may need to be displayed in a different part of the house where more active energy is encouraged or needed. 

Bringing some awareness to your bedroom and how its energy can support your life can be fun and creative—and the results are beneficial. Creating a space free from distraction, stress, and the worries of everyday life will redirect energy toward the things that matter to you.