Nightstands are what I call clutter catchers – areas in our homes that act like a magnet for clutter, trash, and misplaced items. But the good news is cleaning out a nightstand and adding organization is an easy and relatively quick process. In fact, it’s one of my favorite quick wins that takes less than 15 minutes to complete!
Here’s the product you need to get started:
Acrylic Drawer Organizer Set
Sometimes it feels like no matter what you do to organize, The space will always revert to chaos. And when things turn to chaos, we often just give up on a space and feel like staying organized is hopeless.
But nightstands are not hopeless! They just need clever space saving organization to bring order to the chaos.
For this small space, I wanted to make sure frequently used items were easy to grab and that every item had a designated home. These two goals partner together to ensure the space stays organized (and pretty to look at!) with daily use.
3 Steps to Organize a Nightstand Drawer
Step 1: Clear off the top of the nightstand
Has the top of your nightstand become an unsightly stack of books, tissues, water glasses and medications? It’s OK! It happens to all of us. Sometimes I’ll have some particularly crazy days/night or will be out with a bad cold and the top of my nightstand will turn into a bit of a disaster. But once things calm down or I’m feeling better, I’ll tackle this bite size project and will clean everything off the top.
To do this efficiently, always start by removing the obvious trash, like used tissues, wrappers, and those random bits of paper. Then start making piles on your bed of like items. Group medicines, magazines, face products and anything else you might find.
Once all the small items have been removed, clear off any decorative or function objects, like lamps, trays or vases. We want a clean slate! This is also the perfect time to give everything a good dusting or wipe down, you know, to get rid of any rogue dust bunnies or sticky spots.
Step 2: Clean out the inside of the drawer
Now that the top is cleared off, it’s time to tackle the drawers. Drawers on nightstands can get just as cluttered as the top, often with many of the same items so it makes sense to tackle both at the same time. Pull everything out and again throw away the obvious trash. For anything else, continue to sort on the bed, like with like.
Once the drawer is cleared out, give it a good wipe down with some multipurpose cleaner and a rag. If you feel like you need a little pick me up, consider lining the drawer with some fun wrapping paper or some shelf liner.
Now turn your attention to all the items you sorted on your bed. Ask yourself a few questions:
- Are all these items things I use every day?
- Do they all need to be stored in my nightstand?
- Would the nightstand be the first place I look for this item?
If you answer yes to these questions, then great! Those will be the items to put back when you organize the drawer.
If you answer no, then consider taking these items to the place in your home that they belong. If they belong in the donate bin or the trash, take them there.
Step 3: Put everything back in an organized way
Drawer organizers are not necessary, but can really make a difference in helping a drawer stay organized. Especially when a drawer contains a lot of little things that can roll around each time a drawer opens or closes.
I like using acrylic drawer organizers in my nightstand, but you could also look for wood or felt drawer organizers. They can even be homemade using cereal boxes or repurposing small containers or trays.
When placing everything in the drawer, try to give each type of item a home. In my nightstand, I grouped medicines in one tray, a watch charger in another, and lotions and deodorant in another. Try not to stack items if it all possible, since you want to be able to see what you have in the drawer with a quick glance.
If you have space in your drawer, consider creating a “home” for items that normally live on the top of your nightstand, like books or tissues. Keeping these items in a drawer will reduce the visual clutter on top of your dresser and make it easier for you to keep the space clean.
If you would like to see more of my primary bedroom and see sources for the furniture and bedding, be sure to check out this blog post:
Modern Primary Bedroom Refresh
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