5 Easy and Clever Hacks for Organizing Your Nightstand
When you organize your nightstand surface and drawers, you streamline the start and end of your day. Here are some hacks to help you organize your nightstand.
It’s no fun to fumble around your nightstand for your phone or alarm clock when your brain is barely functioning. But unfortunately, we’ve all done it.
As you reach for your intended item, you inevitably knock off a few other things off the cluttered surface. This starts your day in a stressful manner and can set the scene for a rough morning.
Sound familiar? It doesn’t have to.
The reason this scenario plays out so frequently is that most of us keep a cluttered nightstand, not knowing any better.
When you organize your nightstand surface and drawers, you are, in effect, streamlining the start and end of your day.
Here’s how those clever people who know exactly where to find their phones, even with their eyes shut, keep their nightstands under control.
1. They Keep Their Surfaces Clear
Nightstand clutter can distract your brain as you try to fall asleep. It’s also a mess waiting to happen when you groggily grope around for your alarm clock or midnight drink of water.
In order to keep your nightstand surface clear, you must clean it every day. You have to continually follow behind your hurried self and make sure your organized self stays in control.
It’s not always easy, of course, because our days are full of rushed moments. But if you set the rule of only keeping the bare minimum on your nightstand, it will become a habit.
First, you need to know what’s okay to keep out and what needs to go in drawers.
Your lamp, phone, and alarm clock are must-haves. Anything else, unless it’s an individual necessity for you, doesn’t belong on your nightstand surface.
If you must have a few sundry items beyond the essentials out, keep them in baskets set back toward the wall.
2. They Use Nightstands with Drawers
Some bedside furniture pieces can barely be considered nightstands. They give you a place to set your stuff at night, but that’s all they offer.
These furnishings tend to be less expensive, which attracts individuals on a budget. But to stay organized, it’s important to splurge on a nightstand with drawers.
The main essentials are squared away on the surface of your nightstand. The drawers underneath should be just as organized.
Your nightstand drawers aren’t for random “stuff.” Think about what’s important to have near your bed. Those are the only items that need to be in there. They may include:
- Your morning and evening medications
- Your current book or magazine
- A notebook and pen for middle-of-the-night thoughts
- An extra phone charger
Whatever you decide to keep in there, use storage organizers to prevent your drawers from becoming catchalls.
3. They Plan for Emergencies
Sometimes, emergencies happen in the middle of the night. You don’t want to be unprepared and caught off guard.
Reserve an area of your nightstand drawer for emergency items. A box with a flashlight, spare batteries, and a portable phone charger are basics for this section.
If you live in an area with a high risk of flooding, keep these items sealed in a waterproof container.
You might also keep a locked box with your passport, birth certificate, and other important items inside. In the event of a fire or other disaster, you won’t have to leave your stuff behind or risk your safety to search for it.
It’s okay to store emergency items in your nightstand drawers. Just be careful not to let it turn into a junk drawer.
4. They Know Insomnia is Real
A lack of sleep can affect your health and productivity. Unfortunately, chronic sleep deprivation is a fact of life for millions of people in today’s fast-paced society.
Are you one of the many who toss and turn rather than slumber peacefully? Your nightstand may be able to help you with this problem.
Have a plan for those restless nights. Keep a pen and paper in your bedside drawer. Write down those pestering thoughts to get them out of your head so you can relax.
Dehydration can also have negative effects on your sleep. Instead of stumbling to the kitchen and waking yourself up even more, keep an extra water bottle in your drawer. When you feel cotton-mouth kicking in, nip it in the bud before it affects your sleep.
Kleenex and chapstick can also proactively fight the forces that try to keep you from snoozing.
5. They Use Technology
Virtual assistants like Echo and Alexa can help you reduce clutter. While they’re commonly found in the rest of the house, they’re particularly helpful on your nightstand.
Today, many appliances and electronics can connect to your smart devices. With an assistant on your nightstand, you can get rid of your alarm clock and TV remote.
Better than the clapper lamps of decades ago, a simple command of “Echo, turn off the TV,” lets you relax instead of fumbling for the remote or light switch.
Conclusion
If you want to join the army of organized people who keep their nightstands organized, you’re on the right path.
No longer must you start your days by knocking a pile of clutter onto the floor. These hacks will guide you into a day that starts and ends free of stress.
Author Bio:
Aaron Hunt is the property manager for Prime Place OSU. He can be reached by email at osu@myprimeplace.com.
