I threw this bedroom item out and instantly regretted it – you might not want to part with this bedroom 'clutter' either, according to experts

February is always when I get stuck into decluttering my home. The weather is cold and wet, spring is on the horizon (but definitely not yet here), so it always seems like the perfect month to spend more time indoors, resetting my living space.

I tidied and decluttered my main living spaces during January, and now I'm onto decluttering my bedroom. However, as I learnt to my cost a few years ago, it is possible to get overzealous when paring back the items in your sleep zone.

According to professional cleaning and storage aficionados, there are some things you should never throw out when decluttering a bedroom, and although my discarded bedroom item isn't on the list, I think it should be, and it turns out the experts agree.

Now I do have the potential to become a bit of a hoarder, so I forgive myself for being impulsive in ditching this trusty bedroom furnishing, even though I've missed it many times since sending it off to the charity shop.

I had just moved house and was suddenly the new owner of a home that was fully carpeted. That included carpeted bedroom floors, whereas my previous home had floorboards.

So what did I decide I no longer needed? My bedroom rug. Both bedroom rugs, in fact.

After all, no one was going to get cold feet getting out of bed in the morning in the new house – the thick wool carpet made sure of that. I also wasn't really sure if rugs on carpet worked visually. Rugs on floorboards, yes please. Texture on texture? They just didn't work. Or so I thought.

I tried my best to get those rugs to work elsewhere in my home, but the problem with trying to rehome your favourite items from one home to another is that sometimes they just don't fit. So goodbye to my much-loved Berber rugs, it was.

Unfortunately, I soon realised I missed them. Yes, they were the wrong size for the room, and no, I didn't really need them now that my flooring was softer and warmer all by itself.

But this year's bedroom flooring trends sum up exactly what I lost when I ditched the rugs in favour of a more streamlined look. In 2026, bedroom trends are all about creating tactile and cocooning spaces that become a 'sensory-refuge' from the outside world, and a soft, shaggy rug underfoot is exactly the 'texture-maxxing' vibes this trend calls for.

Plus, according to the interior designers I asked, I needn't have worried that the 'rug-on-carpet' look was overkill.

'Can you still use a rug with carpet? Absolutely,' says interior designer Lucy Van der Gucht. 'A rug is about far more than covering the floor; it helps create a strong focal point that anchors the furniture and gives the room a sense of structure and balance. It can also act as the starting point for the scheme, introducing colour, pattern or texture that sets the palette for the room.'

That's another thing I lost when I donated my rugs to a new home. A lot of my bedroom decor had been bought to tie in with the rug's design. And without the rugs as the anchorpoint for my bedroom design ideas, my bedroom accessories suddenly looked a bit lost.

'Layering a rug over carpet also adds depth and interest,' continues Lucy, 'elevating the overall look from functional to beautifully composed.'

It's true. Without the rugs, my bedroom suddenly felt a bit... flat. They added an extra layer of interest I hadn't really appreciated until they were gone.

'Rugs can be transformative in the bedroom,' agrees Helen Ashmore, head of design at textile design and interior furnishings brand Laura Ashley, 'bringing a soft, warming comfort as opposed to plain carpet.'

'Making it a much nicer experience when you step out of bed, not only do they offer the perfect opportunity to introduce colour, pattern and personality, but they can also help to anchor your bed and furniture from a visual standpoint, bringing proportion and cohesion to the layout, making your bedroom feel more intentional and considered.'

Hmm, it does seem like I might have made a mistake in decluttering this bedroom essential so quickly.

Although on the plus side, buying new bedroom rugs from scratch does mean I can choose a style and size that properly fits my new bedroom, rather than trying to make something work that doesn't *really* go. Luckily, when it comes to where to buy a rug, there are plenty of great options. These are a few of the designs I now have my eye on.

Shop bedroom rugs

The moral of the story? Perhaps don't be *too* hasty to declutter your home, especially if you've just moved house and are still getting used to the new layout.

If you have the space, store things you love but aren't quite sure about in a spare room for a while, then get them out again with fresh eyes to see how they look. Or do a decor swap with a friend so you can both switch up the look of your homes for a bit without spending money.

It's great to declutter. You can free up space, both physically and mentally, by regularly shedding the things that no longer serve you, or your home. But occasionally we might make a home decor or decluttering mistake, and that's OK. After all, the losses are just as much a part of the decorating journey as the wins.