5 items a small bedroom really doesn’t need, according to pro organisers – and what to declutter now for a more streamlined sleeping space

A messy house is a messy mind. And as someone who struggles to sleep at the best of times, I need my bedroom to be calm and clutter-free if I want any chance of catching some Z’s. However, that’s easier said than done when you have a cosier bedroom.

As they’re multi-purpose rooms, it’s often hard to follow in the footsteps of people with tidy bedrooms. They need to be equipped with everything you need to sleep, get dressed, store clothes and belongings, and even relax and unwind after a long day. And when you have a small bedroom, it can feel like it's bursting at the seams.

Of course, you can’t physically make a bedroom bigger without adding some costly renovations into the mix, which is why the only logical solution is to reduce the amount of things in your bedroom. So, I asked pro organisers what a small bedroom really doesn’t need, and what you can declutter now for a more peaceful environment.

1. Excess clothing

If you’re on a mission to organise a wardrobe in your small bedroom, it’s well worth taking the time to go through what you have and banish any clothing that you no longer wear - or that no longer fits. After all, we’re all guilty of holding onto excess clothing due to emotional ties or the hope that they’ll fit eventually.

As Shannon Murphy, Professional Organiser and Founder of Simpl Living Co, explains, ‘We wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time, which means there are usually many items taking up valuable space that are rarely worn.’ This then makes it impossible to keep clothes tidy in drawers and wardrobes.

That’s why Ellie Fife, Founder of Holistic Life Organising, suggests keeping ‘only the clothes that fit your current lifestyle’ as this creates more space in your bedroom and calms the chaos often created by an overflowing wardrobe. She also states that it can be ‘mentally freeing’ to let go of these items, so it’s a win-win.

2. Mystery cables and chargers

While most of us would love to keep bedrooms a technology-free zone, the reality is that we often have a lot of electronic items in our sleeping space. However, their cables and chargers add both visual and physical clutter to a small bedroom - especially when they’re for old electronics.

Ellie says, ‘Most people have a basket or drawer full of mystery chargers and old leads. If you haven’t used a cable or charger in over a year, and you no longer know what it belongs to, it’s worth questioning whether you really need to keep it at all.’ If you don’t, recycle them at your local supermarket to ensure they don’t just go to landfill.

If you do, decide if you need them in the bedroom or whether they would be better suited downstairs - or even in a dedicated charging drawer. If you do definitely need (or simply want) to keep these cables and chargers in your bedroom, take steps to minimise the wire clutter using dedicated charging boxes and tidies.

3. Expired or unwanted makeup and toiletries

When space is limited, everything has to earn its place and improve your life. That’s why small bedrooms really don’t need expired or unwanted makeup and toiletries cluttering drawers and surfaces when they shouldn’t be there in the first place.

Kate Dufton, Professional Organiser and Declutterer at Ace Your Space, says, ‘One of the biggest sources of bedroom clutter I see in my clients’ homes is makeup and toiletries. Often expensive, it can feel difficult to let go of products that weren’t quite for your skin, or you didn’t like the results. So we hold onto them ‘just in case’, but they simply become clutter.’

So, take this as your sign to organise your makeup and declutter any toiletries that have passed their prime - especially if you can’t remember the last time you used them. You can donate your lightly used products, and you can even recycle any empties using the Boots Recycling Scheme to earn points that can be used to save money in the long run.

4. Unnecessary furniture and decor

It’s no secret that certain furniture and decor can make your bedroom look dated, but these items can also make a small bedroom look - and feel - even smaller. Because of this, you should regularly assess the extras in your small bedroom to see if they’re still necessary additions.

If your bedroom is on the cosier side, it may be time to edit. Jo Helsby, Professional Organiser and Founder of Perfect Order, echoes this, saying, ‘An oversized bedside table is often one of the first things I would remove. Many people only need space for a lamp, phone and glass of water, yet the table takes up a large section of the room and quickly becomes another place to pile things.’

She adds, ‘I would also question keeping a chair in a small bedroom unless it is used regularly for sitting. In most homes, it becomes a holding area for clothes that are not quite clean or dirty.’ And the same goes for decorative cushions, too - especially if they just end up on the floor and clutter up valuable floor space. Ultimately, you want to prioritise the practical items.

5. Paperwork and work items

While you often have no choice but to maintain a multi-purpose bedroom, you should aim to limit its purposes if you have a small space. Otherwise, it can feel overwhelming, instead of offering a calm, sleep-ready sanctuary. That’s why Kate wants you to remove any paperwork or work items from a small bedroom, too.

She explains, ‘Seeing paperwork or tasks when you wake up or go to bed can make it harder to switch off, and it then feels more like an extension of your workspace than somewhere to relax. If you need a workspace, look for an alternative space to set up a small or fold-down desk.’

And even if you don’t have a dedicated home office, you can still take inspiration from people with tidy offices to ensure this alternative space remains clear and clutter-free, so it doesn’t impact other areas of your life or home. You could even use a stylish filing cabinet like this URFORESTIC Seagrass File Storage Box Organiser (£38.73 at Amazon) in any room of the house, as it’s extremely inconspicuous.