Harvesting Simplicity - Finding the joy in living simply and freely - Bedroom Freed!
- Melissa Cotton
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
Melissa Cotton is the creator of this series of posts, published monthly, entitled Harvesting Simplicity and in July of 2025 she will be moderating a book club exploring Things That Matter by Joshua Becker. (click here to join her!)
“Removing your attachment to possessions will provide you with the freedom and opportunity to realize the life you’ve always wanted.” Joshua Becker (2)
Your bedroom should feel like a place to rest, not a storage unit. Clutter can cloud your mind, stress you out, and disrupt your sleep. The good news? You can create a calmer space in just a few intentional steps.
Listed below are five simple, minimalist tips to declutter your bedroom and create space for peace and purpose.
1. Begin with a Clear Purpose - Ask yourself: How do I want to feel in this room?
Remembering the purpose of your bedroom will not automatically remove the clutter, but it will provide a framework for your decision-making process. For example, does the television on your dresser promote rest or intimacy, or does it detract from your vision of the space? Does the cluttered nightstand or top of your dresser bring you calm and relaxation? (1)
Several years ago, my husband and I decided to remove the television from our bedroom. It has helped us establish healthier nightly routines, get better sleep, and stay more present. Removing the television aligns with our minimalist values and supports the calming, clutter-free environment we have worked to create.
2. Clear Surfaces
Flat surfaces can become a magnet for clutter. Keep nightstands and dressers as clear as possible. Only treasured items that help you relax or recall happy memories should be kept out. (1) As part of our minimalist approach, we keep all flat surfaces in our bedroom completely clear. This simple habit eliminates visual clutter and contributes to a calming environment. It is a small choice that makes a big difference in creating a restful, uncluttered retreat. It also makes cleaning so much easier.
3. Clear the Floors
Nothing should be left on your bedroom floor except for furniture. Consider removing things such as storage containers, piles of books, exercise equipment, or items that were placed in your bedroom temporarily, but have begun to make themselves at home long term. Which of these things can you throw out, donate, or sell? (1) Everything in our home has a designated place, which means we avoid keeping anything extra on the bedroom floor. This intentional organization keeps the space tidy and calm.
4. Simplify Your Bed Linens
Pull out all of your sheets and blankets and sort through them. Declutter all that are in poor condition or that you no longer need. My family owns one set of sheets per bed in our home. We just wash them and return them the same day. A few extra blankets may be useful on chilly nights, but if you have accumulated more that you would ever use at one time, the extras can go. (1)
5. Get Rid of Furniture, If Possible
Nothing will make as big of an impact in minimizing a bedroom as getting rid of furniture. Maybe you have a piece of furniture, or more than one, that you can remove. Consider doing this in your bedroom or one of the other bedrooms in your home. (1) We used to have two dressers, our bed, two nightstands, a small couch, and a recliner in our bedroom. After removing one dresser, the couch, and the recliner, we were amazed at how much space opened up. We do not miss the extra furniture, and the open layout has made the room feel much calmer and more inviting.
Less stuff. More space. Better rest.
A clutter-free bedroom is not just about aesthetics — it is about peace of mind. Start small, stay consistent, and let your room reflect the calm you want to feel. In my next blog, I will provide simple, actionable experiments you can try to begin experiencing the benefits of living with less.
Sources
1 Becker, J. (2018). The minimalist home: A room-by-room guide to a decluttered, refocused life. WaterBrook.
2 Becker, J. (2017). The more of less: Finding the life you want under everything you own. WaterBrook.
Melissa is a first grade teacher with a double major in Elementary Education and Early Childhood. She also has a Master’s Degree in Education Administration. After reading T. Colin Campbell’s book, The China Study, she stopped eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) and has been eating a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet. In December 2023, she earned Dr Joel Fuhrman’s Nutritarian Coaching Certificate. Melissa is an active member of the National Health Association (NHA).
Melissa is also the writer/creator of our 2024 blog series Exploring GBOMBS. Her love for teaching and learning will support others on their journey for optimal health and wellness.
Discover practical steps you can take today to live a life focused on things that matter. Disruptions are the enemies of a life well lived—both the new distractions of our generation and timeless ones that have existed for centuries. But that can change today.
Things That Matter is a book about living well. It’s about overcoming the chatter of a world focused on all the wrong things. It’s about rethinking the common assumptions of today to find satisfaction and fulfillment tomorrow.
How do we get to the end of our lives with minimal regrets? We set aside lesser pursuits to seek lasting meaning. And we discover the joy of doing it every day. In Things That Matter, Joshua Becker uses practical exercises, questions, insights from a nationwide survey, and success stories to give you the motivation you need to
• identify the pursuits that matter most to you
• align your dreams with your daily priorities
• recognize how money and possessions keep you from happiness
• become aware of how others’ opinions of you influence your choices
• embrace what you’re truly passionate about instead of planning that next escape
• figure out what to do with all those emails, notifications, and pings
• let go of past mistakes and debilitating habits
Be well
Stop.Breathe.Focus.Move.Flow.
So looking forward to your bookclub! Helping our community grow from decluttering what we eat, think and environment we live in, is central across the six dimensions.