If you have a new apartment or home, you just may be in the middle of deciding on how to pull together your bedroom. If so, this handy list of 10 items that you simply must have in your bedroom is for you. But first, some visual inspiration with a small mood board.

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1/ Quality Mattress

This is the most important. Futons and old mattresses are fine for college years but once you are an adult and have your own apartment or home, you need a good-quality mattress. If you have back problems, you may need something exceptionally good – which means it could be a genuine investment but it’s definitely worth it. I started with IKEA mattresses, but now I have a boxspring bed from Fennobed in Hannover, Germany by Matri of Finland. I have the HILJA Continental 180x200 cm, FIRM, with the Mio Plus Topper 180 x 200 cm.

2/ Quality BEDDING + PILLOWS

You deserve good quality sheets that feel good and give you a sense of luxury – bedding that makes you feel cozy the moment you lie down. I love linen because it’s breathable and good for my skin. A wonderful pillow that is good for your neck is also vital. Bedding will also be a big part of your décor, after all it’s on the largest piece of furniture in your room so it’s the first thing you notice when you enter the room so spend time selecting the best that you can afford.

3/ Lighting from at least 5 sources

As a rule, I tell my clients that they need 5 light sources in every room (at least). One near to every corner and one in the center (on the ceiling). Placing a lamp on each side of the bed gives you a good balance of light. Placing a lamp in another corner near a chair for reading is also nice. Perhaps in another corner you may have a dresser where you keep clothes, put a lamp there too. The lighting, at least on each side of your bed, should give you the ability to adjust it – to dim or not – so you can create a different vibe for peaceful evenings, to read, or for romance.

4/ storage with doors and drawers

It’s important to have as little “visual noise” as possible when you’re laying in bed. This means when you get in bed and look around you, there should be very minimal clutter and “noise” – so keep clothes, shoes, pajamas, books, etc. behind cabinet doors and inside of drawers, baskets, trunks, etc.

5/ put anything “busy” behind your bed

Put busy wallpaper and artwork BEHIND your bed so you don’t see it when you wake up first in the morning and it’s not the last thing you see before bed. This goes for energizing colors too, like red or bold yellow. The bedroom should give you peaceful and calm feelings, not trigger you in any way – for instance family photos, bold wallpaper or paint colors, or artwork can activate your imagination or give you energy, which is not what you need before trying to get a restful night’s sleep!

6/ Full Length Mirror

I’ve always have a full-length mirror in two spots in my home – near the front door and in my bedroom. Near the front door, I put on my shoes, hat, handbag and coat along with maybe a scarf, so I need a mirror there to check myself out before I leave the house. I get dressed in my bedroom, so I want to see what I look like from head to toe. I also like a full-length mirror there because I like to see myself as I exercise, it helps me to make sure my posture during floor workouts is good, and that I’m standing in the right position for certain exercises, etc.

7/ enough storage

You need to have a bedside table or stand on each side of the bed, a large closet to store/hang clothes, and a chest of drawers where you can store folded clothes and on top, put accessories or perfumes, hang a mirror, display jewelry, etc. Storage is key to keeping a bedroom tidy and well organized.

8/ scented candles

I love a scented candle in my bedroom, I light one each night as part of my bedtime ritual. I also keep room and pillow sprays in my bedroom, too. Scent is a powerful aid for sleep if you use the right ones, like Lavender, Rose, Camomile, Jasmine, Amber, or Sandalwood, for instance. Also, candlelight can begin to mellow you own and relax your mind and muscles so you can get in the mood to sleep. I usually burn a candle while I’m writing in my journal or stretching before bed - then I make sure to blow it out before I lay down so I don’t forget about it.

9/ Loudspeaker and headphones

I have both a Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 noise canceling headphone and the Beolit 20 (4th generation) loud speaker in my bedroom that connects to my iPhone where I have playlists that I like to enjoy in my bedroom. When I exercise in my bedroom, I have playlists to keep me motivated, when I am getting ready to sleep, I have relaxing playlists. Music is wonderful in the bedroom, music is as important as having a mattress to me! The headphones are great when my little boy wants to crawl into bed and I want to watch Netflix or listen to a podcast without waking him up.

10/ Rug

You have to have a rug in the bedroom so that your feet have a soft place to land when you wake up each day. Also, rugs make the room warmer and visually more cozy, too. I don’t suggest an area rug though - too much dust and not so great if you suffer from allergies. A small rug on the side of your bed is enough.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list and I wish you lots of luck pulling together a lovely bedroom!

Love,

Holly