7 Small Bedroom Tips and Tricks

The big house trend is over. More and more people are considering compact homes in favor of large mansions. Smaller homes are easier to maintain, heat, and cool. However, less square footage also means less living space. If you have a small bedroom, read on for some small bedroom tips and tricks that will leave you with a perfect place to relax and sleep.

1. Maximize Lighting

Dark rooms appear smaller while light rooms appear larger. Consider keeping any window treatments simple to allow outdoor light into the room. You can also add additional light with wall sconces instead of table lamps. This will leave any side table space open for other items. Reflective surfaces, like wall mirrors, also tend to reflect light and make a room appear larger.

2. Remove Clutter

The biggest thing you can do to make a small room appear larger is to remove clutter. The more items you have in your room, the more cramped it will feel. Consider what items you really need to keep in your bedroom. Perhaps a book collection can be stored elsewhere in the house. Maybe personal toiletries, like makeup, can be stored in the bathroom. Removing clutter is one of the easiest and most inexpensive things you can do to make your small bedroom feel more peaceful.

3. Use Your Wall Space

When horizontal space is limited, you have to look at your vertical space. Most people leave their walls for artwork. However, you can also put your walls to work with floor-to-ceiling shelving, bookcases, and storage units. Closed storage is perfect for clothing and lends itself to a cleaner look, design-wise. However, open storage might be more appropriate for a kid’s room where you might want everything to be accessible.

4. Get Creative with Storage

After you’ve removed any unnecessary clutter, you’ll want to think of creative ways to store necessary items out of sight. The backside of a closet or bedroom door is the perfect place for a hanging organizer or shallow shelving unit. Add specialty hangers to your closet to store belts, ties, or scarves. Consider using accessory trays in your dresser drawers for organizing smaller items. A hanging jewelry box or cabinet is the perfect place to store jewelry.

5. Consider a Loft Bed

If you have enough ceiling height, a loft bed is a great solution for a small bedroom. Raising your bed off the floor gives you valuable floor space underneath. Depending on your needs, you can use this space for a desk or workstation. Or, consider a sofa for lounging, reading, or watching television.

If you don’t have high ceilings, you can still purchase a raised bed and utilize the shorter space underneath for storage. Or, consider raising an existing bed with adjustable bed risers that can be purchased online.

6. Choose Your Colors Wisely

When decorating a small bedroom, it's best to stick to a limited and light color palette. Bright white is a great starting point, however, if white is not your thing consider light cool colors. Cool colors make walls recede and cause a space to feel larger, while warm colors make rooms look cozier.

Paint your small bedroom a light cool color, and consider light wood or finishes for large pieces of furniture. You can decorate with bold accent colors on smaller items like throw pillows and artwork to give your space more personality.

7. Think About Custom Built-ins

If you have the time, energy, and resources, custom built-ins are perfect for small bedrooms. You can have furniture designed and built to your specific needs and dimensions of your room. While costly, if you plan to stay in your home long-term, custom built-ins may be worth the investment.

With a little bit of creativity and hard work, you can make a small bedroom the highlight of your home and a tranquil place to rest.