Simple, Clutter-Free Living

Simple Living

9 Ways Your Bedroom Setup Could Be Ruining Your Sleep

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How’s your sleep been lately? Has it ever been good? There’s a chance your bedroom setup could be ruining your sleep.

It could be big changes needed or simple, small changes that make a big difference so you can sleep well!

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Check out these simple hacks to create a calmer bedroom and environment for peaceful, deep sleep:

1 – Clear off your nightstand 

Clear off your nightstand to create a tidy spot next to your bed.  Nothing is more irritating than reaching for your water in the middle of the night and knocking five things off the nightstand when doing so. 

Then, the loud thud of stuff hitting the ground not only wakes you up but everyone else within earshot. 

Having a clear nightstand also creates a sense of calm in the place closest to your bed and likely the last spot you see before turning out the lights. 

I like to keep my nightstand pretty basic. 

I keep a small lamp on it, an alarm clock (old-school, but I love it) and my water. 

I keep any books I’m reading in the drawer of the nightstand or right under the bed at the edge. 

2 – Charge your phone away from your bed

Nothing can rob your sleep faster than checking your phone “for just a minute” and then two hours later you realized you have fallen down the Facebook, TikTok, email, etc rabbit hole.

Don’t do this!

There are even people that wake up in the middle of the night and start checking their social media because “they can’t sleep”.  (My husband.) 

Letting you in on a little secret, checking your social media will not help you go back to sleep.

In fact, looking at your phone before bed or in the middle of the night will likely prolong your insominia. 

If your phone isn’t sitting next to your bed charging but is instead sitting on top of your dresser six feet away (or better yet, in another room), you will most likely leave it alone. 

Try reading a book before bed instead of scrolling on your phone.

3 – Position your bed in a way to support sleep

Feng shui often suggests putting your bed against a main wall, diagonal from a door, so as you have a clear view of the door but aren’t directly in front of it.

If feng shui isn’t your thing, there are still practical reasons to consider when placing your bed to encourage good sleep.

For example, try to place your bed against a wall that isn’t full of plumbing pipes.  Hearing the noise of water swooshing through the walls in the middle of the night isn’t conducive to good sleep!

4 – Choose paint colors that encourage good sleep

If your bedroom walls are super bright, even if you love the colors, they may not be helping you get good sleep.  In fact, they may be making your sleep worse.

If you are wondering, blue is one of the best colors that will help you get good sleep!

If you still want bright colors, it seems yellow is a close second, as it helps you wake up cheerful and excited to conquer the day! 

More than anything, choose a flat finish, rather than glossy, as the glossy paint reflects light.  Save those bright, exciting colors for the rooms where you need more stimulation!

5 – Remove any unnecessary lights

If may seem obvious, but too much light may be ruining your sleep. 

Of course, start with the easy light eliminators, like your blinds or curtain choices.  I

’ve always been a huge fan of curtains, as I LOVE the sunshine coming through my windows. However, when I’m sleeping, I do like a dark room.

Invest in some pretty but effective blackout curtains.  In the past, blackout curtains were either super expensive or super ugly.  You can now get some pretty ones for a decent price. 

Blackout curtains allow you to keep the sun out while sleeping but still let the sunshine in once opened.

Other lights that may be acting as sleep interrupters are your electronics (yes, even the single power light on your computer), alarm clocks, phones, etc. 

Try to keep any unnecessary electronic devices out of your bedroom area. 

6 – Keep your work out of the bedroom

Nothing says “Don’t go to sleep!” like unfinished work staring you in the face. 

Try to keep your office and work out of your bedroom.  I promise, you will sleep better. 

If you can’t get to sleep until you finish your thoughts, consider keeping a small notepad and pen near your bed.  (Don’t use your phone, or you will fall into problem #2.)

The work will be there in the morning, and you can’t do it AND sleep. 

Computer in the bed. Having work in your bedroom may disrupt sleep.

7 – Remove the TV

Like the phone, the TV is another electronic that can quickly ruin your sleep.

Having the TV on for background noise will not help you get good quality sleep, even if it is what you are used to doing. 

I challenge you to try a little experiment.  Remove the TV for one month, and see how you feel.  Chances are, your sleep will improve!

8 – Consider a meditative sleep app or white noise machine

If you insist on having your phone near the bed, at least consider a meditative sleep app or white noise app.  There are plenty of great ones out there. 

Some of my favorites are Headspace, Calm, and Relax Melodies app.  They all have free versions you can test out and see if they are a good fit for you. 

We use the Relax Melodies app for my kiddos.  It works like magic!

9 – Clear the clutter

Clutter can make you anxious. Anxiety can prevent you from having solid, restful sleep.

One way to make your bedroom more friendly to sleep is to declutter your bedroom.  The bedroom is the spot where I encourage all of my clients to start, as it creates a space where you can retreat to every single day, regardless of the state of the rest of your home.

You can clear the following areas to make a big impact on clutter:

  • Clear off the tops of any furniture
  • Put away any clothes
  • Remove any unnecessary collectibles, decorative items, etc.
  • Clear any floor space of unnecessary furniture, office equipment or exercise equipment
clean, clutter-free bedroom

While you can’t always control your ability to get a good night’s sleep, you can control a lot of the ways your bedroom is setup to contribute to healthy, restful sleep. 

Try out these tips and tricks to ensure you are doing everything in your power to encourage a good night’s sleep.  

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Surviving Virtual Schooling: When you just can’t…

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How’s your school’s online learning going? Yeah, it sucks for me too.

If you’ve had days where you want to pull your hair out and throw the computer off the deck, I’m right there with you.

I love our teachers.  Like seriously adore them.  However, they were not prepared for this online learning thing (not their fault). 

Top it off with teachers trying to teach their own kids at home and work with online learning systems they were not familiar with before this whole mess, and their lives are as crazy as ours.

little girl doing online learning on a touchscreen computer

This isn’t what I imagined “homeschooling” to be like

I love having my kids home.  Summers are my favorite because of all the quality time we get.  The days are unstructured, we read, we play outside, and we learn through life.

Last year, we did a three-week tour of three National Parks, and they still, a year later, talk about what they learned.

I always imagined if I did homeschool, it would look like our summers. 

We would have formal learning moments, but much of what we learned would be hands-on, direct observation, and flexible to allow for changing moods and interests.

However, when trying to work with a school without everyone being together, I often feel like I am trying to push a large square peg through a small round hole.  It’s not working for us.

So, what did I decide on the last two days that finally got us into a groove?

Ways we’ve made “virtual schooling” a little easier:

1 – We stopped stressing about doing ALL the assignments.

It’s weird.  We are the type of people that do the homework because it was assigned.  But that’s dumb.  I would never do that in real life. 

In my jobs, if I was given something that added no value, I would question it.  I’m asking my kids to do the same. 

If they are given a “worksheet”, and they fully understand the concepts or are bored by the subject matter because it is too easy, then we are skipping it.

Leaving an assignment undone feels weird for all of us.  However, I would rather spend my time learning something of value than doing “busy work”.

I would also rather spend the time I was using to figure out tech problems just teaching them something.  (We’ve had lots of tech problems.)

2 – We are modifying the assignments.

My kids had a worksheet yesterday that covered a specific concept.  Rather than sit and work through a worksheet, we took a walk in our neighborhood. 

On the walk, we thought of as many words as we could that fit into that learning concept.  Then, we added the challenge of spelling those words. 

Assignment done.  We recorded that we worked on the concepts verbally and moved on.  It would be the same in a real live classroom.

3 – We play outside.

By learning at home, we have the ability to enjoy this beautiful weather we were given, 2-3 hours at a time.

If they can’t sit still long enough to do an assignment, we go play. 

There is so much to be learned outside.  Spring is the air.  We saw a pregnant doe yesterday and talked about how babies are born at this time of year.

We talked about the Pink Moon and what it meant. 

We did all this while jumping on the trampoline, running, and playing.

girl swinging and playing outside

4 – We make our own schedule. 

If we want to sleep until 8 am, we do it.

We still make our required calls, but that’s about it. 

Sometimes, on the days we play outside for 3 hours, we are doing school work from 5-6 PM, before dinner.  That’s the luxury of learning at home.

5 – We work around our work schedules.

If I’m working, they can do independent work, read, or play.  I try to be strategic about helping them with any assignments they need me on in the morning.  Then, while they work through them, I do my thing.

There have been times where I tell them to do their best, while I knock out some work.  If they can’t, then I tell them to read.  Reading will teach them so much, even if they do nothing else the rest of this semester.

6 – We have a quick pick-up and reset every night

Every night, for ten minutes, we all do a super fast pick-up and reset.

Computers and devices get plugged in.

Assignments done on paper get hole punched and placed in a binder to save as proof of our work.

Clothes that somehow got removed throughout the day make their way to hampers, and snack wrappers find their way to the trash.

By resetting every day, it makes the following morning a little less stressful and ready to start.  Last night, we all crashed early, so we did our quick ten-minute pick-up this morning. 

7 – Start the day with a quick ten-minute exercise

No one really likes to wake up and immediately get started on work.  (Well, I don’t like it.)  I want to have my caffeine and get my body moving in some way.  I DO NOT want to work out first thing.  (If you are one of those people, I secretly hate you.)

Every morning, for ten minutes, we do quick stretches or maybe a kids focused ten minute workout.  It’s simple, nothing too crazy, and gets our bodies and minds in line and ready for some work. 

I fought it at first, seeing this practice as a waste of our precious time in the morning, but it has really helped us focus.  Try it out!

A girl doing homeschooling on her computer.

Give yourself some grace

I don’t have all the answers.  In fact, I’ve shed my share of tears the past few weeks as we navigate this new normal. 

However, don’t be so hard on yourself mama if you feel like your kids aren’t getting the education you always hoped they would get.

This time we are in isn’t really homeschooling.  It’s not really school.  It’s kind of “crisis schooling”. 

It’s 2-3 months out of a school year.  Find your new normal with work or your usual daily activities and having them home.  Then, incorporate a little more learning each day and each week as you find what works best for you and your family.

It won’t be perfect. Every assignment doesn’t have to get done.  Do your best.  We are all in this together, imperfect and all. (This message is just as much for me as it is for you!)

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Maybe Grandma wasn’t so crazy. Minimalism during a pandemic.

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Minimalism during a pandemic. For some, it may feel like a death trap…I mean, what if you get rid of too much?

None of us have ever experienced a pandemic. As an adult, I’ve lived through 9/11, the 2008 recession, and the ups and downs that come with being a young adult with no money.

However, I’ve never experienced runs on grocery stores, other than what happens right before a snow storm in Georgia. (Living in the snowy mountains now, this little bit of my history cracks me up.)

I’ve never known what it was like to want to go buy eggs or milk and that not be an option, until now. I’ve never known what it was like to not be able to buy toilet paper.

When you can’t get stuff that you need, it gets you thinking. I need to be more prepared. I need things for “just in case”.

A man hoarding lots of groceries, water and toilet paper making minimalism during a pandemic seem impossible.

Maybe Grandma wasn’t so crazy

No wonder our elders saved so much after living though the Great Depression. While I understood it on an intellectual level, I never really understood it. That is, I never understood it until recent events.

Faced with losing our income, seeing the stores running out of food, and being scared for our general health and what’s to come, life is scary right now.

As humans, being prepared gives us a sense of control. It’s the one thing we can do when the world is too scary.

I think this need for control is why people bought so much dang toilet paper. They didn’t know what to buy to prepare for 2 weeks or more at home, but they knew that was something they would likely need, and thus, something they could control.

Maybe you shouldn’t declutter…

I talk a lot about decluttering, the benefits of living with less, and all the wonderful benefits that come with a simpler life. I also like to talk about getting rid of things for “just in case”.

What’s the perfect balance of “just in case” so we don’t all turn into hoarders?

How does one live a simple, uncluttered life and still be prepared for times like this?

Is minimalism during a pandemic even possible?

Honestly, I don’t know what that perfect balance looks like. However, I do want to share with you some of my thoughts.

Woman grocery shopping during the pandemic.

Minimalism during a pandemic: What does it look like?

1 – Life is better with less clutter.

My life is so much better with less clutter in it. I could preach on the benefits of minimalism and decluttering all day long.

My home feels comfortable. We saved more money by buying less over the years. We know how to be happy with less because we chose it, rather than being forced into it.

It’s really nice to have a decluttered home when you are trying to homeschool, run a business, and run a household. Life really is better with less clutter.

2 – “Just in case” is a real booger

More times than not, saving things and not getting rid of our excess for “just in case” can really booger up your decluttering efforts.

In fact, I have an entire lesson on “just in case” in my decluttering course, The Tidy Habit.

When we are evaluating our clutter, so many things have to be considered. One of the most important things is our space.

If you don’t have the space, you can’t have as much on hand for “just in case,” simple as that. If you save it anyway, you will not ever achieve the clutter-free home you desire.

3 – If you clear the clutter, you have more room for stuff you do need.

When we decluttered our home, entire closets opened up. Entire shelves were cleared off, and our garage was able to fit an actual car in it!

It seems when I got rid of the stuff I was saving for “one day,” I opened up a ton of space for NEEDED “just in case” items.

For example, I have 50 rolls of toilet paper in my linen closet right now. No, I’m not hoarding them. I bought them well before the outbreak, on super sale. I remember being ecstatic when I got a gift card just because I bought two super-sized packages.

If I was holding on to all those extra towels, bedsheets, etc, my linen closet would be full of excess things I don’t need, while now it is full of something that is strangely a scarcity.

Do I have more consumables on hand than usual? Yes. I’m used to grocery shopping once a week. Lately, I’m finding I grocery shop once every 2-3 weeks.

I can do this though because I already created the space. I already let go of the excess I knew we would never use, and I now have space for the stuff I do need.

Toielt paper rolls. Stocking up on toilet paper isn't very minimalist, but neither is a pandemic!

That’s the beauty of having space in your home. If you need to fill it with items you need, you can. If you don’t need to, you have space. That space creates a place for you to breathe easy (and maybe store a few extra canned goods).

minimalism during a crisis

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9 Ways to Thrive While Stuck at Home

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Stuck at home? You don’t have to be bored and feel like you are in prison.

There are ways to thrive when stuck at home, whether it is because you are sick, caring for someone sick, need to save money, or are stuck in your house for social distancing.

Things to do when stuck at home

1 – Get outside!

If you have a way to get outside, the sunshine will do your mind and body wonders.  It doesn’t matter if you have acres and acres to play on or just a tiny little patio or balcony. 

Get outside your front or back door, and soak in the sunshine. 

Cold outside? Dress appropriately. 

I have been known to grab a camping chair and book and read while it is super cold outside.  I’ll wear my hat, ski coat, and multiple layers.  An hour later, I’ll feel incredibly refreshed, even with the crisp air.

Activities you can do outside, even if you are stuck at home:

  • Play games in your yard.
  • Put up a slackline.
  • Create an obstacle course.  Let your imagination run wild!
  • Have races with your family members (or your dog).
  • Use sidewalk chalk in your driveway or on your sidewalk.
Green grass in a back yard. Get outside in your yard while stuck at home.

2 – Craft time / house project time

Often times, life doesn’t allow us the freedom to sit and do crafts we enjoy or start projects that have been our to-do lists forever.  If you are stuck at home, use this opportunity to make something special.

You can even get ahead on homemade gifts for kids for birthdays or Christmas or homemade gifts for family and friends. 

Crafts not your thing? Do a home repair or project that has been hanging over you for a while. 

Now is the perfect time to catch up, especially if you feel well and already have the supplies on hand.

Need ideas? Crafts and projects you can do when stuck at home:

  • Make a board game
  • Do a daily craft challenge
  • Finish a big project
  • Create puppets and then do a puppet show
  • Look up random national holidays and make a craft around it
  • Make a nature craft
  • Make any clothing repairs
  • Learn a new skill like sewing, crochet, knitting, etc.
  • Make a scrapbook
Related post: Organize your craft room
Sewing room. Enjoy some crafts while stuck at home.

3 – Family time

If you are stuck at home, chances are you have a lot more opportunities for family time.  Take advantage of this time.  Relish in it.  Don’t fight it.

I don’t particularly love getting on the floor and just playing with my kids, but I do love doing actual activities with them (hey, don’t judge me). 

One of my favorite things to do is have designated family time nights. 

For example, we do a family movie night with homemade pizzas every Friday and like to do board games or Wii games on Saturday nights.  These ideas are generally free activities, and even making the pizzas gets the whole family involved!

Other family activities you can do when stuck at home:

  • Board games
  • Card games
  • Find a series to watch together. (Our family LOVES Master Chef Jr.)
  • Read a book out loud (We like to read books that are movies and then watch the movie when done.)
  • Take advantage of free online culture options (virtual museum tours, etc.)
  • Make a craft together
  • Have a picnic together
  • Set up a tent in the back yard

4 – Solitary time

If you are stuck at home and live with other people, it will be important to incorporate some solitary time into your schedule.   

It’s OK to give yourself some self-care and don’t feel guilty for taking it!

Go to another part of the house, if at all possible.  If that’s not possible, declare you are taking some time to yourself.  Go ahead and pop in headphones with some relaxing music, so you aren’t distracted by everything around you.

Activities you can do for some alone time when stuck at home:

  • Write a letter
  • Read a book
  • Join an online book club
  • Take a nap
  • Call a friend
  • Finish a project
  • Journal (traditional journal or video journal)
  • Organize your photos (either physical or on your phone)
Woman reading a book in her bed and having coffee, enjoying some solitary time while stuck at home.

5 – Declutter your home

If you are stuck at home with a lot of time on your hands, this may be the perfect time to finally declutter your home. 

A cleaner, clutter-free home will make you feel more relaxed and calmer inside your home, even in the craziest of times!

Not sure where to start?

  • Check out this decluttering workbook with over 60 pages of information and 20+ checklists for all the rooms in your home

6 – Learning time

There may become a time when you are stuck at home that you start to feel like your brain is melting from boredom! If this is the case, work a little learning time into your day. 

Learning will awaken your mind and give you something to focus on for a while. 

Here are a few ideas for learning when stuck at home:

  • Real-life learning activities you can do with kids (cooking, meal planning, budgeting, laundry, gardening, counting money, etc.)
  • Learn about single-use plastics and make an effort to reduce them in your home (Check out this get started guide)
  • Watch tutorials for a topic of choice on YouTube
  • Take an online course. 

7 – Cook

A lot of people didn’t learn how to cook when growing up.  That can make heading off to college or adulthood a very scary thing. 

Take the time from being stuck at home to teach your kids how to cook.  Teach them how to plan a meal, make substitutions, measure out ingredients, chop vegetables, cut meats and cook properly. 

No kids? Teach yourself how to cook!

Watch a YouTube cooking show, get a new cookbook from the library, or look up a new recipe online.  The more you practice, the better you will get.

Fun cooking activities when stuck at home:

  • Play a cooking game with a mystery box.  Make a new recipe with the ingredients available.
  • Learn common ingredient substitutions and tweak a recipe
  • Have kids practice looking up recipes in an index, getting all the ingredients out and putting together a simple meal
  • Take an online cooking or baking course
Girl cooking in the kitchen. You can teach your kids how to cook when stuck at home.

8 – Exercise

You don’t need an expensive gym to get regular exercise.  There are many ways to exercise at home for cheap or free.  

Exercise is great for the mind and body too.  If you are feeling stir-crazy, it can greatly change your mood.  Use this time of being stuck at home to finally get in shape!

Fun activities for exercise when stuck at home:

  • Go for a run (outside or on a home treadmill, if you have one)
  • Jump rope
  • Get an adult-sized hula-hoop, they are soooo much fun!
  • Download an online program like Beachbody on Demand (I love the 21-day fix) or Barre Online
  • Go for a hike (if you can leave the house but want a free activity)
  • Lookup a free exercise routine on YouTube that you can do in your home with no equipment
  • Do a workout challenge (like a push-up challenge or an ab challenge)
Mom doing yoga with baby. Practice exercise when stuck at home.

9 – Play!

Finally, if you feeling bored and stuck at home, go play!  You can play with your kids, your dog, or your whoever. 

Here are some fun activities:

  • Have a Lego building competition
  • Play store and practice counting money
  • Have a jump rope competition
  • Play any kind of ball
  • Teach your kids your favorite childhood game
  • Create a skit and then perform it for family or friends via Facetime or Skype

If you are stuck at home, it doesn’t have to feel like a prison.  You have so many options to keep yourself and your family busy and still thrive!

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9 ways to thrive when stuck at home

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An Invitation… #100SimpleJoys

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Join me with #100SimpleJoys

Sometimes the world is crazy. I’ve found, during crazy times, it is always good practice to take a step back and recognize all the good in our lives too. 

It can be hard to see the good when you might be losing your job, or people you love are sick, or when other bad things are happening. 

That’s why I started this movement, the #100SimpleJoys movement.

When times are hard, my news feed blows up with all the negativity.  While I am not naïve to reality at times, I would like to help spread a little more joy!

In a time where we are all locked down and staying close to home, inundated by fears and craziness, I wanted to send you an invitation.

I’ve started my own little movement, a practice I want to make a daily habit. I’m calling it #100SimpleJoys.

You see, I’ve immersed myself in all the stories about how the world is ending, runs on grocery stores, and keeping our loved ones well. While I am not naive to the gravity of it all, it’s depressing and can really bring a person down.

#100SimpleJoys Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.

We can’t control everything around us, but there are some things we can control:

  • We can control our attitudes.
  • We can control how we see our world within the walls of our homes.
  • We can control our gratitude, even among the crazy.

When I started to live a simpler life, I started to enjoy the mundane. It is the little, simple joys, that bring me the greatest happiness. I want to relish in those simple joys, and I want to set an example to my kids that fear doesn’t control me.

Since this whole outbreak isn’t likely to go away for a few months, I want to make sure I focus on all the good, at least once a day.

For the next 100 days, I want to focus on the simple joys. I want to look for moments of gratitude and happiness and document them. I want to spam the feed of my friends with joyful moments, not fearful ones.

I would love it if you joined me.

Simply post a daily picture of something that brings you joy, and tag it with the hashtag #100simplejoys.

I want your simple joys to show up in my feed, so I can balance the crazy with some joy. I’ll also look to share any sent my way!

Thanks for joining me!

#100SimpleJoys

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