How to Make Your Room Look Nice

Co-authored by Julie Naylon

Last Updated: September 11, 2022 References

Your room should be your sanctuary—an escape from the stress and chaos of the world. It should be where you go to feel most relaxed. Whether your room is used solely for sleep, or for recreation, homework, and other activities, optimizing your space will eliminate unnecessary distractions and allow you to rest better and be more productive. Creating a clean, organized, and well-decorated room will make it a more inviting and comfortable space.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Your Room

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Set aside a day to perform one large, thorough, top-to-bottom cleaning. This is your chance to start over and address any mess or clutter that you don't even normally notice when you attempt to clean your room. Let no corner, nook, or cranny go untouched. Don’t be discouraged if this is overwhelming at first; after it’s completely clean it will take much less work to maintain it.^{[1]
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2
Put away clothing. Clothing can make up a significant portion of the mess in any room. Once this is out of the way, it will be easier to focus on other areas that need to be cleaned.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Julie Naylon
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.} Be sure to check under your bed for any clothing that might have gotten kicked under; similarly, look in the corners of your closet and behind furniture to be sure you haven't missed any. Even a few socks can create clutter.
- Donate clothing you no longer need. Sort through all of your clothing to identify items you no longer wear or that no longer fit. You can use large trash bags to store these items so that you can easily take them to your nearest thrift shop, such as Goodwill.
- Wash dirty clothing. Gather all dirty laundry and sort it into piles; one for colors, and one for whites. You may need to divide these piles into smaller piles, if there is too much to fit into the washing machine at once.
- Hang any clean clothes that belong in your closet; fold and put away any items that belong in drawers or other storage containers.^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Julie Naylon
  Professional Organizer
  Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.}
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3
Eliminate unnecessary clutter or garbage.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Julie Naylon
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.} Having too much stuff can quickly create a problem that only grows larger as you accumulate more things. Once you follow these steps, prevent your room from becoming cluttered again by simply throwing away or getting rid of items as you no longer need them.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Ashley Moon, MA
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 27 April 2021.}
- Donate unneeded or unnecessary items. Like with donating clothing, use garbage bags to contain any donated items. Be honest with yourself and keep an open mind about what things you can part with; do you really need that unfinished puzzle you haven't touched for two years?
- Throw away any paper trash that might be cluttering your desk, dresser, or storage shelves.^{[6]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Julie Naylon
  Professional Organizer
  Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.} Common culprits include old bills and junk mail, receipts, school work from past semesters, take-out menus, and event flyers that are no longer relevant.
- Get rid of dishes and food-related garbage. Nothing makes a room smell and look worse than dirty dishes and half-eaten snacks! Plus, food can attract bugs, which will only make things worse. Don’t keep dishes in your room, and be sure to throw away all food and food wrappers immediately after you are done with them. To be safe, consider making it a policy to avoid eating in your room altogether, if possible.
4
Make your bed. Your bed is often the biggest item in your room. No matter how clean your room is, if the bed is a mess, your room will look messy. Get into the habit of making your bed every morning when you wake up.
- First, remove the pillows, and put them aside.
- Pull the sheets tight and tuck them under the mattress, taking care to smooth any wrinkles.
- Pull the comforter to the top of the bed, making sure an even amount hangs down on both sides, and smooth out any wrinkles.
- Fluff the pillows and place them neatly at the head of the bed.
5
Clean the floor. First, pick up any items that don’t belong on the floor, including large trash. Vacuum the entire surface of your floor, paying close attention to corners, as well as under your bed and any other furniture. If you have wood floors, mopping can also be effective. Use a mop or sponge to wash any hard surface areas that have mud, dirt, or food stuck to it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Organizing Your Things

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Store all of your items neatly.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Julie Naylon
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.} If there is no way to organize your things, you’ll have no choice but to stuff them into piles. This is not only messy, but it will prevent you from being able to easily find things. Identify a place for all of your things, and make sure to put all of your things into their places.
2
Focus on clothing and shoe storage. Again, clothing that is left out or not stored properly can make a significant impact on a space, making it look dirty and cluttered, even if the clothes are clean and draped over the back of a chair.
- Use a hamper or basket for dirty laundry.
- Store in a dresser any clothing items that can’t be hung up in a closet.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Julie Naylon
  Professional Organizer
  Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.} If you don’t have a dresser or don’t have room for one, you can find inexpensive plastic drawers, plastic containers that fit under the bed, baskets, or even shelves to hold folded items.
- Contain shoes in an over-the-door shoe rack. You can put this inside your closet door to get it out of the way, free up space, and minimize clutter.
3
Get creative for storage in small space. Unless you have a large room, you are likely familiar with the struggle of limited storage space. Don’t be discouraged if your closet and dresser are full to capacity and you’re running out of places to put things. With a few creative adjustments, you might be surprised to find that you have more storage space than you thought.
- Use stackable baskets, containers, or even old suitcases to hold things. You can tuck a stack of boxes into a corner to create functional, stylish storage.^{[9]
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- Optimize the space under your bed. If your bed is low to the ground, use cinder blocks from a local hardware store or plastic bed lifts to elevate it and give you more storage space. You can store things in boxes, baskets, or plastic containers that will fit neatly under your bed and out of the way.
- Take advantage of wall and overhead space. Floor space is often limited in small rooms because furniture takes up a lot of it. Opt for shelves hung higher on your walls.
4
Organize school or office supplies. It is important to know where items such as books, pens, envelopes, and paper clips are, but you don't necessarily need them cluttering up your work space. Store them neatly so that you can find them easily when you need them.
- Contain and organize your books on shelves. Line books neatly on shelves, with the spines facing out and in the same direction so that you can easily search and find titles as needed.
- Use resealable plastic bags like Ziploc bags to contain small items such as paper clips, thumb tacks, file tabs, sticky-note pads, and rubber bands.
- Invest in a small filing box to store important papers and documents. Use file folders to store similar items, and be sure to label the folders so you can find these items quickly when you need them. You can use folders to sort tax documents by year, papers associated with your classes, and an “important records” file for identity documents such as your birth certificate and Social Security card.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Decorating Your Room

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Paint your room. Give careful consideration to the colors you pick. Colors can create and reinforce the mood of a room. Decide what kind of mood or energy you want your room to have. If you have any doubts, a paint store associate can help you decide on a color that's best for you.
- Choose a light, neutral color, such as taupe, gray, or an off-white, if you want to achieve a calming effect.
- Paint your room a vibrant color such as red, purple, or yellow, if you want to energize your room.
- Keep in mind that lighter colors welcome natural light, while darker shades can make a room feel darker. ^{[10]
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Choose linens that complement the color of your walls. It is best not to choose an exact match. Instead, look for linens with an accent color that matches your wall, or colors that go well with your wall color, such as a pastel pink to complement a pastel blue wall. Avoid using too many patterns.
- If your walls are patterned, choose a solid-colored bed spread or quilt.
- If your walls are simple and you prefer to not hang photos or art, consider a patterned bed spread or quilt.
- Opt for no curtains to let in plenty of natural sunlight, or choose a pattern that matches your bed spread.
- Consider sheer curtains if you want to let in plenty of light while still maintaining a little bit of privacy.^{[11]
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Add framed pictures, posters, or art to add color and style. This is where you can best express yourself and your personality. Whether you have a special love for music, or a certain sports team, or a particular aspect of art or culture, this is where you can really let your interests shine.
- To avoid turning decor into clutter, have a plan for where you will put each item before you start hanging them, taking care not to hang items too close or too far away from one another.
- Center a large painting above a headboard or on a wall.
- Cluster smaller items together, such as small framed pictures, to create the effect of a larger piece. ^{[12]
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- Using pairs of things—like twin lamps or matching bedside tables—can make your bedroom feel balanced, especially if you share the room with someone else.^{[13]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ashley Moon, MA
  Professional Organizer
  Expert Interview. 27 April 2021.}
4
Use plants to add color and brightness to your room. As an added bonus, house plants can freshen the air in your room. You can find these at grocery stores, hardware stores, or nurseries.^{[14]
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- Be sure to pay close attention to the amount of light and water needed; you can find this information on the plant’s tag, or ask a store associate.
- If you have a busy schedule or don’t prefer to maintain a strict routine, consider plants that don’t need to be watered regularly.
- Use your phone's calendar app to set a reminder to water plants that only require occasional watering, such as weekly or once a month.
- If your room receives little or no sunlight, search for plants that don’t require much sun, such as the mother-in-law tongue.
- If you have a bright, sunny room that gets a lot of sunlight, look for plants that require bright light, such as the dragon tree.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I make my bedroom more relaxing?

Ashley Moon, MA
Professional Organizer
Ashley Moon is the Founder and CEO of Creatively Neat, a virtual organizing and life coaching business based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to helping people organize their best life, she has a fabulous team of organizers ready to de-clutter your home or business. Ashley hosts workshops and speaking engagements at various venues and festivals. She has trained with Coach Approach and Heart Core for organizing and business coaching respectively. She has an MA in Human Development and Social Change from Pacific Oaks College.

Ashley Moon, MA

Professional Organizer

Expert Answer

Your bedroom is meant for rest, so create a calming aesthetic when you decorate your room. Keep your bed neat, and don't keep electronics in your room—or cover them before you go to sleep. Also, it's recommended in Feng Shui not to have a mirror facing your bed because it speeds up the energy.
Question

I can't decide if I want a loft bed, or just a mattress with a nice headboard and footboard. My mom says that I might not want a loft because I'll get tired of it. Which should I pick?

Community Answer

Pick the loft bed if you have a smaller bedroom. Pick the headboard and footboard if you have a big room.
Question

What things do I need to make my room look good?

Etnik OMG

Community Answer

To make your room nice you don't need a lot of furniture. Purple and white are very good. You need a big bed or a teenager's bed and a work table if you are in school, a light for at night, a mirror and a soft chair.