A clutter-free, tricked-out nightstand with 1 great hackfeatured
The Nightstand
We are all of us slightly obsessed with sleep these days, I think. (I know.) And a big way to promote better sleep habits is to promote better sleep environments, starting with an oft overlooked, overcrowded bedroom spot: the nightstand. Start here, peeps:
Clear Clutter
Do you really want the very last thing you see before dozing off and the very first thing you spy upon waking to be, well, kind of a mess? Aside from the hippie-tastic notion that clutter hangs onto anxious energy, a cleared-off surface gives your brain the thumbs up that things are cool here, really, never better. (And yes, dust counts as clutter. Keep that shiz dusted off.)
Showcase Calm
Yep, the basics are necessary on any nightstand, but make sure anything else you choose to place center stage serves a good purpose. (I’m nuts about my essential oil diffuser and a mix of lemongrass, lavender, and tea tree oils; not because I think they solve any major medical or international issues, but because it all smells incredible and doesn’t hurt the whole sleep thing, either.) I’ve got a pretty little dish that counts as a catch-all or a coaster, and a tiny wrought iron frame holds a photo that fills me with joy each and every time I look at it.
Promote the Written Word
Whether you’ve got a full chest of drawers or a small folding table, you’ve definitely got room for words that don’t come from a device. I’ve usually got a pile of rotating books going, as well as a crossword book (for those nights when my brain needs to solve something before sleep), and a journal or two is always a good idea. Whole 30 diary? Book log? Hopes and dreams and gratitude and bucket lists? Journals, people. (Keep a good pen or two handy- I said ONE or TWO.)
Hide Screens
…And anything that doesn’t look awesome. Sure, medicines and remotes and, like, hand cream might be necessary to keep within reach, but you don’t have to stare at them all night long. Stash that stuff in the top drawer- and make sure they don’t get covered by stuff that doesn’t need to live in the top drawer.
The top drawer is a terrific place for your screens, too. We all know that the blue light emitted from devices is bad for your nighttime brain (…right?), but I’ve never really been able to leave the phone downstairs (we don’t have a home line) or the iPad on my desk (I adore my Kindle and puzzle games). That said, I hate tripping over charging cords when they do come out of the drawer. Which leads us to…
Trick Out Your Drawer
I’ve been jonesing to do this project for a while! Most nightstands have a little space left between the back of the drawer and the back of the nightstand itself- and that, my friends, is where we’re going to drill a smallish hole. (Super important qualification: this project is best for thinner wood or particle board bedside tables. You probably wouldn’t want to do this to great-grandmama’s antique. Duly noted? Cool? Onward.)
1
Using a wide drill bit (or an awl, if you’ve got a handy drill attachment), poke a hole through the back of the nightstand, as high up as you can possibly go, and only as wide as the plug for a power strip.
2
Thread the power strip through the drawer, and- using an extension cord if necessary- plug it in. I like to press some double-sided tape on the bottom of the power strip to hold it firmly against the drawer. (This will prevent any cord drag as you open and close the drawer.)
3
Load up your top drawer with your favorite things- and then close it all up. Go to bed. Seriously. Lights out. Okay, five more minutes.
Do I have to come up there?
Go ahead, pin this one.
Let me know what you thought of today’s project!
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