| Bedrooms are private rooms in most homes but that | | | | not get heavy usage with dirty outdoor shoes but that |
| does not mean they should be ignored. Many | | | | means it will accumlate dust over the years, hence the |
| bedrooms end up as dumping grounds for clutter from | | | | need for regular cleaning. Also if you are choosing a |
| the rest of the house purely because they are out of | | | | new carpet try to select a style that will not go out of |
| sight. Does your bedroom have piles of clothing, | | | | fashion too quickly. That way you can retain the |
| cardboard boxes, suitcases and even gym | | | | carpet when you redecorate the rest of the room. |
| equipment? And when was it last properly cleaned | | | | Storage |
| and decorated? | | | | This is absolutely critical. Most homes would benefit |
| Bedrooms should be restful, stress free and beautiful | | | | from a separate walk-in wardrobe but sadly do not |
| rooms. They should stimulate the senses whilst still | | | | have the available space. Failing that you need to be |
| having a calm influence. | | | | ruthless with bedroom storage. Put last season's |
| Here are seven tips to refreshing your bedroom | | | | clothing into plastic boxes with lids and put in a couple |
| without spending a fortune. | | | | of sachet's of silica gel to absorb any moisture. Store |
| Deep Clean | | | | the closed box in the loft or garage until needed next |
| Bedrooms always need good cleaning to remove dust, | | | | year. If the clothing is out of fashion, or no longer fits |
| hair and other debris and to control bed mites. Vacuum | | | | take it to a thrift/charity store. |
| the room regularly with a high quality cleaner but once | | | | It is always worth adding as many shelves, hooks, rails |
| a year get the room professionally cleaned, perhaps | | | | etc in your wardrobe to maximise storage space and |
| more often if you have pets or if you smoke in the | | | | to minimise frustration when it comes to finding a |
| bedroom. Deep clean carpets and beds and all dust | | | | particular item of clothing. |
| traps such on top of wardrobes or on picture rails. | | | | Curtains |
| Air the room thoroughly and frequently let the mattress | | | | A good night's sleep is essential to refresh body and |
| air all day long to ensure that any moisture fully | | | | mind, so your window dressing should be as near to |
| evaporates - mites need a moist environment. | | | | "black-out" as possible. Your choice of window |
| A clean bedroom should smell fresh but that should be | | | | dressing is only limited by your imagination and budget |
| the result of a clean room and free air rather than | | | | (How about remote controlled motorised blinds?). |
| overpowering room scents from supermarkets. | | | | When you are designing the window dressings allow |
| New Bedding | | | | for the windows to open properly, since one of the |
| Since you spend a third of your life in this room you | | | | healthiest ways to sleep is with fresh air circulating in |
| should make the experience a good one. Furthermore | | | | the room. Except on the stormiest or coldest nights |
| a good night's sleep sets you up for the rest of the | | | | you can easily sleep with a window partly open as |
| day. So it is worth investing in good bedding. | | | | long as your window dressings are not flapping and |
| Get the best quality mattress you can afford and | | | | keeping you awake! |
| investing high quality cotton sheets is a good idea; go | | | | Gadgets |
| for Egyptian cotton with a high thread count. This will | | | | Since you spend so much time in the bedroom, you |
| give your bed a luxurious feel and the sheets will be | | | | might well want to invest in a few toys. |
| durable. | | | | How about a remote control to switch on your |
| Paint | | | | shower and set the temperature whilst you are still |
| Some people think that decorating a bedroom is low | | | | curled up under the duvet? |
| priority since it usually is dark and most of the time it's | | | | Perhaps either you or your partner like to stay awake |
| in use you have your eyes closed! But as you drift off | | | | longer reading? Then why not invest in independent |
| to the land of nod or when you wake in the morning | | | | spot lighting over each side of the bed? |
| why not have an attractive surrounding? Fortunately | | | | If you like watching TV in bed instead of having an |
| repainting a room is not expensive and you can | | | | ugly TV on a bracket attached to the wall, why not |
| change your style frequently to suit your moods. There | | | | build it into a blanket chest at the foot of the bed. You |
| is no need to adopt the "conventional" magnolia and | | | | can motorise it so that the TV rises out of the box for |
| off-whites so prevalent these days. You can design | | | | viewing and then disappears to avoid visual clutter and |
| your bedroom to be either a cool restful haven with | | | | to hide a dust trap. |
| light blues or an exotic boudoir with aubergines and | | | | Which ever of these tips you adopt or if you have |
| reds. | | | | your own ideas you can easily and cheaply refresh |
| Anything goes as long as it suits you. | | | | your bedroom whenever it needs a new look or calls |
| Carpet | | | | for a new mood. |
| Bedroom carpet is usually long lasting because it does | | | | |