Arranging your bedroom

A well-organized room should be both functional and fun.

Arranging a small, square room has several inherent challenges. One is conserving space. Another is making a plain, square room interesting without wasting that space. When you're a teenager your bedroom may be the only place in your home where the decor can reflect your tastes. While you want to make your room look good, it also needs to meet all your needs as a space for sleeping, studying and hanging out with friends. There are many ways to arrange a bedroom, but following a few guidelines can make the process efficient and the result fresh and functional.

Bed

The bed is the single item of furniture that you can't do without in the room. It takes up a lot of space, though. Don't place the bed in the middle of the room; this makes the room feel small and limits your options for arranging the rest of the furniture. Instead, push the bed against a wall so that the head is in a corner and one of the long sides is against a wall. You can still draw attention to the bed with interesting bedding, pillows or even a canopy. If you're able to replace any furniture, you might consider using a twin bed instead of a larger one, as this frees up space and can be styled as seating. Other ideas to try are using a bunk bed with an empty space below the top bunk, which you can use for a couch or a desk. You might also be interested in a futon couch that turns into a bed, enabling you to have both a bed and seating. It's important to purchase a high-quality futon so you sleep comfortably.

Arranging Other Furniture

It's often easiest to decide where you would like your bed to be first, then to arrange the other furniture around it. Measure your room, then measure your largest items of furniture, such as desks or dressers. Decide where the optimal location is for these items; the measurements will help you figure out where furniture won't fit. Be sure that you don't block doors or windows. Keep the furniture close to the wall and utilize corners. Once the big pieces are in place, you can then add smaller pieces. Placing things against the wall is the most efficient use of space, but it's visually boring. Use small tables, table lamps or chairs to add interest by placing them at angles or bringing them forward, away from the wall.

Storage

Over the years, most people wind up with a lot of stuff, and it can be tough trying to keep all of that stuff in one small bedroom. Pack away or donate things you don't use. One of the most important considerations when rearranging a bedroom is to find a place for everything. Maximize any closet space by adding storage equipment and shelves. Don't waste any space. For instance, if there is space between the bottom of a row of hanging clothes, add another bar, a shelf for shoes or similar. Try putting your bed on risers to create more space under the bed to stash items, or consider an option like a captain's bed. Make sure that all of your furniture is versatile. For instance, choose a bedside table that has drawers and is not simply a table. Bookshelves can be used for books and for displaying objects or storing clothes. Use decorative boxes or baskets to contain clutter and hide anything that's unattractive but needs to be stored. Filing cabinets can double as both places to store papers and as tables.