Have you ever noticed that after the holidays, retailers run out of reasons to get folks to buy so they invented the “white sale”. Mattresses, bed linens and bedding accessories are the subject of all the sale flyers. With this thought in mind and after I have already done blogs on inexpensive ways to freshen up your kitchen and bathrooms on a budget, I decided that now is the time to tackle the bedroom. Now as most of you know I am an old divorced man so what I know about fixing up a bedroom we could probably fit in one sentence so I did some research to see what I could come up with utilizing an article from AOL ShelterPop on ideas to fix up your bedroom for under $10/ Their complete unadulterated article can be found at:
http://www.shelterpop.com/2010/01/10/10-ways-to-update-your-bedroom-for-less-than-10/
and combined it wit some ideas of my own to come up with the following list:
1. Scent it
One of the quickest and easiest ways to freshen up your bedroom is with a new scent. Try using one of the popular fabric freshening sprays such as “ Fabreeze” as a pre-bedtime spritzer on your linens, or place a scented candle (don’t go to sleep with it burning…DUH) on your nightstand for a peaceful scent as you doze off. My housekeeper sprays my whole house down with Fabreeze and even I’m amazed at how clean the house smells for awhile, or at least until I go to the bathroom again or my dog “Nate” fumes up the area with own special spritzer.
Total cost: $5-$10
2. Rearrange
Take inventory of items around your house. Do you have a side table in your living room that could make a great nightstand? Is there a chandelier in your dining room that could brighten up the bedroom? Rearrange furniture in your home to breathe new life into your bedroom. You'd be surprised at the difference you'll be able to make. It is the mainstay of many of HGTV’s design programs today and it really works. Just moving pictures, lamps and rearranging furniture changes your perspective and costs only your labor.
Total cost: $0
3. Paint it
It should come as no surprise that painting is at the top of the quick-fix list. It’s a cheap, quick and easy way to completely overhaul a bedroom. Try a more soothing color such as an ice blue or sage green to promote relaxation. It’s time to do away with the old 70’s eggshell white walls. I’ve read that light green and blue are used in prisons to keep the population calm. I would avoid this idea if someone in your family has had the unfortunate opportunity to have experienced the prison effect themselves.
Total cost: $10 to $50
4. Clean your mattress
You'd be amazed at how many dust bunnies may be hanging around your sheets. Next time you switch out your bedding, take a vacuum cleaner to your mattress and sweep up any allergens that may be lingering. Your bedroom will be fresher. When I was a child we routinely took the mattresses outside and left them in the sun to freshen them. The same applies to the idea of hanging linens in the sun to dry occasionally as well as taking your pillows outside. There is a mattress store chain in my town that is advertising a cleaning service for your mattress utilizing a sterilizing light source and high suction vacuum to thoroughly clean bedding. At the end of the commercial they show a shot of what is removed from an average mattress and its enough to make me want to give them a call.
Total cost: $0
5. Lighten up
Open those shades and let the light pour in! When you leave for work in the morning, open those drapes! Not only will you cut down on your heating bill, but your bedroom will be light and airy when you return home. Of course, when it's time for bed, be sure to shut the drapes and keep your room as dark as possible to ensure your sleep routine isn't affected and to make sure the neighbors are not treated to an unintentional strip show on your part. Frankly my neighbors would only look once, probably blinded by what they saw.
Total cost: $0
6. Move the alarm clock
If you have an LED flashing alarm clock, move it out of eyesight as you get ready for bed. Try placing it on a lower shelf of your nightstand, or simply turn it around. Although you may not realize it, light is one of the most distracting elements when sleeping -- even light from your tiny alarm clock.
Total cost: $0
7. Say goodbye to the TV
The fastest way to make your bedroom more calm and relaxing? Get that TV out of there. Not only is it an eyesore, but it's all too tempting to catch up on your celebrity gossip instead of turning in on time. Good luck with this one, I guess you would know this one is not one of my ideas.
Total cost: Psychiatric Therapy
8. Cool off
If your bedroom's temperature is too hot or too cold, your sleep can be disrupted. Most experts say that a slightly cool room is ideal for sleep, as it matches our internal temperature. I keep a ceiling fan turning at a slow speed year around in my bedroom to keep the air moving and to cool it down.
Total cost: $0 (in fact, you're saving money!) A ceiling fan can be bought for under $50.
9. Write it down
Keep a pen and note pad in your nightstand. Next time you find yourself worrying about the day's events or wake up with that million dollar idea from a dream, write it down and forget about it. Nighttime is for sleeping, not worrying!
Total cost: $5-$10
10. Bring in flowers
Choose some live green plants or occasionally seasonal potted flowers in the bedroom. Live plants take in the carbon dioxide that we exhale and give off oxygen thereby helping to keep the air fresh naturally. Total cost: $10 to $25
11. New Bed linens
Go ahead and bite the bullet and take advantage of the aforementioned "White Sales". I belive the best deals for a complete new look for your bedroom can be found with the "Bed in a Bag" concept, where, for one great price, you get new sheets, pillow cases. comforter or bedspread, pillow shams and bed skirt. I recently bought a new set for my bedroom at "Wally Woeld" for less than $50. A word of caution though, these sets often come with bare minimum thread count sheets which arre only good for tearing up into dust rags. If you have not discovered the luxury of high thread count (say 600 threads per square inch and above) then you havent had the best sleep available. I currently use 1000 thread count on my bed bought at a bargain from an Ebay Store.
Cost $50 to $250
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