How To Clean Your Room And Make It Look Nice

Download Article

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.

1

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]
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. 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 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.
Advertisement
3
Eliminate unnecessary clutter or garbage. 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.^[2]
- 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. 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, a swiffer can also be effective. Use a mop or sponge to wash any hard surface areas that have mud, dirt, or food stuck to it.

Advertisement

1

Store all of your items neatly. 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. 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.^[3]
- 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 plastic ziplock baggies 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 like 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 items such as your birth certificate and social security card.
Advertisement

1
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. ^[4]
2
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.^[5]
3
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. ^[6]
- 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.^[7]
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.^[8]
- 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 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.
Advertisement

Add New Question

Question

How can I make my bedroom more relaxing?

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.

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?

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.
Question

My wardrobe sticks out and I don't know where to put it. How do I make my room look bigger without getting rid of it?

First, figure out if rearranging your room can make your wardrobe fit in a better space. You can try utilizing multi-functional furniture, like an ottoman that can open up for storage. This will help to declutter. Hanging mirrors and painting the walls a light color can give the illusion of enlarging the room as well.
Question

I am only 12 and I want to decorate my room completely different to how my parents are thinking, so we can't agree. I really want to do it on my own, how do I do this?

1. Make a good argument for why you should get to do your room your way. Some points you can use are that you aren't little anymore and you can make the decisions for yourself, you're the one who lives in that room, so you should have some control, and finally, (if it does) tell them that it feels like they don't believe in your capacity to make decisions on your own. Be respectful during this conversation, because even though it feels good in the moment, you'll regret getting mad. 2. Make a detailed plan of what your room will look like according to your ideas. Do some research, and find the items you'd prefer on a budget you think your family can afford. Show your parents.
Question

What should I buy to make my room look nice?

Samyukta Prem

Community Answer

It depends on your taste. You can decorate your room with a poster of your favorite actor, actress, singer, dancer, etc. You can buy a nice carpet and arrange your room with a new bean bag chair or something like that too.
Question

How do I set out my blankets on my sofa?

Fold them up neatly and just put them on the sofa. Spread out a lovely patterned blanket all across the sofa and then sit down so it shapes the sofa or just pin it to the wall behind the sofa so you can see it and its pretty.
Question

My room is very cluttered and my parents insist on me keeping the furniture. I've tried all the tricks in the book, but nothing seems to work. What can I do?

Perhaps your furniture is hard to move, then you should really try to edge the easier furniture towards one side of the room, and sort your furniture to the uses. For example, put your desk facing one corner of your room, so two sides are against the wall. Then, if you have a bookshelf, put that against the side which you don't sit at. The result should be two furniture, out of the way.
Question

Do I have to paint my walls?

You can, but you do not have to. You can use colorful pictures or posters to help make your room look nice.
Question

How do I make my small room look good?

Make your small room look larger by buying some storage bins and storing some more of your stuff under your bed or in your closet. You can also paint the room and decorate it with a neutral color.

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Prevent your room from becoming dirty and cluttered again by throwing things away when you're done with them, donating items at the start of every season, and putting things away when you're done with them.
Look after the plant kept in your room by watering it everyday and cleaning any dust on the leaves.
Less is sometimes more, especially in a small space. Don't try to cram too many colors, patterns, or items into your room.
Open your windows in the spring and fall to freshen the air in your room.
If you share a room with someone, try and make a deal with your roommate and discuss plans.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To make your room look nice, start by cleaning up the area, making your bed, and putting away your clothing. If you have clothes that no longer fit, set those aside and drop them off at a donation center later on. Next, use storage solutions like baskets, plastic boxes, and shelving to organize your space and eliminate clutter. Then, consider hanging framed pictures, posters, or art on your walls to add some color and style. You can also place houseplants in your room to brighten up the space! For more tips on organizing clutter, read on!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 95,218 times.

Did this article help you?