We get it, we’ve all been there.
You walk into your bedroom and it literally looks like a bomb’s gone off. There are clothes everywhere. Empty mugs breeding who knows what on your bedside table. A mysterious smell that you just can’t quite place. It’s overwhelming, and frankly, it’s a bit grim.
But fear not, we’re here to save the day. Cleaning your messy bedroom doesn’t have to be an all-day nightmare. We’re going to walk you through it step-by-step – like a mate helping you sort your life out, one dirty little sock at a time.
Let’s crack on.
step 1: don’t panic – just start
The worst part of cleaning a messy room is often just bringing yourself to start. You stand there frozen and staring at the chaos, wondering if you should just set it all on fire and move to a new city. But trust us – once you get going and in the momentum, it’s way less painful than it looks.
Our best tip is to stick on some music or a podcast that interests you. It's surprising how quickly time flies by when you’ve got something decent to listen to in the background.
step 2: grab a rubbish bag and do a quick sweep
Before you start tackling the big ones like folding clothes or moving furniture, do a quick scan for rubbish. Old receipts, snack wrappers, broken hangers, dried-out pens, crisp packets... anything that’s genuinely useless, grab it and chuck it in the bin bag. Super easy right?
Be ruthless. If it’s broken, out of date, or growing mould – it’s gotta go, simple as that.
And don’t forget under the bed. That’s often where all the weirdest stuff lives.
step 3: the dreaded washing pile
This is often the biggest culprit. Usually a combination of dirty clothes, clean ones, and those bits that lie somewhere in between.
Grab a laundry basket (or a bin bag if you’re posh like that), and scoop up every item of clothing off the floor, bed, chair, and wherever else it’s ended up.
Give it all a sniff test if you must, but if it’s not folded or hanging up, it’s probably dirty now.
Take it straight to the washing machine. Don’t leave it sitting in the washing basket for three more days. You’ll thank yourself later. Even if there’s too much to fit in one wash. Having it there right next to the washing machine will make you more inclined to get it done.
step 4: the dishes situation
If you’re one of those people that’s guilty of letting mugs and plates pile up on your bedside table or windowsill, now’s the time to deal with it.
Collect all the dishes and take them to the kitchen. Wash them or at least stack them by the sink ready to be done – just get them out of your bedroom. Nothing kills a vibe like the smell of 3-day-old tea.
step 5: surfaces and sorting
Now you’ve cleared the worst of the mess, it’s time to start putting things back where they belong.
- Books? Stick them back on the shelf.
- Makeup? Back into the drawer or makeup bag.
- Random coins, receipts, keys? Stick them in a bowl or tray for now. You can save these to sort them later.
If you don’t have proper places for stuff, make-shift it. Shoeboxes, baskets, old tubs – they all do the job. You don’t need to go buy a load of fancy organisers, we just need something that will help to contain the chaos.
step 6: the floor
Ah yes, the floor – the forgotten land. Hopefully you can see it by this point, if not you’ll have to come back to this step.
Hoover it. Sweep it. Mop it if you’ve got hard floors. This bit is SO satisfying, especially after you’ve cleared all the clutter.
Trust us, walking across a clean floor barefoot is an underrated joy. Clean floors make a room feel so much fresher.
step 7: freshen up the bed
Now that the room’s looking halfway civilised, let’s sort out the bed.
Strip it down and chuck the bedding in the wash if it’s been a tad too long since you last did it. Shake out the duvet and fluff those pillows.
Then, make your bed like a professional, throw pillows, blankets, the works. Even if the rest of the room is still a bit questionable, a properly made bed makes everything feel more put together.
Plus, nothing beats climbing into fresh sheets after a cleaning spree.
step 8: wipe everything down
Get a cloth and some all-purpose spray (or just a damp cloth and a bit of washing-up liquid will usually do the job) and give everything a good wipe down to get rid of that dust and grime.
- Desk
- Windowsills
- Bedside table
- Door handles
- Light switches
You’ll be amazed at how much dirt builds up, especially if you’ve not done it for a while.
This one's optional but it’s like a nice little reward for yourself. Light a fancy candle or spray some air freshener around – clean sweet smelling vibes all the way.
step 9: open a window
It might sound silly, but trust us – nothing can freshen up a room like a blast of fresh air.
Even just 10 minutes with the window open makes a huge difference, especially if your room’s been smelling a bit “lived in”.
Bonus points if you’ve got houseplants, this is their moment to shine.
step 10: final touches
Now you’ve done the graft, it’s time to enjoy it a bit. Add a couple of little finishing touches to make your space feel good, not just clean.
- Light some incense? Yes.
- Fairy lights or lamps instead of the big overhead light? Big yes.
- A bit of netflix while you chill? Go on then.
It’s time to reward yourself, you’ve done it. Order a takeaway or treat yourself to a cheeky nap and a slice of cake. You’ve earned it.
a quick note on maintenance (don’t worry, it’s not preachy)
Once your bedroom’s clean, you’ll want to keep it that way – it’s a lot easier to keep on top of things rather than let it reach full disaster mode again.
A couple of easy habits:
- Chuck dirty clothes in the basket immediately
- Dishes out of the room daily (or every other day, we’re not saints)
- Quick 5-minute tidy before bed – it’s a game changer
- Don’t hoard rubbish – bin it as you go
You don’t need to keep it showroom-perfect, just avoid letting it slide into goblin cave territory again.
in summary: you’ve got this
Cleaning a messy bedroom feels like a massive job, but once you break it down into steps, it’s actually not that bad. You don’t need fancy tools or methods, you just need a bit of time, some decent tunes, and the motivation to make your space a bit less stressful.
It’s YOUR room – we want it to feel like a little sanctuary, not a dumping ground for anything and everything.
So, the next time you walk into your room and feel the panic rising, just remember: bin bag, laundry basket, hoover, done.
Go forth and conquer the chaos. Until next time, eve Sleep.
