How to Arrange a Little Bedroom

Measure and Plan

• Dragging furniture, especially large and heavy items such as the bed, in and out of the bedroom is time consuming and hard work -- especially in a small room. Instead, clear the room completely so you have a blank space to work with, and measure each item of furniture, noting the measurements down on a piece of paper. Draw a simple plan of the room to experiment with different furniture layouts. Focus on the largest pieces; smaller pieces can be manipulated when the main items have been placed.

Bed Position

• Position the bed first, as this is usually the largest piece of furniture in a bedroom. Place the bed so that one side is against a wall to create more floor space. Avoid placing the bed on the wall where the door is positioned, as this can prevent the door from opening fully, creating a cramped feeling before you even enter the room. Also, avoid a bed with a footboard, as this creates a barrier, making the room appear smaller. Ensure you have plenty of room to get out of bed without crashing into anything.

Secondary Furniture Items

• Once the bed is positioned, refer to your measurements to ascertain where the next largest items of furniture will fit. Avoid tall pieces such as closets, as this makes the room feel enclosed; instead, opt for lower items such as a chest of drawers. Also, avoid dark wood or black furniture, and use lighter-colored wood or white pieces. Ensure doors and drawers on furniture can open easily. Take into account the positioning of electrical sockets, items such as alarm clocks and tabletop lamps will need to be placed on furniture within easy reach of sockets.

Space Saving Options

• Make a list of all the furniture items you want to fit into the room. Now ask yourself if there's any items you can leave out of the room. For example, if your books are displayed on a bookshelf, fit floating shelves to the wall instead or add a bookcase headboard. This takes up less space than a freestanding bookshelf and transforms the bed into an interesting focal point. Add under-bed storage boxes. Place your winter clothes in these boxes during the summer, and pack your summer clothes away in the winter. Hang over-door shoe organizers to the bedroom door to free up floor or cupboard space.