Ever since I became aware of The Home Edit, I have been on a crazy organization spree. I pin every beautifully-organized space I come across on Pinterest, I read the books, and I try to put into practice what I have learned. I thrive when things are all in order and neatly organized. I know my Mom will be laughing when she reads this, because as a little girl my room was always a mess.
Over the last few years, I have been slowly, and I mean very slowly, organizing the drawers and cabinets of my home. For reference, my home used to belong to my grandmother, and still contains most of her belongs as well as my own. That’s two household’s worth of stuff! When the pandemic lockdowns happened last March, I found it comforting to organize little areas of my home as a way to seek control in an uncertain world. You can read about my linen cabinet organization in this post.
Today, I am sharing with you what I keep in my nightstand, and how I organize everything. I have these beautiful white nightstands, and I love the chic design with gold accents. It is a bit short on storage, with only one drawer; but it is a very deep drawer so that helps with my growing to-be-read pile of books.
One thing I have observed from home decor bloggers is the need to showcase their nightstands as stylized tables. There is nothing wrong with that, but that’s not always practical with my day-to-day life. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like my nightstand to be organized, functional, and stylish; but I have found I can achieve that with a few practical accessories: a faux plant (then you don’t worry about forgetting to water your plant or ruining the top of your nightstand) and the essentials in my nightstand so I don’t have to leave the comfort of my bed overnight.
First off, I keep everything in my nightstand compartmentalized with these acrylic storage trays from Target. This helps to maximize my storage space and gives everything a home. Below is a list of my essential items I have on hand in my nightstand. Here is a look on how everything fits within my nightstand.
Beauty Items:
Lip Balm: I always include a lip treatment in my nightly skincare routine, but by the time I’m ready for bed it is usually worn off. I have been using this Bath and Body Works brand for the past year and I love it. I haven’t had chapped lips all year.
Hand Cream: I wash my hand a lot, especially right now during these COVID times. This Bath and Body Works hand cream has been a lifesaver; and I use it every night, much like my lip balm, once during my nightly routine and once right before bed.
Sleep Mask: I have this silk mask from Target, but truthfully, I rarely use it, since I can fall asleep anytime, anywhere. It is more of an accessory for photoshoots, but it sure is cute.
Silk Scrunchie: I have two silk scrunchies and these have been a lifesaver for my hair. I usually go to bed with wet hair, and wrapping my hair up in a lose bun and securing it with a silk scrunchie means I wake up with less hair breakage and awkward kinks in my hair.
Lifestyle
Glasses: I keep a pair of blue light glasses in my bedside table because I read a lot on my Kindle before going to bed, and the reduction in blue light really does help my eyes feel less strained. I love this pair from Amazon.
Linen Spray: I love to spray my pillow right before I climb into bed. The scent is so soothing and calms and relaxes me right before I cuddle down to sleep. My favorite is the Gingham scent from Bath and Body Works, unfortunately it appears they do not sell it any longer.
Journal, Novels, Bible: As I mentioned above, I always have a few paperback books in my drawer of hardcopy novels I’m currently reading. I try to read on my Kindle or listen to Audiobooks, but sometimes paperback is the only format for a novel I’m interested in reading. I also keep a journal to write down my thoughts that occur to me overnight. I always joke that my most creative ideas come to me in the middle of the night, and this way I can get them on paper right away. I also keep my daily devotional (I am currently reading the 100 Days to Brave devotional by Annie F. Downs and Growing Boldly by Emily Ley) and Bible on hand in my nightstand to read first thing when I crawl into bed. I don’t usually have time in the morning to start with a devotional since I wake up at 4:00 AM on weekdays. It is nice to end my day reflectively though.
Tylenol/Tums/Tissue: I can’t tell you how many times Tums has saved me overnight. I have pretty bad acid reflux which flares up when I am stressed. The last thing I want to do is get up overnight and dig around in my medicine cabinet.
The Essentials
These are my essential items that I keep in my nightstand and find that I use consistently overnight.
Pen, Post-It Notes (I love to write my lists on post-it notes, and then stick the note in my planner), iPad, iPhone (I use it as my alarm clock), Chargers, Headphones, Booklight, Flashlight.
Table Top
As I mentioned above, I like to keep my nightstand tabletop fairly clutter free. These are what I think are my essentials.
Lamp: I currently have these lamps for my nightstands. I like them because they are not too bulky width-wise, however they could be taller. I am thinking of upgrading to wall sconces.
Coaster and Water Bottle: I prefer a water bottle as opposed to a glass because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached for a glass and ended up spilling it everywhere in the middle of the night. A coaster is just an added layer of protection for my tabletop.
Picture Frame: I am not one for a lot of candid pictures around my home, but one spot I think is perfect for a sentimental picture is on my nightstand. Plus, I love to add a pop of color with a decorative tabletop frame. This picture frame is just so cheerful!
Plant: I love a little bit of greenery but don’t want the added worry of watering them or potentially having it damage the tabletop. Ikea and Homegoods sell some great faux plants that look real in pictures.
What do you keep on/in your nightstand? You will have to share with me all of your essentials in a comment below! I’m excited to hear what your necessities are!
And, I had to include these pictures of Beowulf, Bunker, and Becksie. They are just so cute.
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