What do you use your bedside table for?
Books? Magazines? Meds? A lamp?
Maybe a place to park your mobile phone and TV remote control if you don’t want them getting lost under blankets and pillows.
Whatever you use it for, the bedside table is as essential as your bed when it comes to offering you comfort that is easily within reach.
Whether you prefer a circular table dolled up with a pretty floral fabric, or a functional and minimalist piece in bare, unfinished wood, what’s most important when it comes to your bedside table is that it offers enough of a surface to contain all your must-have items.
Lots of stuff? Just add furniture.
There aren’t any rules requiring you to just stick to one piece of furniture when it comes to your bedside. If you’re a bookworm with an overflowing stack of reads, or have morning allergies that require heaps of meds and a dehumidifier, you can resort to small, movable furniture to accompany your bedside table.
An ottoman can double up as a place to lay unread magazines. A footstool can accommodate a tray holding your tissue box and medicine. While the ideal height of a bedside table is usually level to your bed, these extra pieces of furniture can have varying heights to create more dimensions to your space.
Candles too dim? A lamp is practical.
Lamps are key piece as far as bedside tables go.
While candelabras and scented candles can offer a softer, warmer glow, having instant access to lighting that can be turned on with the flick of a switch is far more convenient and functional.
Explore your options as far as finishes, lampshades and even bulb color go. If you’re strapped for space, look to sconces that you can attach to the wall to free up more surface area for other items.
Constantly rummaging for things? Centralize functional items.
Practical items that you will need while relaxing in bed should find a spot on your side table. Positioning these items so that they are not haphazardly lying on top of your table will create a better sense of order in your room.
A post-it pad can sit beside a mug filled with pens or freshly sharpened pencils.
Your alarm clock can be situated near a pair of glasses you can slip on as soon as you wake up.
Your mobile phone and any remote controls can sit together in a small tray dedicated to all things tech.
Want a morning boost? Choose items that make you happy.
Your bedside table is one of the first things you will see upon waking up. Add items that may not necessarily be functional but will contribute to your room’s get-happy vibe.
Fresh flowers, photographs or a framed postcard from a dear friend can perk up anyone’s mood in an instant.
An antique jewelry box or a painting passed on from one generation to the next can add more meaning even in the smallest space.
They’re great for giving you an extra boost every morning.
Have more home and organizing questions for the author? Email her at chinggaylabrador@yahoo.com
Chinggay Labrador is a freelance writer and stylist, contributing articles on beauty, lifestyle and design to local magazines. Her background in architecture has her profiling trends and homes throughout the region. A travel junkie who likes to frequent Japan and Korea, Chinggay is the former editor-in-chief of Sparkling, a quarterly K-Pop publication and is also the author of “Popped and Popped, Too,” books based on the fun, frivolity and friendship centered on Korean Pop music.
