5 clever organization tips for a small bedroom

A small bedroom can be a tricky space to manage. Here are five clever tips for organizing your space to give it a big feel.

Every item in your bedroom takes up space — space you can't afford to spare.

• Reducing clutter is the key to making a small space work for you.
• Sort through everything in your room and either donate or throw out any items you rarely use. Be ruthless.
• You're going to have to find room for everything you keep.

A good storage solution is the key to making a small bedroom work, since disorganized surfaces will make the room feel crowded. Instead, find a place for everything.

• Drawers with castor wheels can provide handy under-bed storage.
• Wardrobe doors can provide extra storage. Attach a shoe organizer to the inside of the door to hold hair accessories, perfume bottles, hair products and anything that might otherwise clutter up vanity tops.

If horizontal space is limited, take advantage of vertical space.

• Loft beds, bunk beds and floor-to-ceiling wardrobes are excellent examples of ways to maximize space in a small room.
• Consider adding a feature near the top of the walls, such as architraves painted a bright white to match the ceiling and draw the eye upwards.

Monochromatic colour palettes might not sound terribly exciting, but they make a small space look bigger.

• If you match the drapes to the wall colour, the eye will see the walls and windows as one continuous space, making the room feel larger.
• Use light colours and stay away from high contrast feature walls.
• Choose a couple of accent colours, and use them to splash colour around the room.
• Cushions and throws are excellent ways to add colour, and they're easily interchangeable should you ever want to switch up your palette.

Select multi-purpose furniture, like a loft bed with a desk and bookshelves underneath it, a bench seat that provides storage, or a low bed with drawers.

• Think outside the box by using low bookshelves to make a desk, or build a wardrobe in the space underneath a loft bed.

With the right approach, a small bedroom can feel peaceful and welcoming. Plan your layout carefully and stick to your plan, and you'll be rewarded with a lovely space.