Full bedside table

[Helplorditsahardlife]

My bedside table is always full of things no matter how much I try to clear it. I am a mature full-time single mother of 2 kids (age 8 &4). I always like to have things that I might need handy & not have to get up etc. But I am sure there people like myself who Dont have their bedside table this full. See the pictures attached. I'm being unreasonable? I am just curious that's all.

@Nat6999 yeah same here, I have all my medicines in a big bag which is inside the drawer of the bedside table. I take a lot of medicines too as I am also disabled.

Can you get a little basket with compartments to slide under your bed for the books & stationery, medicine, vaseline, black (perfume?) bottle and wind up ladybird? Presumably the blackberry can go back from where you got it. The all you're left with are your multiple drinks, tissues, ll phone and balm which you can grab easily. I'd personally keep the large water bottle on the floor and just refill as needed.
All that work stuff would stress me out, beds are for relaxing!

I'm The same op🙊 so no suggestions from me. I do try to clear it then I end up having a coffee in bed whilst doing my nails at bedtime and it goes to pot

When I do have a declutter I leave a mat for a drink, bed side light, alarm clock phone and tissues

Books, lamp and maybe a box of tissues on my beside table - clutter does bother me even when it’s hidden in a drawer; I think I have an aversion to having too much of anything that isn’t really used (with the exception of books which I can’t get enough of). I get that you’re super busy but agree that you will likely feel a lot more rested/refreshed if you clear your bedroom to be a sleeping and relaxing zone only. I would put all toiletries and the likes into the bathroom and when you want to do your nails etc, dedicate 30 mins some evening to going upstairs earlier and treating yourself to some me time. If you tend to study/mark up in bed, then take your papers and minimum amount of pens/highlighters/sticky tabs necessary to do so, and once finished for the night, bundle them up and put them away and psychologically you’ll feel a lot more switched off as opposed to having these things casually sitting beside you (and reminders, such as your pen pot) for you look at first thing in the morning. Aim to put all your household pens in one convenient spot so you always know where they are (kitchen cupboard or somewhere).

I would clear out your bedside drawers - it doesn’t sound like all that stuff actually has to be right there next to you at night. Documents etc can go elsewhere, and books can go on a shelf, except for one or two that you are reading. Medications/vitamins should really be out of reach given the age of your youngest child - they could easily be stored in the bathroom or kitchen or elsewhere in your bedroom.

I would suggest your top drawer should house all the beauty bits that are currently on top of the table. Nail file/clippers/tissues/lip balm/perfume/deodorant and so on. Get some small baskets so that everything can be organised rather than just dumped in the drawer. The next drawer down can hold all your current notes, study books and related paraphernalia (what you’re actually using that day/night), bible and so on. Why does your landline extension need to be there if it’s hardly ever used? Similarly, is there a better place where your Apple watch can charge?

Is your bed high enough off the floor that you could get some storage boxes or baskets to slot under there? Then you could store your pens, notes, notebooks, books and business materials etc there so they’re accessible when you’re in bed but still out of the way.

My bedside table has two drawers. The top is completely clear but for a small lamp, and at night, my phone. At the moment there are two books there as well because I’m reading in bed in the evening. If I was going to bed to go straight to sleep the books would be left in the living room on my coffee table.

Crossposted on medications - if you need them to be accessible from your bed then that’s different I guess. But it’s not really safe unless the drawer is lockable. Could you get a box to sit under your bed instead? That would free up some space.

I have the same problem. I bought a bigger bedside table.

Why do you use your bed for studying and paperwork? Surely you'd be more comfortable (and possibly more productive) sitting at a table or a desk, away from the bedroom?

@CointreauVersial I use my bedroom because I tend to work only when my kids are in bed as I am a full-time student, run my own small company and help/work.for my parents to run their own company & most of all, I love doing most of my work in my room as I am closer to.the kids upstairs than downstairs - I just love being in my room as it is cosy unlike downstairs where it is tidy but not as cosy as my bedroom the only thing that is out of place on my house is my bedsie table- is just because I do most of my work in the bedroom.at night.

My bedside table used to be just as bad as yours until I invested in a make up organizer very similar to the picture that lives on top of my bedside table.

Mine is slightly larger as I use the two longer back compartments on the left to "file" my kindle, notebook/ journal and then the rest are filed with various categories of stuff - eg pens in one; tweezers, nail file/scissors in another; lighter for my candles; one for lipbalm/handcream etc