The Ultimate Guide To Creating Your Dreamy Organic Bedroom
In Pursuit of Sleeping Soundly
We all know that a good night’s sleep sets us up for success, but do we put as much intention into our sleeping hours as we do our waking hours? It’s time to re-focus our bedrooms into an organic, restful retreat from our busy days.
Whether you’re doing a full overhaul of your bedroom, or just updating a small corner, there is always something you can do to make your room more peaceful. Start small by decluttering, and then adding a few lively plants and organic bedding. Work your way up to big things like rugs, paint, furniture, and mattresses for the ultimate dreamy bedroom!
We’ve partnered with PlushBeds, a pioneer in the organic mattress industry to discuss what matters most when it comes to a healthy, sleep-ready bedroom.
Building Blocks
1. Mattress & Furniture
We spend ⅓ of our lives in bed, so this means that our bodies need a natural and safe place to rest. When it comes to furniture, ditch the big box stores and start seeking out eco-friendly pieces made from natural materials with natural finishes.
Mattress shopping can be overwhelming and terms can be filled with greenwashing, so learn what you can before buying. Avoid in-person sales pressure (and have more time to research) by shopping online—most online mattress companies these days offer trials that allow you to return a mattress if it’s not the perfect fit.
While this is one of the most expensive areas of a bedroom to update, it’s also one of the most important. Keep an eye out for sales and deals and make the switch when you can. If a new mattress isn’t in the works for you just yet, a great place to start is updating your existing pillows to non-synthetic ones!
Where to start:
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The Good Trade’s guide to organic mattresses
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The Good Trade’s eco-friendly furniture guide
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Mind Body Green’s guide to organic pillows
2. Nontoxic Paint
Whether it’s just an accent wall or a full coat of fresh paint, it’s important to consider what you’re putting on your walls. Even though you can change the color as often as you’d like, paint sticks around for the life of your bedroom and should be considered carefully. Look for low- or no-VOCs and consider the manufacturing process of the paint you’re purchasing to make sure that workers are kept safe from toxic environments.
Where to start:
3. Natural Fiber Rugs
Rugs have the power to change the energy in any space. Seek natural fibers in calming colors and textures (avoid abrasive or harsh-textured rugs if you want something really cozy). Do your research—look for certifications like GOTS (and Fair Trade!), ask about chemical treatments, and seek out nontoxic underlay pads.
Where to start:
Details That Make A Difference
1. Bedding & Laundry
Create the bed of your dreams by topping off an organic mattress with organic bedding! Here are some of the best organic sheets and natural bedding sets that help us sleep sweeter.
If you’re not finding anything you love on that list, just remember to keep an eye out for bedding made with 100% natural fibers like cotton, bamboo, hemp linen, and tencel. Again, look for the GOTS Certification and fair trade or transparent labor practices (a good rule of thumb is if they don’t state their practices clearly on their website, it might be a brand to skip—or contact them directly to ask).
Don’t forget to clean up your laundry game too! Ditch the conventional chemical detergents and look for home cleaning brands that are natural and eco-friendly, and your skin will thank you. If you’re the DIY type, you can even make your own detergent for pennies on the dollar!
2. Live Plants
We’re huge fans of gorgeous foliage, and what better place to create a mini zen garden than in your bedroom? Plants create a calm atmosphere and even help improve the air quality in your home, so if you’re not able to spend a lot of money on rugs, furniture or bedding, this might be a great place to start.
Start by taking stock of the sunlight that comes into your room to get a feel for what plants might do best. If you get tons of direct sunlight or have a lot of space, look for big leafy plants like a ficus tree or a bamboo palm (although this one does okay in lower light). If you don’t get too much light (or don’t have a lot of space), look for small succulents, snake plants or pothos.
Check out this infographic about NASA-approved air purifying plants to find the perfect plant for your space!
3. Light Blocking Curtains
Going for organic and natural textiles everywhere in your room will help freshen everything up, but a good set of curtains can directly impact your sleep. If you live in a big city or your neighbors keep their porch light on all night, it’s a game-changer to get a good set of light blocking curtains.
Light blocking curtains can even keep in heat in the wintertime and cool air in the summer, so they’re worth the investment. But just like with bedding and furniture, these can be made from toxic materials or treated with chemicals. Make sure that the liner is made from organic or natural materials! If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, investigate your DIY options so you can choose natural materials in your favorite colors and patterns.
Accessories To Top It All Off
1. Organic Pajamas
You don’t need an excuse to cozy up in your organic favorites! Pajamas, just like sheets, spend a lot of time in contact with our skin, so we love wearing supersoft, organic PJs made from natural materials.
Where to start:
2. Soy Candles & Essential Oils
Smell is one of the easiest ways to create an instant calm and a restful, peaceful ambiance! There are certain scents that work better than others, and these suggestions from the National Sleep Foundation will have you sleeping sweetly in no time.
Look for hand-poured soy candles at The Little Market, Prosperity Candle, or at your local farmer’s market instead of big box stores. Seek out candles scented with natural essential oils—or just seek out essential oils directly and diffuse them with filtered water in your bedroom!
3. Organic Herbal Tea
Make your nightcap an herbal one—there’s nothing quite like the feeling of sipping herbal tea in a comfy chair or snuggled in bed after a long day. A moment of quiet helps slow down and gives us time to reflect on what we’re most grateful for.
Delight your senses with some of our organic and fair trade favorites.
