PILLOWS THAT DON’T BOUNCE BACK
The ultimate test to find out if you should replace your pillow? Fold it in half and if it doesn’t spring back into shape it’s probably past its prime. Keep only those which are fresh, fluffy, comfy and make you happy.
YOUR RANDOM GARBAGE
It turns out your mother was onto something when she used to make you clean your messy bedroom — there is no excuse for disorder. An untidy space can lead to anxiety and poor sleep. But to live well, you have to do more than fantasise about cleaning. The trick is to keep it simple and regular. Bin your old knick knacks, papers you don’t need, other items that don’t serve a purpose, and spills before they become difficult to deal with.
BOOKS YOU’VE ALREADY READ
Yes, sometimes hardbacks are excellent conversation starters, but your bedroom isn’t a place where guests really visit. Divide them into piles for friends, fetes, and bin the rest.
CLOTHES YOU NEVER WEAR
Sort your clothing into ‘keep’, ‘Good Samaritan’ and ‘bin’. Everything torn, saggy, shrunken, old, mouldy, smelly or stained goes straight into the wheelie bin. Everything too big, small or unfashionable qualifies as Good Samaritan. Throw away the clothes that don’t suit you – even if you think of them as old friends.
YOUR OLD MAKE-UP
Scientists from the London Metropolitan University tested products that were past their prime and found traces of harmful bacteria in four out of five — which is just another reason to make sure you chuck yours once they expire.
YOUR OLD TECHNOLOGY
Like your cell phone from 10 years ago, your outdated laptop, an alarm clock that doesn’t work – if you’re not currently using it, out it goes.
YOUR OVER-FLOWING LAUNDRY BASKET
When it comes to laundry, don’t keep it in your bedroom. Pop it in a basket in a bathroom, or laundry where you can attend to a little everyday, which means you will never have to look at huge piles again.
YOUR SNUGGLY PETS
In this case, just gently close the door in front of your four-legged friend. Why? Well, one study found that 30% of participants who slept with a pet woke up because of them, 63% had poor sleep quality and 5% said they had trouble falling back asleep.
STACKS OF UNREAD MAGAZINES
We know, we know: You’re holding them for when you have a free weekend to catch up. But chances are that probably won’t happen before a new shipment of the latest issue hits your mailbox.
YOUR CELL PHONE
Ban these from the bedroom: First, it’s dirtier than a loo seat. And reading on this device also makes it harder to fall asleep at night, leading to less-rested sleep and it exposes you to radiation. Goodness.
