Your tiny bedroom doesn’t have to just be a place to sleep and get dressed. A few thoughtful upgrades can make it a relaxing, peaceful place to start your day or unwind at the end of it.
By Alan Henry
When I moved into my apartment a few years ago, I had to choose — do I make the smaller of the two bedrooms my home office, or my bedroom? I chose the latter, assuming that I didn’t need a ton of space to sleep and get dressed.
I’m glad I did, but it meant my bedroom was hardly a relaxing place to unwind after a long day or to start a new one, and frankly, everyone deserves a bedroom that encourages good health and good sleep. Over time, I made some small improvements that have made a big difference.
Add Some Airflow (or Just White Noise)
I’m someone who needs a little ambient noise to sleep soundly. Usually a fan does the trick, and it also moves some air over my face (or my whole body, in the warm months) that keeps me comfortable while I sleep. The air is calming (to me, anyway; your mileage may vary), and the low, constant drone of the fan acts as background noise that blocks out the sirens, speakers and miscellaneous sounds of the city outside my window.
As a bonus, I chose a fan with a remote control, which means I can turn it on and off, up or down from the comfort of my bed. Mine is a Black & Decker 18-inch standing fan, but you can easily find models in smaller sizes, desk fans without a remote, or even window-mounted fans if you don’t have air conditioning. My colleagues at Wirecutter , a New York Times Company that reviews products, have spent dozens of hours testing fans, and have suggestions for the best bed room fansand window fans, depending on your need.
