Tips and Tricks for Better Bedrooms

• If sheer curtains appeal but you can’t sleep with the moonlight and early morning sunshine streaming in, then fit a slim blackout blind unobtrusively inside the window frame. It won’t show when it’s rolled up and when unfurled will just look like darkness. n• Give white bed linen a new lease of life. Buy satin ribbons or braiding and sew one band or two a little way in from the hems of your white pillowcases and sheets. As white bed linen is very often cheaper you could buy white bed linen and give it a makeover.n• Want a pile of cushions on your bed? Find remnants at fabric stores and use them to make expensive looking cushion covers. The wedding fabric department often has luscious silk, satin and velvet pieces at a fraction of the usual price. Foam cushion inners are inexpensive. n• Sprinkle bed linen with rose or lavender water to give it a fresh scent. Or use scented laundry waters when ironing your bed linen. n• Buy used curtains and if they are too short lengthen by adding a band of a matching or contrasting fabric. Different textures also look good. For example a wide cream colored satin band on plain cream or white Indian cotton. This trick can also be used to increase width.n• Plenty of hanging space but not much else? Buy more hangers and hang your T shirts, blouses, shirts and sweaters, and anything else that is hang-able. Shops hang them up and so can you! n• Make use of under bed space by storing clothes in baskets or boxes fitted with castors. Alternatively buy a cheap second hand chest of drawers and fir the drawers with castors. They make perfect storage units. n• Buy clear plastic shoe bags and use the pockets to keep scarves, belts, socks or any other small items. Hang in your wardrobe or behind the door. These are also handy in the bathroom for spare soap, washcloths, toothpaste and shampoo, or anything else you can think of. n• Costume jewelry such as bead necklaces is hard to keep untangled. Buy the tallest mug tree you can find and hang your beads on its branches. n• To keep your linen organized buy plastic crates of a size to fit your linen cupboard shelves. Label them: Double Bed Sheets, Single Sheets, Pillow Slips and so on. Your linen will never get into a muddle again. If you have open shelves use wicker baskets instead of plastic. n