The Importance of Having Bedside

Being sincing that I am an ADHD kinda gal, it has always been important for me to be intentional about my organization.  I can have 5 balls in the air, 4 WIPs, 3 books going on at the same time, but at the end of the day, I have to see where I've been and what tomorrow looks like.  That is why my bedtime ritual is tantamount to survival for my scattered, spontaneous mind.  In the days of my young mama hood, it was imperative for me to be properly installed in my bed with my world around me, come nighttime.  You can ask my children; there came a certain hour that mom had to be in  her room, in her bed, fresh from removing the day's grit from my weary self, that was an important part of  my life.  They were welcome to join me in my neutralizing, and they usually did.  Actually, in the kids teen years, it was nothing to have a parade of adolescents gathered in my room or walking the hall.  They would all greet me(us) like it was the most normal thing in the world to be talking to their friend's parental units in their jammies.

The centerpiece of My Organizational Cure For ADHD is my Bedside Table.  Nothing like relaxing for the night, pre sleep, and review the day and prepare for the morn. 

And here is what is the List of Requirements for a Proper Bedside Table:

1. A very good lamp.  Soft light, yet good angle for reading in bed. Oh, and decorative.

2. A good sized table.  It has nothing to do with the standard Bedside Tables that are sold with bedroom 'suites'.  But no, But no.  I have used a variety of tables; all shapes and sizes.  Currently, I'm using a mahogany drum table that was in my childhood home.  There are still childish scrawls from moi still there.  I used to love to lie under it and see the room from upside down.  Of course, I usually had a pen/pencil/crayon in my hand, thus the graffiti.  Mom didn't know.

3.  A good pencil cup.  This can hold emery boards and other manicurish paraphernalia.  Pencils, pens, markers all are invited to join in.

4.  A tray.  Good to place a water carafe or bottle or glass of water to keep from getting out of bed when late night thirst occurs.  Remember, it's all about staying on 'The Island of the Bed' for relaxation from the Hectic of the Day.

5.  My pile of books.  Depends on the mood.  Newspapers can join in as well.  Sometimes I go lighthearted after a particularly challenging day.  Or deep for the intellectually needy days.  Something to neutralizing the mind from the details of the day.

6.  Note pads, journals, diaries.  I have kept a diary for over 40 years.  Daily.  This is when I write in it.  One paragraph.  Segments, not sentences. 2 minutes, tops.  Every day.  Give me a day from the past 40 years and I can tell you what I was doing; me or my family...Crazy, but very fun.  The list of To Do for the next day comes next.  Bullet points. Reminders.  Now that the present has been recorded and the morrow set for reminding, you can now bring peace to your minds  So important for those of us with Busy Brains.

7. A decorative drawer or box.  Therein contains the Things of Grooming.  My facial moisturizer, my Burt' Bees foot balm, my body butter, my almond cuticle oil, nail polish and tissues and hydro cortisone cream for my incessant gardener's allergy to certain insects.  Remember, the goal is not to get out of bed once you are installed post bath.

I completely remember as a young nursing mother, that my rule was 9:00pm, my body was in bed.  Children, nursing babies were welcome to join me for book time, discussion and concerns but mama was done being vertical.  Had to have my legs up and reclining on a bank of pillows.  The children knew that they could play post bath, nearby, in their rooms or mine.  They just weren't allowed to go downstairs.  A time came at night, that we relegated ourselves to the upstairs, signaling the slowing down of the day.  Quiet play, even though as they got older, they could get rowdier.  As long as they were 'contained' for the bedtime.  I can still see Eldest Son crawling up our door frame, Eldest/admin, curled up next to me sharing her friendship concerns, and lots of super friends and GI Joes using my legs under the blankets as bunkers.  Baby Girl's room was right off ours, so we were entertained by her constant fashion show.

Do not make bedtime a nightmare.  Give into it and beat the kids to bed.  Hear me, Not Sleeping, merely relaxing, away from TV and the world.  Just be family.  All going to bed at the same time. Sort of.

Get your Bedside Table Now and neutralize your hectic life.