What Do You Put On Your Nightstand? (8 Popular Items)

A nightstand is an integral part of a bedroom and it’s one area that’s attention-worthy and noticeable.

Decorating the nightstand also conveys your personality and taste with the items you choose to display but to ensure the nightstand never looks messy or cluttered, you’ll want to stick with selecting just a few items.

The items you can put on a nightstand are a lamp, a stack of books if you like reading or for decorative purposes, a flower vase, a picture frame, a scented candle, a small clock, an ornament, and a trinket bowl for any small stray items.

When styling this nightstand, you don’t need to have every single item on this list but generally, all of these items are quite useful to have on the nightstand even if they are simply for display purposes only.

In this article, I go into further detail about each item that you can put on your nightstand that is functional and cheap. 

You’ll pick up plenty of smart tips that will help you style your nightstand to make it look modern and chic. All of these accessories will be a great addition to any bedroom decor.

Items To Put On A Nightstand

Table Lamp

Having a lamp is usually the most common item to put on a nightstand.

It’s not only functional but there are a variety of lamps in different styles and colors to customize the nightstand according to your interior design.

In the example above, you can see various shapes and sizes being used to create a dynamic and interesting arrangement through the use of the long vertical lamp stand with an intricate design and the curved horizontal lamp shade which is followed by a marble tissue box and a simple round minimalistic clock.

Finally, the beautiful bouquet of flowers in a stone patterned container adds a modern and elegant flair to the display.

The light colors, design, and choice of accessories complement and contrast the beautiful dark tones of the nightstand, creating a rich and luxurious aesthetic.

Adding a lamp on both nightstands will create a cohesive focal point and it’s a repetitive element that every bedroom should have.

Related Post: Are Table Lamps Necessary? (7 Best Lamp Alternatives)

Stack of Books

Whether you like to read or not, displaying a stack of books (2-3 books) will look really great on the nightstand.

This will fill up the empty space on the nightstand but it also makes it convenient to have the books you’re currently reading right there when you want to read before sleeping that will also help you kick in the habit of reading consistently.

Flower Vase / Plant

The next item you can add along with the first two is a flower vase or pot plant, although you could just put a pretty flower vase without any other items too.

A flower vase is a perfect alternative to putting a lamp on the nightstand.

This is the best way to add a pop of color and interest to your decor and it’s just something nice to look at.

You don’t need to have fresh flowers either as fake flowers are great if you’re someone who’s not good at growing plants or the location is unsuitable for the plant to thrive and grow.

Picture Frame

Personalize your nightstand by adding a simple picture frame with photos of yourself or your loved ones.

Alternatively, you could even place a picture of a place that inspires you the most or a few inspirational quotes.

Having at least one picture frame is necessary but you don’t want to overdo it by adding too many that will make the nightstand look cluttered.

Scented Candle

If you love the look and aesthetic of candles, place a jar of a scented candle of your choice on the nightstand.

With scented candles, it’s best displayed along with a few other items rather than on its own.

This could be placed on top of the stack of books if you plan to add other items and you need the space or next to the books and pot plant.

You could also just place the scented candle along with a flower vase or small clock.

Trinket Bowl

Placing a small trinket bowl is a great excuse to add a really cute accessory to display on the nightstand but if you find that you need to keep your jewelry, rings, change, or other small items, this makes it quite convenient to have a storage space right there.

You can also store essential items like a lip balm, hand lotion, medication, or qtips in these bowls.

Get these geometric ceramic bowls from Amazon

It will also prevent any clutter, keeping the nightstand neat, clean, and organized.

Small Ornament

Since this is your personal space, it’s almost always recommended to add something that’s meaningful to you.

This could be a specific ornament like a snowglobe, gemstones, or a round crystal vase to add personality and charm to your room decor.

Clock

The last item you’ll want to put on a nightstand is a small clock.

Having a clock is a great way to set an alarm or see the time especially if you don’t want to check and use your phone first thing in the morning.

It’s also just a small additional item that tends to fit well placed on a nightstand that can see fit other items.

Tips For Styling A Nightstand

Styling a nightstand in a particular way is the key to making sure everything looks good with a stylish and modern arrangement that is eye-catching.

Here’s how you can go about it:

Purpose

The first thing you should consider is the purpose these items will serve on the nightstand. 

Are you doing it just for aesthetic purposes or do you want it to be useful and be of help to you in some way or the other?

Do you want to avoid having too many items and opt for a minimalistic approach or would you like to add many items to really make the best use of this space?

Depending on convenience, aesthetics, and purpose, you’ll be able to decide which items are most essential to have on the nightstand.

Doing this will also help you narrow down the option and select only the main accessories and decorations suitable for your nightside.

Budget

Decorating your entire bedroom or home is in no way cheap but you can cut a few corners by purchasing decor items from cheaper stores.

You may even try browsing dollar or thrift stores for cheap finds which can be repurposed and upgraded if need be.

Keep a budget in mind when buying accessories for your nightstand so that you don’t end up overspending and buying items you don’t really need.

This way, you’ll be able to get the essential items that will make this space look great.

Arrangement

Now that you have everything you want to put on a nightstand, you can consider the arrangement of these items.

If you have a lamp, you can place this on the side, in the middle, or towards the back of the nightstand so that you have a reasonable amount of space to work with for other items.

You’ll then want to add a few books next to the lamp and place a scented candle on top of that.

With the remaining space, you can put a picture frame or even a flower vase next to the books and in front of the lamp.

This arrangement is great if you want to include all of these items but if you only have 2 or more items, you can play around with the arrangement that will suit your nightstand best.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. A full list of options to choose from that will upgrade your nightstand decor and make your bedroom look more custom and personalized.

You’ll have to consider how you want to make use of the nightstands and whether you want it just for display or functionality.

Then you’ll be able to decide on the exact items you should put on your nightstand since everyone’s decoration and styling will differ depending on taste, purpose, and style.

If you found this article helpful, be sure to check out these other ideas you’ll enjoy reading:

What Looks Good On A Nightstand? (11 Brilliant Ideas)

What To Do If Your Nightstand Is Too Low? (7 Best Solutions)