The bedroom: what you need to sleep well your first week
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New houses are bright and unfamiliar at night. Streetlights come in through bare windows, and you don't yet know where the light switches are. Blackout curtains, plug-in night lights for the hallway and bathroom, and a mattress protector on day one go a long way. Measure your windows before you buy curtains.
Sleep
NICETOWN blackout curtains, 84-inch, 2 panels
They block streetlight and early sun, and add some insulation at drafty windows. 84 inches fits most standard windows when the rod is mounted a few inches above the frame.
Tip: Measure from the rod to where you want the hem: just above the floor, or just below the sill.
NICETOWN blackout curtains, 63-inch, 2 panels
The shorter length is for windows over a bed or radiator, where floor-length curtains would get in the way.
SafeRest waterproof queen mattress protector
Mattresses get dragged across truck floors and garages during a move. A protector goes on before the sheets on the first night, and many mattress warranties exclude stained mattresses.
Light and hanging things
GE plug-in night lights, dusk-to-dawn, 2-pack
For the hallway and bathroom, while you're still learning where the switches are. They turn on by themselves at dark.
Command large picture hanging strips
They hang mirrors and frames without holes while you decide where things go, and they come off cleanly when you change your mind.
Tip: Clean the wall with rubbing alcohol first, and follow the weight limit on the package.
Wait on
New bedroom furniture, rugs and art until you've slept there a few weeks and know where the light falls and where the outlets are.
Checked November 12, 2026. Product listings change, so check the current listing before you buy.