Last night our overnight temperature in Berlin was around 32F. Brrr! Especially when it’s cold, I hate getting up in the chill of pitch black to pee. But at least I didn’t have to leave my bed for a rough wooden slat in the outhouse! Indoor plumbing in the United States wasn’t available until the early 1800s, and then only in hotels. But people still needed to relieve their bladder at night. Enter the bedside table. A small table right by your bed with a cabinet underneath where you could store—you guessed it— your chamberpot. Sounds….stinky but at least better than splinters in the butt and snow clinging to cracked boots.
These days, a nightstand / night table / bedside table generally doesn’t have a cabinet underneath but maybe a small shelf instead. Mine does. (It’s where the 2-3 most recent copies of The New Yorker go!) While I can’t quite imagine a chamberpot revealing much about ourselves, what we keep on our bedside table —like what we keep in our purse, bad or backpack- does.
What’s on your nightstand?
Here are a few of the items on mine:
1 shell and 1 rock from the beach at Pine Knoll Shores, NC
A small pin with Agatha Christie’s face on it
2 “daily” books (1 line a day and a daily question)
Decent hand creme
At least 2 books
Besides a lamp, what do you keep on your nightstand?
A crystal against sleep demons!! That feels both magical and practical. And interesting you keep your planner on your nightstand. I may borrow that idea! Thanks for sharing, Melissa.
This is a fun question! I don't like to keep too many things on my nightstand because I don't like a lot of clutter near my head while I'm sleeping. My nightstand is also pretty small!
Right now it holds a little amethyst candle holder -- i got it from TJ Maxx and it looks way more expensive than it is. I also have two night creams - an inexpensive one that I wish I loved more, and a pricier one that I use often. My favorite thing on my night stand is a lavender-scented candle that was given to me by a friend. I find the smell so relaxing before bed. Sometimes I will light it while I am getting ready for bed.
My nightstand isn't big enough for a stack of books and I often don't read right before bed anyway.
A special candle and lotions...what a soothing set-up, Allison. I love that! And I learned a fun fact about you: no reading right before bed. Thanks for sharing!
Yes I do have a soothing setup. It's quite a revealing question and would make a great writing prompt for an essay or section of a memoir. I might just steal it from you!
To keep “flu season” germs away, I have lip balm, Trader Joe’s honey throat spray, tea tree chest rub and doTerras On Guard oil (from you)! and magnesium gummies for sleep 😉
My nightstand holds:
1) a box of kleenex
2) a crystal that supposedly helps keep sleep demons at bay (the jury is still out...)
3) My planner and diary
4) the latest books I'm reading
A crystal against sleep demons!! That feels both magical and practical. And interesting you keep your planner on your nightstand. I may borrow that idea! Thanks for sharing, Melissa.
This is a fun question! I don't like to keep too many things on my nightstand because I don't like a lot of clutter near my head while I'm sleeping. My nightstand is also pretty small!
Right now it holds a little amethyst candle holder -- i got it from TJ Maxx and it looks way more expensive than it is. I also have two night creams - an inexpensive one that I wish I loved more, and a pricier one that I use often. My favorite thing on my night stand is a lavender-scented candle that was given to me by a friend. I find the smell so relaxing before bed. Sometimes I will light it while I am getting ready for bed.
My nightstand isn't big enough for a stack of books and I often don't read right before bed anyway.
A special candle and lotions...what a soothing set-up, Allison. I love that! And I learned a fun fact about you: no reading right before bed. Thanks for sharing!
Yes I do have a soothing setup. It's quite a revealing question and would make a great writing prompt for an essay or section of a memoir. I might just steal it from you!
Ooooh yes! Great idea. Of course please use it.
To keep “flu season” germs away, I have lip balm, Trader Joe’s honey throat spray, tea tree chest rub and doTerras On Guard oil (from you)! and magnesium gummies for sleep 😉
Nice stash. You've got all the goods! :-)