Knowing the right way to wash, dry, and store your bed's components is essential to creating a soothing sleep environment.

A duvet cover does a yeoman's job in protecting a comforter from spills, stains, and general wear and tear. To prevent the comforter from shifting around inside the cover, most need a slight modification. Sew two pieces of 2-inch-long fabric tape to all four inside corners of the duvet cover; at each corner of the comforter, push the filler toward the center, tie the fabric tape around the bunched fabric, and sleep happily ever after.

Follow these tips for cleaning out and organizing your clothing your bureaus. 

To remove musty smells from old furniture, fill plastic containers with white vinegar; seal, and punch holes in lids. Put one inside each drawer or cabinet overnight to absorb odors. For extreme cases, clean interiors with a vinegar-dampened cloth.

The space under your bed can be put to sensible use with these bins, made by attaching casters to a wooden box, a drawer from a chest, or a wine crate.

Some soaps are so intensely fragrant that they can be used like sachets to perfume clothes. Slip a bar or two of your favorite aromatic soap (with the paper wrapping on) into a dresser drawer. Before the sweet smell fades, it will scent the contents for weeks or possibly months.

A wooden flea-market cupboard makes a great towel cabinet.

Combs, brushes, and toothpaste take up considerable space when laid horizontally on a shelf. Flat-backed self-adhesive cups on the inside of the cabinet door hold them more efficiently. Before pressing the cups in place, line them up between the shelves. To ensure the door can close, put thin items on the shelves in the spots where the cups will take some space.

Here's a nontoxic but effective way to clean your tub: Add one teaspoon of liquid soap and several drops of an antibacterial essential oil (such as tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint) to one cup of baking soda. Add just enough water to form a paste, and use it with a sponge or brush to scour bathtub surfaces

Marble is a beautiful surface for counters and tabletops. But because it is quite soft and porous, marble can easily be stained, scratched, and chipped.

The best way to fight mildew is to prevent it. And the most effective method of prevention is to deny mildew what it craves: moisture.

Make space for supplies over the bathroom door so that they'll be accessible when they need to be replenished.

Short shower curtains look tidy and tailored, and they don't trap dust and moisture. To create the look in your bathroom, cut a fabric curtain 2 inches longer than the desired length, then fold and sew a 2-inch hem. Leave the plastic liner hanging full-length in the tub to contain water from the shower.

If opening your bathroom cabinet invites an avalanche of cotton balls, try a new kind of cleansing ritual: Reorganize the medicine chest.

Zippered cloth-and-plastic bedding bags protect your blankets and quilts when not in use. Because the heaviest blankets spend so much time in the closet, the bags will keep them from getting dusty. The transparent plastic top makes it easy to identify the contents.

Maximizing space and efficiency in these two rooms can help you save time and feel more rested and relaxed at the end of each day.