Choosing a bedside table: tips for next to your bed

Your phone on the charger, your glasses, a book you read a few pages further every evening and a glass of water for the night. All sorts of things naturally gather next to your bed. If they are on the floor or in a pile, your bedroom quickly looks messy and you end up searching for your glasses in the dark. A good bedside table gives all those little things a fixed place. In this guide you will read how to choose the bedside table that suits you.

What do you want to keep next to your bed?

Do not start with the bedside table, but with your own evening routine. What do you reach for in bed, and what would you rather not see? That determines which type works best.

Only the bare essentials: phone, glasses and a glass of water. A compact bedside table with a clear top is then enough.
Books and magazines: choose a model with open shelves, so your pile of reading material is within reach.
Small items out of sight: chargers, hand cream and earplugs disappear most easily into a drawer.
Lots of things and little cupboard space: a wider model with a door and several compartments gives you extra storage space in the bedroom.

Which bedside table suits you?

The MAZAZU bedside tables have an industrial look, but differ considerably in layout and size.

Model	Layout	Dimensions (w × d × h)	Suits
Joey	Top, 1 spacious drawer and a shelf at the bottom	40 × 40 × 55 cm	Small items out of sight, also in a narrow spot next to the bed
Jona	Rustic top and 2 grid shelves, flat or slightly tilted	40 × 40 × 55 cm	Readers with a pile of books and magazines
Amina	Glass top, cabinet with adjustable shelf and 2 open compartments	70 × 35 × 80 cm	Lots of storage space and a larger bedroom
Josie	Steel with a top in a warm wood tone	60 × 35 × 49 cm	A compact table you also use as a side table

Step 1: measure the height of your bed

The most important measurement is the height. A bedside table is most comfortable when the top is roughly level with the top of your mattress. Then you can grab your phone or glass of water without having to sit up or reach far. So first measure how high your mattress is, measured from the floor.

The Joey and the Jona are both 55 cm high, the Josie is 49 cm high and the Amina, at 80 cm, is quite a bit higher. That makes the latter a good fit next to a high box spring bed or as a storage unit against another wall of the bedroom.

Step 2: determine how much space you have next to your bed

Measure the space between your bed and the wall, or between your bed and the wardrobe. Also take into account doors that need to be able to open and the walking space along your bed.

Little space: the Joey and the Jona have a square 40 × 40 cm top and also fit in a cramped bedroom.
Shallow: the Josie is 60 cm wide but only 35 cm deep, handy if your bed is close to a walking route.
Plenty of space: the Amina is 70 cm wide and 35 cm deep, with room for a lamp, books and decoration on the glass top.

Step 3: choose between a drawer, open shelves or a cabinet

Drawer

A drawer keeps your bedside table calm. Everything you do not want to see, such as chargers and small toiletries, is easily tucked away. The Joey has a spacious drawer with a shelf below it for books or a basket.

Open shelves

Do you read a lot in bed? Then open shelves are handy. On the Jona you fit the 2 grid shelves flat or slightly tilted. That way magazines and books lie neatly and you grab them without searching. According to the product description, the Jona holds up to 20 kg.

Cabinet with compartments

Little cupboard space in your bedroom? The Amina combines 2 large shelves above and below the glass top with a cabinet with an adjustable shelf and 2 open compartments. That gives you open and closed storage space in one piece of furniture.

What else to look for

Stability: the Joey has adjustable feet that compensate for small unevenness in the floor. Handy on an old wooden floor.
Material and style: black metal with a wood look gives a warm, industrial feel. Glass, as on the Amina, looks lighter.
Assembly: the Joey has a simple design with detailed instructions, the Amina is supplied with numbered parts.
Symmetry: do you sleep as a couple? Two identical bedside tables on both sides of the bed give a calm, balanced look.
More than a bedside table: you can also place the Joey, the Jona and the Josie next to the sofa as a side table. Read more in our guide Choosing a side table or coffee table.

Bedside table and dressing table in one

Do you also want to get ready for the day in the bedroom? Then you can combine a bedside table and a dressing table. The MAZAZU 120 × 48 × 40 cm dressing table comes complete with an LED mirror, bedside table and stool, in natural wood or black. Not sure which dressing table suits you? Then read Choosing a dressing table: your own beauty spot.

Tips for a calm bedside table

Keep the top clear: only put on it what you use every evening. The rest goes in the drawer or on the lower shelf.
Choose atmospheric light: a cordless table lamp has no cord disappearing behind your bed. The Lázaro is compact and metallic, the Yago has an aluminium housing in mocha brown. Both have 3 light settings, are dimmable by touch and charge via USB-C. You will find more choice among the table lamps and in our guide Choosing a cordless table lamp.
Use a small tray or dish: jewellery, earplugs and your glasses will no longer fall behind it.
A basket on the lower shelf: ideal for an extra throw, magazines or chargers.
Think about your charger: place your bedside table on the side of the socket, so your phone cable does not run across the floor.

Read also

View all bedside tables. Ordered on a working day before 15:00, shipped today, shipping is free and you get free 30-day returns.

Choosing a bedside table: everything within reach next to your bed