When it comes to decorating, there are no hard-and-fast rules you have to follow. The decorating police aren’t going to come knocking on your door to enforce color-matching rules, laws about furniture placement or misdemeanors having to do with bed linens. The most important key to decorating a bedroom you love is… doing what you love. Having said all that, there ARE some general guidelines that make it much easier to create that bedroom of your dreams.

Break those guidelines if you wish, but be aware that you’re slipping into the no-no zone. Here are a few decorating don’ts for your bedroom.

Not making the bed: Take the extra minute or two each morning to make your bed. It’s the easiest, fastest way for immediate improvement in your entire bedroom’s appearance, and it’s free. Not only does it make your room look clean and organized, but it feels so much better at bedtime to slip into a neatly made bed.

Excessive clutter: Sure, life happens. Sometimes you can’t get the laundry put away on schedule. But if you’re sliding piles of crumpled clothing aside every night to get between the sheets, or your dresser is so loaded with papers, dirty dishes and knickknacks that you can’t see the surface, you’ve slid into the no-no zone. A cluttered bedroom isn’t restful or soothing – it’s stimulating, and not in a good way. Get your clutter under control, and you’ll feel better in the bedroom.

Getting too matchy-match: A matching set of bedroom furniture can be a thing of beauty.

Complementing colors and patterns are the bedrock of good decorating. But sometimes, too much of a good thing is just that – too much. Your bedroom should look lived in, not like a staged photoshoot for a glossy magazine or furniture catalog. Break it up a bit with a few contrasting colors and patterns, or a piece of furniture that isn’t the same design as the rest.

Too much contrast: While too MUCH matching can be overly fussy and sterile, too LITTLE matching can be chaotic and overwhelming. Moderation is the key. Eclectic or bohemian style is wonderful, but if you are combining a shabby chic bed with a sleek chrome-and-plastic dresser along with a plethora of contrasting patterns, you’ve gone too far. Keep a coherent look in the bedroom by working with a color palette that harmonizes patterns; and furniture that shares a similar style or feel.

Losing your scale: In the decorating world, “scale” refers to how a room and its furniture and décor pieces relate to each other in terms of size. A common decorating no-no is using furniture that is out of scale to the room. For example, if your bedroom is tiny, a king-size bed, oversize entertainment unit and imposing headboard are going to look cramped and out-of-place. Conversely, a large bedroom needs furniture sizable enough to give presence and balance to the room. When your bedroom furniture is scaled appropriately to the space, the room looks comfortable and harmonized.

Not enough light: If your bedroom has only one small lamp on the nightstand, you’re living in the dark. While you obviously want lights out when it’s time for sleeping, a dim room is cheerless when it comes time to dress or undress, read in bed or relax. You need at least two sources of light in most bedrooms, aside from the window. If you don’t have an overhead light fixture, adding one is the best way to brighten up your bedroom. If that isn’t an option, add a floor lamp in the corner of the room diagonal to your nightstand, which should also be topped with a lamp.

Using things you don’t love: Whether your bedroom is decorated with hand-me-downs or pieces you purchased yourself, if you’re surrounded with things you don’t love, it’s hard to feel good in your own private sanctuary. Get rid of knickknacks and accessories you aren’t crazy about. If you don’t like a major piece of furniture, and the budget won’t allow replacing it, consider giving it a coat of paint in a color you DO love for a fresh, new feel.

Feel free to break any decorating “rules” you don’t like. The only TRUE rule in interior design is to create a space that you love. Still, it’s a good idea to at least be familiar with the general decorating rules that help make a space livable and attractive.