If you really want to know a person, peek at their nightstand. It’s like a tiny museum of priorities — the things we want within arm’s reach in the quietest part of our day. Some people have stacks of books, some have a glass of water perpetually sweating onto a coaster, some have a jumble of chargers and receipts. I read somewhere that the most common item on a nightstand is a lamp, followed by books and tissues, which feels about right. But I’ve always thought the more interesting part isn’t what’s common — it’s what’s specific.

Ours aren’t styled for a magazine shoot. In fact, “styled” is a generous word. They’re a mix of practical and personal, a little messy, a little revealing — and exactly what we need to get from “lights out” to “good morning.”

1. Our Hatch Sleep Machine
We got this a little over year ago and now I can’t imagine sleeping without it. Every night, we tap it on and the room fills with this soft amber light that slowly dims as we get ready for bed. Then comes the sound — we usually go for the brown noise setting, which drowns out the creaks of our old house. It feels a little like being in a cocoon, and after a long day, there’s nothing better.

2. Gwyneth by Amy Odell
I’m halfway through this, and I’ll admit, it’s part bedtime reading, part curiosity project. I’m fascinated by Gwyneth Paltrow; I always have been. She’s one of those cultural icons that people either love or hate, but you can’t deny how much she has shaped culture over the last 30 years (for better or for worse). I happen to love her, and this book is pure 90’s/early 2000’s nostalgia. Highly recommend.

3. PJ’s Rubber Ear Plugs
These are not glamorous. They are not chic. They are, however, the reason PJ sleeps through the night. He’s one of those people who can hear a leaf blow across the porch and be wide awake, so these tiny bits of rubber are his saving grace. They block out dogs barking, kids rustling around, and yes, the very subtle (but apparently thunderous) sound of me flipping book pages, haha.

Nightstands change with the seasons of life, sometimes literally, as in swapping out a summer book for a winter one, and sometimes figuratively, as new routines take shape. Ours right now reflect a stage where rest is precious, and we’ll take all the help we can get.

What about you? If we peeked at your nightstand tonight, what would we find?