Many houses in America have at least two bedrooms—usually a master bedroom and one or more bedrooms for either the children or guests.

In some jurisdictions there are basic features (such as a closet and a "means of egress") that a room must have in order to legally qualify as a bedroom. In many states, such as Alaska, bedrooms are not required to have closets and must instead meet minimum size requirements.

Closets are a necessity in a bedroom. A closet by definition is a small space used to store things. In a bedroom, a closet is most commonly used for clothes and other small personal items that one may have. Walk in closets are more popular today and vary in size. However, in the past wardrobes have been the most prominent. A wardrobe is a tall rectangular shaped cabinet that clothes can be stored or hung in. Clothes are also kept in a dresser. Typically nicer clothes are kept in the closet because they can be hung up while leisure clothing and undergarments are stored in the dresser.

In buildings with multiple self-contained housing units (e.g., apartments), the number of bedrooms varies widely. While many such units have at least one bedroom—frequently, these units have at least two—some of these units may not have a specific room dedicated for use as a bedroom. (These units may be known by various names, including studio, efficiency, bedsit, and others.)
Sometimes, a master bedroom is connected to a dedicated bathroom, often called an ensuite.