Old enough to read this? Then you’re old enough to know how to make your bed, which makes this post irrelevant. But we’re writing it anyway because, well, some people have grown up to be teenagers — or even adults — without knowing how to make their own beds. Yes, it’s a sad state of affairs.
Making a bed is simply one of the things that grown folks need to do. It’s like brushing your teeth or trimming your toenails. You could call it basic adulting. If you somehow made it to this point in your life without knowing how to make a bed, don’t waste any time feeling sorry for yourself. Seize the moment and learn how, right here, right now! We are here to help, which is why we also offer protection plans in addition to all these excellent, free blog posts.
Utility vs. aesthetics
Look, style is important. We get that. Nobody is trying to disrespect your feng shui or bag on your interior design sensibilities. We all want our homes and especially our bedrooms to look great. That said, aesthetics should always take a back seat to utility, particularly when it comes to essentials like your bed, where you’re destined to spend about a third of your lifetime. You want the bed to be comfortable and functional, but we get it — you’re eyeing that new set of beef sheets. The point is that making sure it’s comfortable and functional is a lot more important than how it looks. Don’t get all bent out of shape. It can still look nice. Just keep function in mind.
A skirt for your bed?
As it turns out, beds wear skirts. Who knew? Before you start yelling at us for betraying our own just-espoused philosophy on function, consider this: A tidily arranged bed skirt can help complete a bedding look by covering up a box spring, an ugly bed frame, or whatever else you’re trying not to look at under that mattress. So, it’s utilitarian, not just aesthetically pleasing! If you’re making a bed, start by straightening your skirt and work your way up.
Top it off
Next stop, Planet Cozy. Ever been there? Didn’t think so. That’s because you likely lack a mattress topper, one of the cheapest ways to make your bed a lot more comfortable. The next step toward a made bed is to straighten your topper by realigning its nonslip pads.
Use protection
Without a mattress protector, you’re set to become more intimately acquainted with various bodily fluids — your own and your partner’s — and perhaps that is a little more intimacy than you bargained for. It’ll also keep out microscopic critters. Straighten it up and tuck those corners.
Fitted sheet
Since you don’t know how to make your own bed, you probably have no idea what this is. It’s the one with the elastic. It goes on next. Pull it over one corner and then another until it’s stretched smoothly across the top of the mattress. Watch those seams for alignment. Speaking of seams, it seems that Cinch has a lot to offer if you’re considering a home warranty.
Top sheet
We’d just assumed that you knew what a sheet was, at least in general. If that was premature, this is a thin, square, rectangular-shaped textile or clothlike material. People sleep between two of these on a bed. Now’s your chance to add the top one, tucking it in at the end by your feet.
Military and hospital style
Once you get pretty good at this whole bed-making thing and start to feel a little confidence creeping in, you might want to try this elite-level bed-making trick involving the top sheet to achieve a crisp, tight fold. Grab the top corners and fold them back toward the tucked end, leaving a triangular-shaped section hanging over each side. Next, tuck both in tightly on both sides. Fold the edges away neatly, then click your heels and prepare for inspection, soldier!
Duvets and comforters
Here’s how you add insulation above that top sheet while managing to avoid sweating your guts out. A good comforter or duvet can keep you from freezing out or overheating. When making your bed, you’ll want it to be neat and tidy. Align all the sides and straighten it up.
Pillows
You may be wondering how making a bed involves pillows. The answer is they’re one of the final touches — something that serves a utilitarian purpose but also contributes to the overall aesthetic you’re going for with your bed. Some folks merely have two pillows on their beds, or even one. Others prefer approximately 35. Whatever sort of pillow selection you have, arrange them tidily after carefully making up those previous layers of bedding.
Blankets
You might keep an extra blanket on top of your made bed. It can come in handy when you’re watching a movie or reading a book. You know, the ones with the pages made of paper? Everybody knows that if you want to sleep better, you keep all smarty-pants phones and devices well clear of the bedroom. Anyway, all you need to do to continue this nifty new trend of neatness you started by making your own bed is to fold this extra blanket (we’re not going to get all trendy here and call it a “throw”) and place it across the foot of the made bed.
Conclusion
Doesn’t that feel great? Doesn’t your bed look a lot more inviting now than it did the last time you climbed into that sloppy mess for a substandard rest? We knew you could do it. Don’t forget to wash your bedding on the regular, and sleep tight! Oh, want to sleep even tighter with the peace of mind that comes from staying in your budget? Check out a home warranty.
The information in this article is intended to provide guidance on the proper maintenance and care of systems and appliances in the home. Not all of the topics mentioned are covered by our home warranty or maintenance plans. Please review your home warranty contract carefully to understand your coverage.