13 Simple Steps to a Perfectly Made Bed

ragsangle I love my sheets and pillow cases nicely ironed and crisp looking! No one thinks of that anymore! But let's keep it a secret cause my guest always love the bed of course my secret in lavender water sprayed on the sheets before ironing! same things for curtins ! And in the bathroom I purchase plain colored towel sets and sew on a nice border to match the bedspread which also get ironed with lavender spray! It's not an overpowering scent so my guest can't figure out why they sleep so well...great article!
PS You forget the featherbed and cover!

SPACIFY INC, Love the bed and bedroom designing!! want that in my home!

olldbobbi These are all great ideas, and of course the different sized pillows and shams and patterns and colors are beautiful. But when I'm ready for bed, I'm ready for bed and neatly removing all those extras will make me crazy! I wish it wasn't so, but it is. The white linens in the first picture are to die for. Good job, Lisa!

lyvia A healthy way to make the bed in the morning is to fold the top half of the covers down, exposing more of the sheets. This allows better drying of the night's moisture, especially if sunshine and fresh air are available. Dryness reduces dust mites. Burying that moisture under a mound of pillows and blankets will guarantee musty sheets sooner.

midmodfan lyvia is right! On average, people lose half a liter of sweat every night. Where does it go? Mostly into the pajamas, the sheets and the mattress. Not a good idea to bury all this moisture under beautiful layers of comforters and blankets, huh?

After getting up, I hang my duvet over a chair. Then I open the windows and close the bedroom door. Next time I'm going to see my bed, which then smells of fresh air and sunshine, is when I'm ready to fall into it again.

But I have to admit that all these perfectly made beds look absolutely gorgeous! And IF I had a guest bedroom, I'd make that bed as beautiful as possible.

Denise Vilim It's funny, you would think making a bed would be common sense, but those elusive hospital corners are a common pain in the @#$% for many, myself included. And I won't even go into all the times my sense of pillow arrangement has failed me. I am bookmarking this ideabook for certain!

I just have one question. Actually, more of an anul and nit-picky clarification request. In Step 8 you wrote,

"Hold the long edges of the sheet and blanket away from the bed and pull them atop the mattress to form a 45-degree angle at the corner. "

I'm having trouble picturing how to do that. Would you mind clarifying this?
Thank you.

Valerie J Johnson Custom Tailored Home Furnishings Looks like mom taught me right! This step by step puts a fun spin on making a bed. Thanks for that. And I love the idea of rolling the coverlet at the foot for a fresh look!

newmouse Denise, check out some hospital corner you tube videos. It is not at all how I pictured it.

Diamondflame Unless you perspire a lot during your sleep, most of the water loss happens during expiration i.e. it goes into the atmosphere, not your bed linens. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. :)

amystoller The whole point of a duvet with cover is that it eliminates the need for a top sheet. Wash the cover weekly, the duvet itself as often as you need to to keep dust mites at bay. If I had to go through all this, my bed would never be made. As it is, after airing the sheets and duvet, remaking the bed is a snap. One cover, two pillows, straighten and smooth, DONE.

JAN MOYER Agreed on the bed making! And a tip: If you wash your sheets in warm water, separately from all other wash, and dry your top and flat sheet SEPARATELY! on delicate and remove promptly and fold..... they are a snap to iron. They are often wrinkle free enough to skip ironing. Drying them one at a time means they only take about eight to ten minutes, even on delicate, and virtually eliminates the twisting that often occurs. It also eliminates those fried to a crisp edges/wet centers on a sheet. If you take them out even barely damp.. iron them right away and you will speed through the process while you watch your favorite tv show. The weird and very nice thing about ironed sheets, is they actually stay "ironed" once on your bed! You don't need more than your regular ironing board. Fold sheets once in half lengthwise... and proceed! Spray with "egyptian cotton" linen spray (Bed,Bath, and Beyond) and you will think you're living with a maid in the house. Heaven, and so like the scent of sheets dried in sunshine in a breeze! Spray when you make your bed in the morning too!
Last tip: The trend to sateen sheets is a bad one! They are warmer (sweat)
twist more in the wash and dry process. Try the best percale your pocket will allow, and you will sleep cool, dry, and smooooooooth! You rarely find sateen in a good hotel. Now... if my clients would just make their beautiful beds...... I would be in heaven

Rachel While these are all beautiful, and I do this (all but the ironing) for my guest rooms, the very first thing I do before getting in a bed ( that is made tight as a drum) is rip out those tight corners at the bottom and things tucked under the sides. I cant sleep if I feel like a tightly wrapped mummy.

canajuneh Because we live on a lake in an out of the way town, we often have overnight guests. One thing I have found is that all of those decorative pillows may seem lovely, but most guests get frustrated as to what to do with them as they try to make the bed in the morning! I've learned to keep things simple, and the guests are more at ease.

cender Great article and wonderfully varied comments. I agree with the sateen sheets. Although some people really like the feel, I find that they wear out quickly. I also iron all of my sheets, guest and master. My biggest complaint is with todays fitted sheets. They just don't fit ANY mattress. I have a "top-of-the-line" Tempurpedic and purchased their sheets. I guess that was a mistake. The fitted sheet is way too big and the flat is not generous at all. But, regardless of the brand, and I have spent some bucks on sheets (I like the Marriot feel) the fitted sheet is always too big. Most luxury hotels use a flat sheet on the bottom instead of a fitted and that is how you achieve the "bounce a dime" look. This is also what the hospitals use to do before the nurses got lazy. The hospital corners keep the whole deal in place. And yes, I do the hospital corner, I am a former nurse. But if the linens are not the right size, they must be generous enough, even the hospital corners will not hold. So, short of using a flat sheet on the bottom, how do I find a king size fitted sheet that is not too big, and how do I know what is too big when shopping? Thanks

mike123688 Step 6: Drape the flat sheet: OK ... now if you really want to be particular, make sure you lie the flat sheet on top of the matress with the finished hemline facing down. That way when the top sheet is pulled back the finished hemline is showing and it lies on the body at night. It's a like like making sure you don't wear your shirt inside out! :-)

sheristurgess Great article, - but what a lot of bedding. Sheet, blanket and quilt, before you add the throw?! I simply use a duvet - wouldn't want any more, even in the depth of winter.
I agree beds look great with lots of pillows. But what do you do with them - and the throw - when you go to bed? If they get thrown on the floor, my husband will trip over them on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night!

Twana I am NOT going to iron my sheets. Period. But I do all the other steps. A freshly made bed is a major requirement for the balance of peace in my home.
One thing I would like to add to your steps. The top flat sheet should be laid with the trimmed side face down so that when you fold back the layers, the trim will show. It's amazing how many folks think the trimming should be laid face up and then when they fold the layers back, the trimming is on the wrong side.
Lavender water is always a nice touch for spritzing the sheets and pillowcases.

bettyinmunich If it takes 13 steps, it isn't simple. Having lived in Germany for many years now the concept of bedding is: fitted sheet+duvet cover+duvet. 3 simple steps: Get up, fluff duvet cover, neatly put pillows at head of bed, Done.

dbomom Great ideas, but one more. Always pull the top sheet 6 inches above the head of the bed. Then place the blanket at the head of the bed and fold the extra 6 inches of the top sheet down over the top of the blanket. For a really luxurious feel (especially in the guest room so you won't need to wash the blanket before new guests) place another top sheet on top of the blanket about 4 inches above the head of the bed, tuck the 4 inches under the top of the blanket and then fold the 6 inches of the original top sheet over the top of the second top sheet and the blanket. This encapsulates the blanket so the guests never come in contact with it, and it gives a most luxurious feel to your blanket. (This is a Martha Stewart technique.)

ceil bettyinmunich...thirteen steps?? i totally agree. with you ! ..i am a fussy linen freak of the comfort of the bed...but iron? never !! all my guests love my comfy beds!! everyone does not have the time to do 13 steps let alone just making the bed!!love this site!! ceil

ltcroucher Great! Now what to do about the husband who pulls all the covers to his side of the bed? Divorce is not an option. :-)

seeleyhome Loved the article and all the dditional comments. One question that I have is that I have a king bed and want to know the best way to dress the bed using a comforter with a duvet cover. They are never long enough to cover the sides of the mattress. When I had a queen size bed, I'd buy a king size comforter. Any suggestions other than expensive custom duvet covers?

balfour_girl I was told by a store owner who made feather pillows and duvets once how to wash your feather products instead of dry cleaning them, and it's saved me thousands of dollars over the years:
Wash your pillows or duvet in your washing machine with liquid soap. Dry them for at least two hours on a hot setting in your dryer. As long as the feathers are dry, you will never have problems. (I also use a top sheet so I don't have to wash my duvet cover every week... it's a pain to put on).

As for my beds, as much as possible I like to wash and line dry my sheets on the day my guests arrive. I HATE the smell of sheets that have been on the bed or in the linen closet too long.

I also hate when the bottom fitted sheet wrinkles and bunches up. I have always used little plastic slides that attach the sheet to the piping on the mattress to keep my bottom sheet taut. Unfortunately my new mattress has soft and flat piping and my slides pop off. I am waiting for a friend from the USA to visit and bring me some sheet suspenders.

Finally, I have an arm chair in my bedroom where I can easily toss my decorative pillows and shams before climbing into bed, but I agree with Canajuneh that guests don't like them if there's nowhere obvious to put them.

nicolatibbetts I appreciated your humor in this article :) Also great step by step instruction!

Dream Cloud Images I'm really keen on keeping my bed fresh, and have given up the traditional mattress all together. I use two, twin aero beds, with a king latex topper, next layer is a king size topper topper :) made of organic cotton quilting on one side (for summer), and lambs wool on the other side (for winter), next is a king size organic cotton fitted flannel sheet, and in the summer an organic cotton smooth sheet goes on top of that; winter I use another flannel sheet. A king size duvet (I have a heavy one for winter and lighter one for summer), and now for the summer my duvet cover is linen. 1,000 thread count pillow cases with silk under cases. I love my pillow cases ironed. The whole bed is washable (except for the latex topper). I strip the bed down on a quarterly basis, the pillows get washed once a year, and I wash the linens that touch our skin about every 5 days. AND, the beds are dual control for comfort, which works out great for us -- I weigh about 140lbs and my husband weighs about 200lbs and he's 6'5". The sleep is divine!

scattolinil My mom would be in her glory after reading this. She can make a bed like no other!

taureg Anyone who does this regularly has WAY too much free time.

CAROLE MEYER I do make my bed almost every day..............

wandm Great article! I'm inspired to do something with my bed, mostly to fix the bedskirt, which is too long! Who doesn't love a gorgeous, well-made bed with good linens?? Regarding the comment that the point of a duvet cover is that you don't need a top sheet, I've never heard that before. What do you do when it's too hot for a comforter? I'm not so sure that was actually the point of a duvet cover; I think it was to keep the comforter clean. But maybe not.

I confess to having ironed sheets before I had kids, but really...on your death bed, chances are your last thoughts won't be,"I wish I'd spent more time ironing sheets."

mrsben Oh yes, hospital corners. I recall the fundementals of them being taught in Home Economics class to young woman of my era. Back then, it was the objective to engrain them in our minds forever as they repeatedly made you do them over and over again until you got it right. Nothing less would do. They were such perfectionists back then! :)

Super post!
P.S: Does anyone know if they even offer Home Economic classes in the halls of learning any more?

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. I love making the bed. I feel like it is sort of a metaphor for life...you slept in it, you make it. I make mine every morning, except Tuesday when we change sheets. I love putting the pressed sheets on in the afternoon. Thanks for your ideas. Charmean

mrsben I forgot to add my tip. For those who like the look of pressed bedding but not fond of ironing; you might wish to invest in a hand-held steamer designed for travel and used for the removal of wrinkles from clothing. Many are reasonably priced. (ie: Conair has an excellent one on the market.)

olldroo So, I just have to ask, what else do you do each day???

Seriously, my friends think I am mad, but I have always ironed sheets and pillowslips, not just to enjoy the freshness of them but it is also a hygiene issue, the heat of the iron kills germs.

Take a tip from an Aussie too, when you can, try drying linen on a line, in the sun, it is a whole new experience in freshness.

amafixer @ mrsben schools offer classes in FACS, Family & Consumer Sciences, some FACS teachers are very adamant about not being referred to as Home Ec teachers.....times change. Seems everyone likes a new title every now & then.

mrsben @amafixer: Thank you for entlightening me. When one does not have school aged children, one looses touch. FACS, oh my. Sounds very impressive!

billysnana1 I agree with drying linens outside. Nothing else can provide that feeling or smell then climbing into those clean sheets at the end of the day. Clothesline rock!

Your New Home LLC In much of Europe, hotel beds generally have only a fitted sheet covering the mattress and a duvet and often they are plain white. No top sheet and no decorative shams at all. Total simplicity and elegant in its own way especially if the duvet is very high quality.

I saw a seasoned housekeeper once iron sheets by laying the ironing board (with the legs collapsed) on top of the bare bed. The sheets slid around on the shiny mattress top allowing them to be ironed and re-positioned without wrinkling them or pooling them on the floor. I'm far too lazy to try it, but it looked like a good idea.

crosencrans I like a bedspread instead of a quilt where the underside of the bed is hidden and you don't have the bed skirts to deal with. Unfortunately, the bedspread seems to be a thing of the past. I have been thinking of sewing the bed skirt to the quilt just to save on the hassle.

olldroo Know exactly how you feel Crosencrans, I'm buying a new bed!!!

Jim Lamb My bed is made before I leave the house..The rest of the place can be out of order, but the bedroom is always neat. I know that there will be one room that I can escape to!

mcd53 I am not ironing sheets. I have enough to do without that too.

olldbobbi I don't get the point of ironing sheets, unless you're going to do it everyday! Maybe I sleep more wildly than everyone else, but in the morning my sheets just wouldn't look ironed. I do iron my pillowcases whenever I can, tho.

canajuneh I like the LOOK of ironed sheets, but am not willing to invest the time, so in my experience, a good compromise is if you can get the sheets out of the dryer while they are still warm, they can be folded nicely, and they will have that just pressed look. This is especially true of the pillow cases. Guests have accused me of ironing the sheets!

monicat I iron the top sheet when it's on the bed...and not the whole thing, just the top half.

fredericklc I'm blown away that people iron their sheets. Really. I'm happy to get my bed made.

coffee75 I prefer to make the bed when I get up, but after I realized I should let it air out a bit, I now go have that cup of coffee and come back after awhile and do it. The purpose of a duvet was to protect comforters made of down, which are not washable. By simply removing the duvet and laundering it, the down comforter will stay nice and last longer.

dancergirl05 Great ideas and really informative article! You can actually skip 4 steps with this new product that combined the flat sheet and the duvet cover. Check out the video:

jkristamagee Oh my! I so so loved this! I had to show my husband because he apparently thought I was seriously insane and no one else in the world is this in Iove with the look/feel- I have always been an organized junkie but I actually never really had a certain way of making the bed until I joined the ARMY. After getting your bed ripped apart and locker turned over if things were not 100% perfect always I quickly learned the right way and it became habit- then I fell in love with it so all jn all I am glad. The quarter they would throw on the beds literally ha to bounce or it wasn't correct and to this second in my own home a quarter wil bounce off the bed (without my comforter of course). My husband is in awe- he says we are nuts!!!!

joodabelle The only thing I see missing is the pillow protectors before the pillowcases. Sure saves on stained pillows!

jkristamagee I think it really made my day to know that I'm not the only person who irons my sheets... I mean yes they look great ironed but to be honest, I'm addicted to the way they feel lol. My husband is blown away that he wa wrong! There are others (a lot) who are not stay at home mothers/wife that iron the sheets- he always asks "how do you make the time to accomplish so much in one day?!" Easy answer dude! Time management! Loved this thank u!

olldroo jkrista - are we related??