How to make a bed

We have the same alarm clock (well one of my kids did and now it's in the spare room). I do make the bed every day but I feel your pain w/ the duvet,etc...I work up a sweat when I wash the feather bed cover and have to put that back on along w/ the sheets, freshly washed duvet cover and shams (ironed if necessary). It's not easy, but making it on a daily basis is! (for me at least..I just can't get into an unmade bed at night). Have you tried Northern Nights sheets from QVC, they are extra deep? I swear by them and won't use anything else!

heather

Nope, I never make it. Only when the cleaning lady comes. Sad. :)

Oh! you crack me up!!
& I audibly inhaled when you said you got some stuff at Midland Antique Mart - shoulda known! I'm glad you weren't there the day I got MY stuff : )

I loved your post. It all is so true for me as well. We make our bed everyday. My husband was in the military so he is very stuck in his way. The problem is he is much more sloppy with the decorative pillows which drives me crazy! I wash the duvet (almost) every weekend. I have to figure out how to get the down in the duvet, iron and ours has a big square on it as well that is never perfect! Anyway, thanks for the laugh. I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I'll admit that I NEVER made my bed growing up and I still don't care to do it. My husband does it before I do. I see it the same way- why bother, I am just going to mess it up again!

And an hour to make your bed! Wow- that is a chore!

I am on the look out for new bedding as well.

You are too funny! If I lived close I would swap you bed making for decorating! I make your bed you pretty up my house!

And I love the West Elm bedding. I have my heart set on similar bedding in a different color.

Can I just offer something I figured out the other day? It's been great for me...

We put our comforter/duvet on the wrong way. We put what is supposed to be the length...on the width of the bed. Then it covers the sides. It is short up top, but we have plenty of pillows to cover it up. and then my threadbare sheets...that are hangin' on for dear life...don't show quite so much.

That's a "works for me" kind of tip. Doesn't mean it works for everyone!

I am racking my brain as to how I could incorporate that gray one into my life. I just re-did my room...so it can't be there. Maybe it could be a robe. Or a tent. I just really need it to come home to me.

I don't make my bed either HA! You are not alone (que MJ song) LOL

My grandpa says that your sheets need to "breathe" so there's no point in making the bed and suffocating them. lol. Love your blog and oh my gosh... I can't believe you ironed the duvet. You are crazy! :)

I only make my bed on 3 occasions... 1.)We are having company over 2.)I just washed the sheets and 3.)I'm doing a blog post that requires pictures of the bedroom :) I would love a beautiful chandy in our room but I don't think the hubs or me could part with the fan!

Hannah
http://youngancrafty.blogspot.com/

Girl, I SWEAR we have the same DNA. Just painted my bedroom a color very close to yours, I have a duvet set very close to yours, and I heart that Barbara Barry set more than anything.

You are too funny telling the tale of making your bed, so glad you keep it real around here. Your bedroom is lovely.

Hugs
Kate

PS Are you going to the Endless Yard Sale ? Layla mentioned it the other day. Not sure I can swing it, but it would be FUN.

I love West Elm and think that one is very beautiful. You might also want to check out Horchow. Pricey but would definitely cover a king sized bed! I do NOT make my bed unless i know company is coming over, just in case they wonder into my room for some strange reason, but I clean houses for a living and everyone I clean for LOVES when I mention I make beds. I think it's just relaxing to come home not only to a clean smelly good house, but to a freshly made bed and not have to deal with it...key words: come home to...haha, they're not the ones making them. And thanks for sharing, and yes the homes I clean with king size beds are the ones I curse while I'm there! Thank goodness they're not home.

Oh girl, you just need bedding that is simpler to make up!! I have a duvet and a quilt at the foot, and four pillows and it takes me 5 minutes top to make a great looking bed. But if you're cool with it unmade...that works too! Personally, I have a weird thing about beds, if they are unmade I feel the day drags without energy, like I haven't accepted that daytime is here. Once made, the opposite is true.

I'm with you -- making the bed is a picture-worthy event because it happens so rarely. If I spend all that time making beds every day, I'll NEVER have time to be crafty!

Good grief now wonder you don't make it everyday! I would go bonkers doing that routine. New bedding sounds perfect for you and you picked some gorgeous ones. Love the blue the best. I mean luuuurrrve it!

YES! I make ours every single day.
Don't hate me. Love that you included the cats in the no cussing line. Ha!

Hey there....
I have followed your blog for a while now, but never commented. :) I've decided to come out of hiding to tell you that I love your blog!

You've probably already seen/tried the clips that hold sheets on, but just in case you haven't....
Check these out:

http://www.amazon.com/Sheet-Suspender-sheets-smooth-tight/dp/B0014AMBWK

I use similar ones on my pillowtop huge mattress. It adds a few minutes when you're changing the sheets, but I swear you don't tug on them once between when they are laundered. I was pretty skeptical, but they work for us.
I had to pass along the tip, just in case they work for you! :)

Here's some happy justification for NOT making your bed every day. Dust mites loves moisture. Which is why they hang out in beds a lot, because we all sweat when we sleep. Seriously, we fill a beer bottle with sweat while we sleep. Every single one of us, every single night! EWWW! BUT by not making your bed, you allow this moisture to evaporate into the air rather than trapping it in the mattress under the cover, thus decreasing the number of nasty dust mites living in your mattress! Yippe for healthy messiness!
So next time someone sneers at your unmade bed, you can bust out this fact and act all worried that they DO make their beds! :-D

Sarah, I love you. You just totally MADE. MY. DAY!

I rarely make our bed either, but when I do, I feel SO much better.

Have a great day! Oh and relax from all that strenuous bed-making labor! ha!

I've had tons of bedding (and I mean TONS) and nothing has survived better than my Crate & Barrel Lucia bedding. It's been washed, dried, washed, dried, stored, and slept on (aka attacked) by four cats and it still looks new. I saw it's worth the money, other people would disagree. If you plan on having it for a while, I say it's worth it!!!!

Even better, the print hides the cat hair!!!!!!!

probably the funniest bed making post i have ever seen! (not that i've ever seenone though) this sincerely made me laugh and smile the whole time!

and try satin sheets over the 1000 count! at first they seem like you're a ghetto gangster in the hood on a round pimp bed and then after you get over that fact you'll LOVE them!

I never make my bed either! But I'm with the commenter above on those sheet clips - best $5 I've ever spent, I hate struggling with those stupid sheets on the stupid deep mattress (which I love so long as the fitted sheet isn't curling up around my feet)!

Oh . . . I definitely think that your new bedding should be way easier to make!! I would never make mine if it required that much work!! I don't make my bed every day, but when I do, I am happier for it. :)

Hahaha every day are you kidding me?? Maybe about once or twice I week I properly make it, but the other days I either do nothing, or just half heartedly make it by pulling the duvet back so it looks "slightly" made. Duvets are such a pain!! I do love the down comfy though.

I am in love with that west elm pintuck duvet. I have been eyeing that for a few months now in the white, since I redid our room. But I do love that grey too, it's beautiful!

I need to invent something that keeps the duvet cover from moving from the corners of the comforter. I want it ALL to be fluffy, at all times. I hate how the comforter gets all tangled up on the inside. But since I just posted my idea to many thousands of people, I bet someone will beat me to the punch. Oh well, I'll buy it! :)

oh my gosh girl you had me cracking up!! I too hate to make my bed- I mean really who ever see's it? Sometimes a secretly wish my bedroom was down stairs facing the front door- then I would be forced to make it everyday! As for fitting the duvet back into the cover- DONT- I have a secret- and it works quite well-I LAY the duvet comforter right on top of my duvet-kinda like a second blanket-if you will- and to my surprise the bumps and lumps disappear and it looks all smooth and fresh-no more bunching up in one corner and you have to fish out the dang thing.
ok so there you have it!
LOVE LOVE reading your blog-im a daily reader-enjoy it and your humor quite much!
take care
Amanda-TheEckLife

Oh my goodness...I am dying of laughter right now, shaking my head at my computer, as if I am having a conversation with it. This post is as if you are in my house every morning! I have all of the same problems: cat hair - check, fitted sheet that attacks in the middle of the night- check, thickest mattress ever made- check, wrinkled up duvet-check, not knowing which way is which-check and the piece de resistance...duvet/comforter that doesn't quite cover all of the bed- check and check! So, if it makes you feel any better...you have a friend in California that goes through the same "ritual"...I would say on a daily basis...but seriously, who can go through that each day? I'm doing good if I do it two days a week! :o)

Are we soul sisters? I have the same clock! I just bought the West Elm bedding in whie last week! Love it! It is wider and longer than our previous duvet. I'm not sure it will cover a 17 inch mattress though :) We never make our bed! Keeping with our tradition, I haven't made our bed since we bought the new duvet. The West Elm duvet still looks great even if you don't make your bed! Good luck with your decision!

Sometimes I make our bed. We had that pillow top mattress too, then my husband put a 4 inch foam mattress on top of it. My comforter doesn't have a direction so I had it pulled down on the side you could see when you walk in the room and only hung down 4 or 5 inches on the other. Finally, we got a new mattress that is normal. Now everything fits. I recommend getting a new mattress.

We have a thick mattress as well. The only sheets I can find to fit have been at walmart. They are the cheaper brand and fit up to 18 or 19 inches. They don't have a lot of pretty prints, but the solids are nice.

Oh and I don't make my bed every day either. Maybe 20% of the time, although I have been on a bed making kick lately. I even made my two boys bed for a week. However I gave up on that this week. What was the point, they just jump on it and mess it up, but I do like the way a room looks with a made bed.

I make the bed daily, and straighten it at least 10 times as my husband lays across it to talk on the phone or take naps! Drives me crazy, but still do it! I always buy the next size up in bedding (king size for our queen bed) because ours is so high off the ground and then the comforter reaches the top of the bedskirt so all looks pretty! I did iron the skirt to the boxsprings on one side because the skirt is too long this way, but so worth it to have the extra length everywhere else.

I have laughed so hard at this post! It's good to know that I am not the only one that struggles while making my bed. I do try to make it more often than not; it makes me feel like I have really accomplished something for the day.

I hate making my bed, so I have to pull up the covers the minute I get of it in the morning or it won't get done.
I really, really, really despise changing the sheets on our king size bed! I'd rather scrub toilets!

Oh my, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who can't get bedding that fits the bed! We too have a thick, fluffy king and I can't get anything big enough to fit. Not even things labeled "oversized." I bought my comforter (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-and-Gardens-Paisley-Jacquard-Comforter-Set/11151660) and when I first made the bed with it, it fit! I did a happy dance. Then, I washed and dried it as directed and all of the sudden, it is 12 inches smaller! I threw a temper-tantrum. Oy. So now I cheat and pull the bedding down on the side you can see from our bedding door.

P.S. You are a brave soul, buying a duvet cover. I had one in college and vowed never again!

I absolutely love this post! Love the fact that you're not a bed maker...love that you posted about not being a bed maker...love the "play by play" photos...and I love that you took a picture of the clock before and after the big event.

This was just so funny! Thanks for sharing.

You are hilarious. Ever think of becoming a stand up comic? Anyway, I've started making our bed since our newest baby came along. It gives me a bit of serenity amongst the chaos. However, ours is not complicated so I guess that's why it's possible. I didn't even grow up using a top sheet. My husband convinced me it was necessary. Other than sheets, we just have a comforter and a couple of pillow shams. We sleep pretty soundly so we just pull up the covers in the morning and it's made. I have always wanted a duvet, though, so things may change...

I have that EXACT mattress! I feel your pain! Some things I have found to make making the bed less painful (I make mine 5 out of 7 days): I found a coordinating coverlet that I cut into strips and sews around the edges of the duvet. It looks like another layer (so lux!) but works to hide the 47 inches of mattress that hang out from under the duvet. Sheets: Wal-mart. I know! I got 600 thread count sheet from wally world that fit mattresses up to 18 inches thick. good luck!

Here are some hints to help: Count our the 'squares' on your blanket, then with a fabric marker, write "bottom" in the middle of the end of the duvet that sits at the opening of the duvet cover. That way, you just look for your marking next time you change the sheets, and you know which way it goes.

Also, turn your cover inside out before putting it on the duvet, then bring your hands inside it to each top corner, then with your hands in the corners grab the duvet top corners and shake the sheet a bit so it starts to fall right way out over the duvet. Then take 2 safety pins, and pin the cover to the corners you were holding. Then proceed to straighten out the rest of the cover onto the duvet, those top corners will stay in place because of the pins. I then pin both the bottom corners too, and button the cover closed. I leave the pins there until I wash the sheets again, you actually don't notice them while you sleep, and it keeps the duvet from getting scrunched up inside the cover after a while.

Yup, make the bed every day. I hate getting into an unmade bed. I used to be like you but then I got used to making it and now I can't sleep in a messy bed. So even when I'm sick I make it. Oh and if you use a matress cover and wash it when you wash your sheets you don't have to worry about the sweat and bed bugs :)

Hugs,
Joanne

Yup, make the bed every day. I hate getting into an unmade bed. I used to be like you but then I got used to making it and now I can't sleep in a messy bed. So even when I'm sick I make it. Oh and if you use a matress cover and wash it when you wash your sheets you don't have to worry about the sweat and bed bugs :)

Hugs,
Joanne

Yup, make the bed every day. I hate getting into an unmade bed. I used to be like you but then I got used to making it and now I can't sleep in a messy bed. So even when I'm sick I make it. Oh and if you use a matress cover and wash it when you wash your sheets you don't have to worry about the sweat and bed bugs :)

Hugs,
Joanne

You are so funny! This had me laughing 'cause I could picture you trying to make that dang bed! About the only time I make my bed is if we are having company, which doesn't happen often.

Yikes, that does sound like hard work! I do make the bed every day, but all I do is shake the duvet out and lay it smooth on the bed, prop up the pillows and lay the blanket / quilt smooth and folded back along the bottom. It takes 5 minutes.

Have you thought of taking a marker and marking 2 of the corners of your comforter so you know which two corners go into the cover first? Then you won't have to count squares every time. That should take 5 minutes off your hour ;o)

I never made my bed before I became a Flybaby. Now I do it every day, but I think I would still be resisting if it took me as long as it takes you! I've got a comforter so there's no crazy duvet situation or ironing involved. Probably takes 5 minutes or less. I'm not into hospital corners, just want to make it look neat and tidy. You are so right . . . it makes the whole room look so much better when the bed is made. I bought all those decorative pillows . . . can't enjoy them if they sit in a pile on the floor all the time, right?

Also do you have a queen or a king? I was thinking if you have a queen you could buy a king duvet cover. That should surely cover all the thicknesses, right?!

I do the same as Christine except I wait for hubby to come home and hold the corners for me instead of messing with safety pins! We also use a flat sheet under the duvet cover so I don't have to wash the cover as often. Saves a lot of stress and cuss words!

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I have to do the same thing with counting the squares! Lol. I have 600 TC sheets, and have actually slept on 1000 TC sheets (my mom has some), and I totally prefer the 600s. They feel so..... creamy! Lol.

I laughed so hard at this post. It was great. I don't make my bed (but I do have my kids make their own beds, haha). I have a hard time making my bed when it only takes 5 mins. Ours is a queen with less fluff on the top and our sheets STILL pop off. It irritates the *bleep* out of me. :) Thanks for the story.

Seriously, if my bed took that long to make, i would never bother so i don't blame you for only doing it about three times a year ;)

I literally just pull the duvet cover back up over everything and that constitutes "made" for me. Ha.

Yes, I make our bed every day except Sunday. However, we have a normal thickness mattress. Haha And we have a print comforter, not a duvet cover and white comforter. SO, there is no ironing involved, and no frustrating trying-to-put the-quilt-back-in-the-cover. We have had that, and I hate doing it!
I feel like the house is a mess if all the beds aren't neat, but maybe I have OCD. Haha

You crack me up. Your bedroom is beautiful, no matter how the bed looks. Have you thought about getting sheets for a california king in order to have more fabric?

ROFL man that routine would make me sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag when I made the bed. I don't make my bed everyday, but we do pull the covers up nice & neat so the room doesn't always look a total wreck. I had hubby trained to do this, but he needs a refresher course for when he gets out of bed. When I have my duvet on the bed, we don't sleep under it. I fold/roll it neatly to the foot of the bed so I can just unroll it the next morning.

You really had me laughing with your account of making your bed. Tighter than you in your highschool jeans, put me over the edge. I make it a point of making my bed once a week, when I was the sheets. I don't have a King sized bed and I think you just scared me from ever getting one!

Not sure if anyone else suggested this, but my husband is a sheet and cover stealer so I have a plan. I buy the next size up in comforter and flat sheet. Unless you have a Cal King, you can do this. But it makes the comforter cover the sides of the bed better when you do make it those three times a year. It also allows me to be covered up when I sleep at nite.

so FUNNY!!! i measured the covers for our king and stitched a little matching color x in the underside of the corner that goes in the lower left, so i know which way is correct. it still doesn't hang the way i want, but it is in the right direction

lol!!! but it looks sooo PRETTY once the ordeal is over ;)

I'm with ya girl! If I had to go through that everyday I wouldn't make my bed either. I work part time, so the days I work I don't make my bed either---why bother. I have the same clock by my bed! Small world.

Holy Cow girl! And that is exactly why I will not have a duvet ever again. I will tell you that I have gotten coverlets since then and I LOVE them. I have two young boys and when something gets on them I can just throw them in my wash. And it is clean...also NO ironing! The first one I got was white cuz my youngest had reflux really bad and when ever he spit up his blueberry baby food I would just put some bleach on that baby and throw it in the wash and it was as good as new. Good luck picking out new bedding. Oh and I got my coverlets at Home Goods..no more then $80.

After fighting with my OWN duvet/comforter/pillowtop mattress situation, I caved and bought an easy, cute quilt on Saturday.

(Also inspired by the fact that my two year old poured nail polish over my old duvet.)

JC Penney has sheets that fit up to 20" and yes they stay put....

Oh, I will have to check out JcPenny per the last poster. We have a 17" thick queen size mattress and I sheets that say they fit this 18" deep don't fit. I don't have quite the wrestling match you do, but I hate that the mattress is never completely covered (though they at least do stay on.) Ugh. So I feel your pain. As for the whole comforter covering the sides I went the route of a king size comforter on a queen size bed. Not sure that helps you though. :) Good luck!

Yes...I do make the bed everyday. My girls make their's as well. The bed is such a big thing in the room (literally) that I feel like the whole room looks better if it's made. I'd invest the $100,000.00 for one of the "super deep" fitted sheets. It'd kill me, but I'd do it. I'd also take the duvet off at night so it wasn't a wrinkley mess. ('cause while I'm a "neat and tidy" girl, ironing is NOT my thing) Also...I'd go for the cheaper bedding if you're not going to make the bed. I'd gladly come make your bed if you'd help me decorate my house!

Agree with Katie, duvets are evil! Coverlets are the way to go.

Just this past weekend I discovered that there is a Restoration Hardware outlet store about an hour from my house. The prices on the bedding ran from 70-90% off retail!!! Their bedding is so gorgeous. Is there an outlet store near you, perhaps?

...back to say, I think Macy's carries sheets that fit mattresses up to 21 inches deep. You may have to sell off half of your belongings to buy them...but they may stay on better.

Too funny, but seriously, you just need to get some bedding that fits your bed. It will make bed-making so much easier. Your fitted sheet will stay on if it is the right size. Too small and it pops off the minute you lay on the bed. And don't buy a duvet cover that has to be ironed, crazy girl. Who wants to spend time ironing a duvet cover. Duvets are supposed to make life easier, not harder. Mark the long end of your duvet with a small thread stitch (or sharpie mark if you dare) so you don't have to count squares anymore. Take a quick look for the stitches and you know which end is which immediately.
The sheet packages will state what mattress depth they are made for.

My husband or I make the bed every day. It's so nice to come into a neat serene bedroom at the end of the day. All we have is sheets and one quilt so it only takes a minute or two. The quilt is square, so it doesn't matter which way is up. We live in a warm climate where our duvet is only needed a couple of nights each winter, so it stays stored most of the time. I have the opposite problem - the fitted sheet is baggy and it drives me crazy. I cannot find sheets that will fit my smaller mattress as everything is for the fat mattresses now.

Laughing out loud at the process you go thru making your bed! If I had to do all that I wouldn't make my bed either...who am I kidding I only have sheets on my bed now and I still don't make it! Love the new bedding ideas, but Target is carrying bedding that is VERY similiar to the tufted set not sure about what colors but I am sure it is alot cheaper!! Can't wait to see how it turns out!

My bed is pretty easy to make but I still do not most of the time. I have been trying to recently since I want my boys to make theirs. I think if I had a bed like yours I would never make it! I had three decoritive pillows on the bed for a while after I first got married and my husband hated them! I realized it was silly to keep them when disliked them so much. So my bed is just a blanket and pillows for us. It is simple but it works.

Oh...I'm so with you on this topic. However, my husband is a little ocd on the bed making. Sometimes I leave it undone just to see how quick he makes it after he gets home;) However, I've learned to make it quickly and I'm much more particular about it looking nice and tight, vs. his version of just throwing the covers back over the pillows willy-nilly...I mean, if your gonna make it do it right!! LOVE this post--yet again, I think we could have coffee together;)

Also, check out Stein Mart for deep 17" sheets & beddign. I get great deals there and usually 300+ thread counts. Maybe even 1000...king size about $30!!

Hilarious, Sarah! Seriously if I had to do all of that to make my bed, shoot I wouldn't make mine either. Oh wait, I don't make mine either;-)

Well, except for when I'm putting it on the blog. Or, when company is coming over. But being a SAHM who takes naps with the kids, I really feel like it pointless. Everyday I have to hit the ground running!

When I give my room a good cleaning I always start making my bed everyday. Then my room starts to collect junk again and I stop. Just cleaned it recently so I'm trying to keep it that way and make my bed everyday. We just have a sheet and a quilt and a few pillows so it's no biggie. Keep in mind what you just went through to make your bed. Get a set that has fitted sheets that fit your huge mattress and I would go with a comforter or quilt so you don't have to deal with ironing a duvet covet and trying to put it on just right. We don't even use our down comforter with the duvet cover for just that reason. I hate ironing it and it is so stinkin hot, with the comforter plus added layers of the duvet cover so we can't even use it. Maybe you will actually make it every day if it is easier to do.

You are a hoot!!! I never made my bed growing up but once I got to college I started doing it....neat freck roomate and tight quarters! We make our bed every day and the kids do too! I do fight with sheets popping off and duvets not hanging down far enough on the sides though. Those puffy pillowtop mattresses are the culprit. Deep pocket sheets still don't work.....I tend to go the HomeGoods route and maybe that's it. I just cannot bite the bullet and spend a fortune on bedding.....is it really worth it?? We also cannot "flip" the mattress now with the pillowtop so ours looks like we each weight 500 lbs too! Love your idea about putting the thermostat on 55 degrees!!! I might just set ours to that not to rid the room of the fan but to help me and the dreaded symptoms "over the hill" women face!

Steinmart, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning, etc. all have sheet sets for deeper mattresses. They are super high thread counts too, though I don't recall if they had any 1000 counts. Most sets are in my budget range of between $50-$100.

This cracks me up! I have similar bed-making struggles (trying to get the sheets to fit, figuring out which way the duvet fits inside the cover...), only my husband is super-allergic to dust mites and insists that the sheets be washed weekly. Uggh!

On another note, I never make the bed (just fold the duvet down at the foot of the bed), and my excuse is that unmade beds are less welcoming to dust mites (it's totally scientific: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4181629.stm).

I gotta admit, I make our bed every day; but it's not half as complicated as your bed! :) I feel depressed if I walk into the bedroom and see a snarled mess on the bed. Plus, there's something nice about turning down the comforter and crawling into a neatly made bed!

I do make my bed....almost everyday. Because I like walking by my room and seeing the bed made, because I encourage my girls to make their beds everyday, and also because I like getting into a made bed a night.

For sheets, I LOVE bamboo cotton blends. I can't explain it, but there is something very cozy about bamboo.

My MIL made the quilt on our bed. My husband and I picked out the fabrics, which we loved in the store. All put together, it's a little on the wild side (lots of pattern--polka dots--and color). And, I haven't exactly decided how to best handle that.

In the summer months, I make the bed by folding the quilt over the bottom half of the bed, and folding the flat sheet down to meet it, then loading on the pillows. Takes about 2 minutes.

I learned an awesome trick from PW - put your sheets on the bed straight from the washing machine. They have more stretch so you can get them over the thick mattress (we have a fatty mattress too, complete with 500 lb divots). Pull the top sheet way crisp and taught, and turn your fan on high. They'll be dry in an hour or so and be waaaaay crisp, like you ironed them. And super soft. Maybe it would work with the duvet, too?

Anyway, yes, I make the bed every day (well, usually). When everything else in my house is crazy (and with 2 little boys, it is usually crazy), the bedroom is my respite. That is, until 2 said little boys decide to jump on the bed and un-make it!

I learned an awesome trick from PW - put your sheets on the bed straight from the washing machine. They have more stretch so you can get them over the thick mattress (we have a fatty mattress too, complete with 500 lb divots). Pull the top sheet way crisp and taught, and turn your fan on high. They'll be dry in an hour or so and be waaaaay crisp, like you ironed them. And super soft. Maybe it would work with the duvet, too?

Anyway, yes, I make the bed every day (well, usually). When everything else in my house is crazy (and with 2 little boys, it is usually crazy), the bedroom is my respite. That is, until 2 said little boys decide to jump on the bed and un-make it!

HAHA!!! You crack me up! And holy cow, I can't believe it takes so long to make your bed. I'd be crying too :-) I always make hubby help me when we make ours so it takes less time. I couldn't do a duvet, they're too hot for me I usually sleep w/ no covers b/c I get so warm in the middle of the night, even a comforter is too much sometimes. :-)

Holy cow. That is dedication. I do NOT have it in me to do that!

I make my bed everyday!!! The only exception would be if one of my children are sick-our bed it their place to hang out and watch TV with a barf bowl beside them. I have this thing about making the bed and dishes in the sink. If my bed is made and there are no dishes in the sink, I feel like the house is somewhat clean no matter what Lego-land, Groovy Girl, truck stop, Strawberry land my kids have going in the living room.

If you are looking for very deep pocket sheets that feel great, check out J.C. Penney and they have a wonderful high thread count, too. The ones I got a Penney's were around $60.00, but they do have great sales and coupons. They fit around a large mattress with room to spare. I also found a great set at Marshals for around $30.00. When shopping for sheets look for ones that go for an 18 - 20 inch pocket.

Yes, I make my bed pretty much every day. I just feel better. Coming home after a long day at work, I feel like the house is a mess (even if it's not) if the bed isn't made.

BUT....here's what I found. It has to be easy to make. My last bedding set wasn't...it involved some tucking under the matress, and I was less likely to make my bed.

My new bedding just requires the sheet to be pulled up, the comforter just straightened and pulled back slightly, and pillows put back. It takes only a couple minutes now.

I recently got the Artesia Palace Comforter (as a bday present - Thanks MOM!) from JCPenney. I wanted a 'moody' bedroom. :)

I have that alarm clock too! Nor do I ever make my bed.... My kitties loves to curl up in the wrinkles of the comforter! Just an FYI on the West Elm duvet. I have that one and the gatherings are horrible. Many of them pulled apart just from me tugging the covers around me. And then several totally ripped apart in the washer or dryer (I don't know which one). It wasn't as great as I expected it to be....

I have the same clock. I heart it so much! Love the duvet cover. You are a stronger woman than I- no way would I iron it.

I generally make my bed every day, although sometimes not until right before I get in it at night. I don't sleep well if the covers are all amiss! Silly, I know!
As a child my bed was never made, I only had a blanket and no top sheet, so it wasn't difficult to keep it from getting askew. I am currently redoing my bedroom and have been in the habit (for over 5 years) of removing the comforter every night, and placing it on my quilt rack, and then replacing it on the bed each morning. I am NOT a neat freak, but I do like a good night's sleep, which is better for me if the sheets and blanket are neat.
Your room is beautiful, and your bed is gynormous! lol
I have two cats and a dog, none are allowed on the bed once it's made. We've come to an understanding! I'm rambling now. Check out my bedroom redo this week and next.
gail

I have the same exact king size bed. I have resorted to the sheets, a blanket 4 pillows and a comforter folded at the foot of the bed. I do make mine everyday, almost. Oh, and I never iron the duvet cover.

Our bed is a Tempur-Pedic, so I feel you on the fitted-sheets-don't-actually-fit debacle. I found some little bungee strap thingies at a BB&B a year ago that hold the corners down under the mattress, and they work WONDERS!

Ooh, but it looks so nice when you're finished. :) I hate making the bed too. I just had to come over and tell you that my wishes came true and they're opening a Hobby Lobby in my town. I am beside myself. ;)

I have four words for you - wrinkle free duvet cover. I scored a gorgeous one at Frontgate outlet for $50!! Not only does it feel like buttah, it really does stay wrinkle free! I do make my bed every day - makes me feel somewhat in control of my otherwise hectic life!

One of the benefits of being married is that I don't make the bed by myself anymore! It cuts the job in half. We don't make the bed unless we're expecting guests. Even then, it depends on the guest. Right now we're using a solid gray quilt instead of a duvet. It's a lot less fussy!

I am so bad about never making the bed. For a while my husband would tease me by only making his side so that it looked nice and mine looked like a mess! My absolute favorite thing is when the bed is freshly made with sheets right out of the dryer in the winter!

Wow. I'm not sure if I'd make my bed either if it was that much trouble. My iron rarely touches clothing, let alone any bedding! :)
My comforter is an alternative down from Target, in a cream color. I usually put different quilts or throws over the end of it. Come night time, that thing usually ends up on the floor because it is so warm!

We have an 18in mattress and the only thing we've found that fits is an oversized duvet from Home Goods. I think it's 108in x 98in.

I make our bed more in the winter than in the summer and then only on the weekend day that I've changed the sheets. For summer we have a summer quilt on the bed and I just pull that up, neaten up our sleepin' pillows and walla ~ done! It looks neat and that's good enough for me!

I have a really thick mattress as well and I found good size deep sheets at TJ Maxx and they weren't white or cream! They were actually a Cynthia Rowley design sheet set that fit my thick mattress. Love it! So definitely check out Home Goods, Marshalls and TJ Maxx sheet sets, too.

Hilarious! That is my bed making experience to a T, minus the ironing, plus a bump on the head. One side is under a gable and I bump into it and swear at it every time.
1000 thread cont sheets can be had at Overstock.com for about $100/$150 for King size and the ones I got last year actually fit on my 17 inch mattress !

Forget the bedding! Why in the HELL are you ironing your duvet?! Holy Crap woman - you pooped me out just reading the post!

great post! I admit - I am a bed maker. We don't use a top sheet or extra blankets - just a fitted sheet and a down comforter with washable duvet. Since I wash it as frequently as sheets I tend to just get them from IKEA. It takes about 30 seconds to make our bed, including the decorative pillows and it makes me happy. Plus we a have a little guest house out back and the kids tend to use our room as a shortcut so I like it to look decent :-)

I make my bed everyday. My college roommate was from Guam and she told me you had to make your bed or your guardian angel would stay asleep in it all day. After that I have made my bed everyday. I also leave most of it folded down for the dust mite reason, but it must be tucked in tightly at the foot of the bed.

I love my duvet. I just lay my duvet cover inside out and then lay my down comforter on top of it. There are ties at each corner and then I flip it right side out and throw it on the bed.

You made me laugh and if I had your bedding set I probably wouldn't make it every day either! I do make our bed every day but then again I only have a regular king sized bed, down comforter and a light weight quilt to cover it all. It goes together in about 2 minutes. That includes the decorative pillows. Oh yeah, we have teenagers and so no more stuffed animals and the such in the bed to dig out!! I got our set at Target and love it. I love our homey bedroom but yours is so elegant looking. Good luck with the bedding search!

: ) Your post CRACKED me up!! :) Haha! Making the bed is QUITE the chore - we don't really do it either - unless company is coming over (but I don't think they should be in my room anyways -- so I'm not sure whey we make it then - haha!).

I sewed a ribbon in each corner of our duvet on the inside and tied the corner of the comforter in each one -- it actually helped keep our duvet in place -- otherwise my hubby ends up with the the whole comforter on his side and I get the empty duvet.

Love your blog, Sarah!! :)

Hilarious! I too go through a very similar quandary in our house. Although our bed isn't ten feet off the ground, it is a California King with a foam pad on top of the mattress and a cedar chest at the foot of the bed. It is nearly impossible to make. We make our bed probably 3 times a year as well; usually around the holidays when the family comes over.

Thanks for being brave enough to show the world your unmade bed; you have guts girl! :)

Yes, make it everyday...my girls do too. I have always started the day off that way, even as a kid (it was expected). To me it's actually calming...I at least know one thing is as it should be...great start to the day. Hubby slurged and suprised me with PB Bedding for Christmas...I love it. It is all washable, something since learning of my severe dust mite allergies that is a MUST!

Wow, I am not sure I would make my bed every day if I had to go through all of that. But, I do make it every day. Of course I keep it simple. I use a duvet that looks good folded at the edge of the bed and a coverlet as my bed covering during the summer months. I found that if I don't make the bed, the cat decided to spend her day in bed and gets hair everywhere.

I rarely make my bed, but I really have no excuse. On top of my bed, I just use a duvet. No flat sheet or other blankets. So I just have to pull it strait.

PLUS, I also use sheet straps. I saw someone posted some that go all the way under the mattress... well, that's too much work for me. I use ones like these-

http://www.amazon.com/Sheet-Straps-Set-of-4/dp/B000BFWFJ8/ref=pd_sim_k_2

So easy. What's my excuse?

Wow that was quite the dramatic process of making a bed. I didn't realize it was so much work. I make my bed everyday - life cannot go on until it's done. I think there may have been 4 or 5 days in my life when I didn't make my bed (I think I learned this from my mom - get up, make your bed and get dressed). Hubby helps out and makes it on occassion too. So good luck finding some bedding that would be easier. Love your pillows though - they look great. Funny post.

this was hilarious! i'm the same way.. never make the bed because it's a pain and because we also have a huge pillowtop mattress..it's so hard to fix the duvet just right. glad i'm not alone! i always feel guilty about not making the bed!

You could add a ruffle (like a bedskirt) to the edges of your duvet to help add length to cover the sides. . .just an idea

Loved this post! We are not bed-makers either as a direct function of running late every.single.morning. And I may have bought that west elm duvet just because I would not need to iron it:).

This post is histerical!! Lol. I can totally relate to your anguish at making the bed. Once upon a time I was a big time bed maker. Had to be perfect. But at this point in my life, I am now lazy. Yes, I am lazy and start thinking why am I spending so much time making the bed when I will have to do it again tomorrow? But, you're right, making the bed makes me feel like I have accomplished something and it makes the room look nicer. My DH and I are trying to decide on which way to go with our master. Colors, style etc. Bold or basic? Tough choice. I usually go with the inexpensive choices but I will not give up my 500 thread count sheets thank you very much!

Cheryl M.

Finally! someone who feels my pain! we had an enormous Cal. King bed until 2 days ago, a pillow top, duvet and feather bed...no sheet in the world worked. Now we have a Queen size bed and I should have no excuse for not making the bed.
I was also looking at our ceiling fan last night, and wishing I could talk my husband into replacing it with a Chandy, let me know if you find a way to do it:)

Whew!! THAT is exactly why I switched from a duvet cover to a plain simple comforter! (But, I have to admit...mine hardly gets made...ever!! I have a rotating-shift husband!)
Nonetheless, yours is gorgeous all dootied (if that's such a word) up!!

Ok - I've been thinking about this since posting this morning and I'm wondering... Why oh why would you go to all that trouble that late in the day??? By that point, I'd say forget it... Our pouffy mattress will soon be replaced by a "normal" old-fashioned one.

When I was living on my own, I would make my bed MAYBE once a week because an unmade bed just does not bother me. Now that I'm married, I have a husband who goes bananas when the bed isn't made.. so naturally, that became his job because I was NOT making that dang bed every single day. So now, we get the pretty made bed and I don't have to lift a finger :) works for me!

OK, here's my secret: I don't use top sheets. Well, I do, but like this:
Buy 2 sets of sheets. Sew top sheets together, leaving most of the top open. Put comforter inside.(I guess you could add buttons or ties, but the comforter seems to stay put without them.)
Put the extra bottom sheet on the box spring.

I just wash the duvet cover (the one made of sheets) when I wash the bottom sheet (once a week or so). I don't wash the one on the box spring very often. We don't use any other blankets, so making the bed takes about 5 seconds.

Oh, and I have a super thick mattress too. I know that really thick sheets are available online, but generally I'm too cheap to buy them. I just pull the corners down as best I can and try to ignore it.

I am with you sista! Make a bed to get back into it? Ummm...not so much, but I do make it a few times a month...you know, when my mom comes to inspect...errr visit.
I am a quilt girl...the hubby and I have had quilts for, well...always. Love the durability! Our bedding now came from a Linen place in Fredericksburg, TX...along with 1200 count sheets for a bargin price! I LOVE slipping between them each night..aahhh...a little piece of heaven!
Can't wait to see what you decide to do!

I am with you sista! Make a bed to get back into it? Ummm...not so much, but I do make it a few times a month...you know, when my mom comes to inspect...errr visit.
I am a quilt girl...the hubby and I have had quilts for, well...always. Love the durability! Our bedding now came from a Linen place in Fredericksburg, TX...along with 1200 count sheets for a bargin price! I LOVE slipping between them each night..aahhh...a little piece of heaven!
Can't wait to see what you decide to do!

I'm talking myself into commenting, knowing that when you read this, you will, indeed, realize, that we are NOT kindred spirits. I make my bed every.single.day. True story. It takes 3 minutes, and some days, it's all I can manage to get done. Promise me we'll still be friends....If you get a minute, you should read this post, it's mostly relevant to this story. http://tellingbells.blogspot.com/2010/06/marriage-ref.html

I def feel your pain and always feel like I've failed some master task as a housewife if company catches my bed un-made... It's a terrible pain but I feel so good to walk into my bedroom and see a perfectly made bed - usually that ends soon after when my hubby or kitty plops right in the middle... URGH! LOL

I'm in the process of trying to redo my master bdrm too and I'm a die-hard fan of paisley prints although I did find a less "girly" comforter my husband and I both agreed on that was in a handsome dark chocolate and tufted for $25 BUCKAROOS!!! SCORE!!! It looks very much like the West Elm one you mentioned but it was actually Better Homes and Garden carried by - WAL-MART!!! I didn't want to spend as much as they were asking - which still isn't bad for decent bedding but it wasn't in the budget and we didn't "need" it. I went to an Essex store that has returns and found ONE set in yummy chocolate just the right size for my bed for 25 BUCKS!!! It was a return b/c the bag was ripped... Seriously - we were a match made in heaven!!! Now when I walk in my bedroom it feels so luxurious and it is always the room that pple awe at!!! The frugalnist of it all is my secret to keep! ;D

Takes me less than 2 minutes to make our bed each morning and I love how it looks so it is worth it! When I enter our bedroom it is the retreat we love to come into!

Buy some sheets that fit and good quality bedding that doesn't wrinkle. Also, as a stager I steam lots of beds and beddings. Investing in a good steam iron has been the best investment I have ever made -- it would take me less than 4 minutes to steam your duvet . . . want me to come over and do it for you? LOL

Oh Sarah, thanks for making me smile today. I just LOVE to read your blog even if I have yet to apply a darn thing you talk about. Hey, a girl can dream right? For the record, yes I make my bed every day. Well. almost every day. :o) It's the only way I can get the kids to make theirs.

Thanks for making my day with this post! Funny!

I try to make my bed every day, but its really more like a couple days a week. I love, love, love the way it feels when I get back in it. I know, its a mental thing I am sure. As for washing the sheets, that doesn't happen as often as it should. My hubs grew up doing it once a week! We have a cheapo bed bath and beyond bargain set that I absolutley hate! I think I will spend more than $20 for a king set next time! So I guess we will splurge! Thanks for the laugh!

We have the Barbara Barry poetical duvet and it's gorgeous in person! A bit lighter and slightly more taupe than gray in person - I think it would look great with the wall color you have. Just sayin' ;)

I do NOT make my bed very often, and I think with all these other comments my secret will be safe (mwhaaahaahaa)!

I read this late last night and it made me laugh. But I was tired and a bit loopy so I did't comment. This morning I still find this extremely funny...that is one big bed! Now I'm lucid enough to think of a comment.

I love all the bedding choices you are looking at, especially the grey one, but why are you changing? Just for a fresh look? Cuz I love the bedding you have now. LURVE it, actually, to use your term! haha. I love white bedding. What are you planning to do wiht the current set you have?

OH my goodness I was dying when I read this!! We actually have the opposite problem. We have a queen size bed with an average depth mattress which always comes off because they are too deep! And years ago I decided to make a "queen" size quilt for our bed but HATE having my shoulders exposed to I made it extra wide. Read the thing hangs to within 4 (yea Four) inches of the floor on either side plus hangs down off the foot quite a ways (I tuck it in at the foot because otherwise I end up fighting with it during the night! To my husband's chagrin on more than one occasion I've gotten up in the middle of the night to retuck in the top sheet and quilt because it was strangling me!! Yeah sad.... Chris has gotten to the point where he can sleep right through it...)

I have to admit my husband and I really don't make our bed. We own a Sleep Number bed and purchased 2 sheet sets from them. I love them and they come with an elastic on each corner which prevents our fitted sheet from coming off even after the kids have been jumping on our bed.
I know they may seem pricey but with a sale and coupon you can save 50%. Oh did I mention they are so soft.

Wow!! I am exhausted just reading about your bed-making ordeal!! I will definitely reconsider buying a thick mattress now.
Our bed gets "made" a couple times a week. The last person to get out of bed is supposed to make it, so my hubby sometimes makes it, but it doesn't look that nice!!
I hate wrestling with duvets and covers so I always buy comforters.

Me and my husband used to have a memory foam topper on top of our pillow top mattress, so I feel your pain. To keep the fitted sheet on, I sewed long strips of elastic from opposite corners. It made it a pain to get the fitted sheet on, but it stayed once it was there, so it was worth it to me.

I got our sheets at Sam's Club in Greenwood about a year ago. They're 400 tc and they are DEEP! Hubs and I laugh about never, ever getting a bedskirt because our sheets are long enough to cover both our mattress and boxspring. (Tempurpedic - I can't get a skirt on that thing - I can't move our mattress - it's so freakin' heavy!) Oh - also, I heard on the readio today that it's better for you to not make the bed. It discourages bedbugs and mites because the moisture (from our sweat - ew!) evaporates if you don't make the bed. So... let that baby air out!!!

we make our beds in our house every day. the rooms just look so much tidier that way and that makes me feel better! also, i have that west elm duvet cover in white in the full/queen size and it covers well. it's on my blog if you want to see it... oyou could get the king set and it would easily hit the floor.

I didn't read through all the comments...so someone probably suggested this already, but I bet you could find some great seamstress out there (on etsy maybe?) who could make you a few fitted sheets that actually fit! I have never seen a mattress so huge! (It must be very comfy.) Anyway, I'm a big fan of making the bed everyday; it just makes our room look so much better! But I don't think I would do it if it was as hard as yours is! :)

Seems like just a few months ago when you got that comforter you now have... BUT, go ahead... bring it on. I'd love to see a new one because I know you will choose the PERFECT one for the room

Di

I'm fanaticial about making my bed every single day. In the past 15 years I can count two times that I left the house with the bed unmade, and both involved the flu and leaving just to go to the doc and then crawl right back in.

Tips to easier bed making. When you take the clean sheets out of the dryer you should fold the top sheet. Fold it so it is top to bottom and then side to side and forms a nice square with the top hem facing out. Do the same with the blanket when you take it off the bed. It isn't extra work, it makes it easier. After you've wrestled the fitted sheet on, take the top sheet that you've folded into the square. You can line the folded edge to the center of your bed and the top of the bed. Then it is just a matter of opening up the fold so the sheet goes across the top of the bed and then pull the other half of the sheet down. Repeat with the blanket.

I only own quilts as duvets drive me batshit crazy. They never look as pretty as one would like and are more trouble then they are worth to wrestle back into the cover. Quilts look very tidy on a bed and make bed-making so much easier.

I used to chambermaid many moons ago and you learn tricks on making tasks like that easier and quicker.

I don't have a blog of my own, but if you like, I can take photos of the steps and send them to you so it makes sense.

Amanda

I do make our bed everyday. It makes our home feel cleaner with the beds made. Weird I know. I wrestled with a duvet cover for years until I decided to chuck it. We now have a beautiful sheet set, duvet, and a beautiful coverlet over the top. I then fold over the sheets so you can see the sheets. Then put pillows on the bed. No more worry about the duvet now covering the sides of the bed and no more ironing!

OH and it takes about 5 minutes!

I used to make the bed everyday, but now nope, never!! It never looks the way I want it to anyways so whats the point. And the dog will just jump up there and make a mess of the comforter anyways since apparently its more comfortable for her that way :-)

hello darlin', have I got a tip for you! :) I have that extra, super duper deep mattress too and I did something to my sheets to make them stay on...are you on pins and needles?! :) I took elastic (about 1" wide) and sewed it crosswide on the underside corners of my fitted sheets...but you could even put it on with safetly pins..I have some like that too. You just put the sheet on the bed, raise up the corner to see how far back you'll want your elastic...pin it where you like it..and either sew it or leave it...up to you. My sheets used to come off in the middle of the night and we'd be lying on the bare mattress by morning...but NO MORE, they stay perfectly in place now. I'm going to be blogging about this little tip soon, but I thought I would share with you first, since you seem to be having the same issues I had. :)
Hope it helps you...it even makes making the bed easier. I make mine almost everyday and it only takes about 10 minutes! :)
Love ya much girlie!
Missy

OMG this was FUNNY! LOVED IT! I admire your honesty and commitment to keeping it real!

hello darlin', have I got a tip for you! :) I have that extra, super duper deep mattress too and I did something to my sheets to make them stay on...are you on pins and needles?! :) I took elastic (about 1" wide) and sewed it crosswide on the underside corners of my fitted sheets...but you could even put it on with safetly pins..I have some like that too. You just put the sheet on the bed, raise up the corner to see how far back you'll want your elastic...pin it where you like it..and either sew it or leave it...up to you. My sheets used to come off in the middle of the night and we'd be lying on the bare mattress by morning...but NO MORE, they stay perfectly in place now. I'm going to be blogging about this little tip soon, but I thought I would share with you first, since you seem to be having the same issues I had. :)
Hope it helps you...it even makes making the bed easier. I make mine almost everyday and it only takes about 10 minutes! :)
Love ya much girlie!
Missy

I TOTALLY understand about the sheet dilemma! I found a solution that has worked great for our cal. king bed. They are "suspenders" for your sheets. You can buy them at Bed Bath & Beyond and they attach to each corner of your fitted sheet and stay under the mattress. A bit of a bear to get them on the first time, but then, if your mattress is heavy enough, they stay in place when you change the sheets.
Give 'em a try, you'll love the difference it makes:)
Happy Bed-Making!

You think you have it bad? Our mattress is 21 inches thick! It is almost impossible finding bedding that fits! The one store near us that sells "super king" stuff has limited selection in that size, and 95% of the stuff isn't my style!

For sheets though, I may have a solution! We use Sealy Perfect Fit sheets from sears! I believe the package says they fit up to 22 inches? They have an elastic, maternity pants-like panel at the top and bottom to accomodate various sizes! Unfortunately, they are maxed out on our bed and they eventually give out, but on something like 17 inches, that'd be perfect! They are also pretty soft. I can not remember the thread count but they are nice!

Hope that helps!

So my mother has this same problem... her find of sheets that fit - they are sealy brand and she gets them at TJMaxx or Ross. She swears by them. Hope this helps!

Geez. I would never make my bed either if it was that much of a chore. But, the hardest part of the house for me is the bathroom. Ugh. Just wait til the bub starts peeing all over the floor, wall, toilet. No idea why they think it's good fun. But it's not.

Hi, I don't want to sound so negative and freak you out but I think those trunks have been recalled. You can check it out here: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/94441939.html

look at how pretty it looks all made! I do fitted sheet, top sheet, comforter and done. but our bed is boring and its only a double.
your bed looks so lovely and inviting!

Let me just tell you that I UNDERSTAND the tragedy of making the bed with sheets that don't fit!
Our bed is "18" inches....but really, if you measure...it's more like 22 inches. There are NO sheets in existance that fit our mattress :( . We once got a sheet set as a gift and it is the closest thing to fitting so they are my fav...but I often end up using a flat sheet as our bottom sheet when using the other sets. :( I curse my bed everyday. And...the king duvet/comforter doesn't even fit the bed...how IS that?!!!!???
Anyway....just thought you'd like to know you are not the only one. (I actually bought like 7 sets of sheets and returned them before realizing that nothing was ever going to fit.)

I never make our bed! Seriously - almost never. I too love it when it's made, but just don't see the point of wasting my precious time on bed making.

Thanks for the extra mention at the end of the post!!

I had an issue in college trying to keep my fitted sheet on the mattress as well. It was an odd size and the sheet was just a little too small, so the corners kept popping up. My mom bought me these straps that clip onto the sheet and go under the mattress. Don't worry you do not have to lift the whole mattress up, they just cap the corners. Never had an issue with the sheet coming up again. Not sure what they are called or where to get them, but I am sure that with a little investigating on the net you could find them.

Okay, is it just me or is your bed super high (but beautiful;))? I'm 5'2" and I could not, WOULD not make your bed. ever. period. I'm pretty sure I would die. Kudos to you for making it once. My solution for you? Platform bed. Or, get a picture of your room with the bed made to hang in your doorway, so that way when guests come and want to peek in, they can just see the pic instead. bam. problem solved.

Ha! I'm too lazy to do all that work. Most nights I sleep on top of the sheet, because I am so hot natured. The quilt gets thrown tot he floor! Check out Land's End for linens - they have some very nice quality things. (:

I don't think you'll ever find premade bedding to fit your big cozy bed. You could have custom bedding made but that can be a bit pricey. Have you considered getting a coverlet or matelasse that covers your entire matress (you made need to rotate it to cover the sides) and then folding your down comforter at the foot of the bed? Especially if you get a duvet with a bold print. An entire bed with a bold print can get a little busy but just a touch of bold at the foot of the bed goes a long way.

Really funny post. Once the bed is made the whole room looks instantly better. Try removing the feather bed; you might find the pillow top mattress comfy enough. The sheets should fit o.k. then. In the winter I use a flat sheet + a duvet cover & wash the sheet which gets washed weekly the duvet cover every other week. In the summer I would bake under a duvet so we use a flat sheet (just iron the part that folds over)a lightweight blanket & a plain cream chenille with shams + decorator pillows..

You know there is an easier way to get the duvet into the cover right?

1) Turn the duvet cover inside out. Seriously.
2) Put your hands inside the duvet cover and grab the top two corners (like your hands are now in oven mitts)
3) With the corners of the duvet cover grab the corresponding corners of the duvet.
4) While holding on tight, pull your hands (with all corners) out of the open part of the duvet and SHAKE.
5) Lay on bed; most of the duvet should be right side out now.
6) Tuck corners into the parts that aren't and while holding the corners shake a few more times!
VOILA! Done.

I tell you, Sarah, this is one of the funniest posts I've read in a long time. I have tears in my eyes. I used to make my bed every day, but decided it was a waste of time. So now I only do it when company comes. Great writing - hilarious! Maybe a sheet company will give you some free sheets to try and write about. Hope so!!!

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Make your bed - make it everyday!! I can't believe it can take an hour! Seriously...it takes me two minutes! You need to change something, Sweetie! I recently had a post about making the bed:

http://organizingmadefun.blogspot.com/2010/06/mom-said-itmake-your-bed.html

I hope you can come up with something to make things easier :)

ROFL!!! You are so funny. I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates this! I do have one idea to try...If you need the extra length in your duvet, try a California/Western King size. It will have more width. Also I have occasionally seen "generous or oversized" king size fit at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Good luck!!

Love your blog! I don't make my bed every day but feel rotten when I don't and great when I do!

I shared your dream for 1,000 thread count sheets and I have the greatest tip for you and all your readers! OVERSTOCK.COM !!!!!!

They have 1,200 thread-count sheets that are too amazing for words! I got them ON SALE for $79.99 the Queen set and with FREE SHPPING I considered that the best deal ever! I had tons of sheet sets and got rid of them after I found these. Everyone laughs at me because I say I look forward to going to bed each night!

I bought one set in "ecru" (off-white) and went back and bought a second set in white.

And now for my confession: I also own lots of vintage French embroidered top sheets and pillow cases I found while visiting Provence. Using these top sheets with the fitted Overstock ones is like going to sleep in a 5-star B&B!

I can't sleep in an unmade bed, but then mine isn't so hard to make up. Whew!

I have the West Elm duvet thanks to my overly generous mother-in-law drawing my name for Christmas! We have a king bed, and yes -- the duvet does cover the sides.

All I have to say is "word" on the fitted sheet business. Would it kill companies to make things a little bigger. It's just like fitting a sleeping bag back in it's bag, a tent, and anything else that comes in a bag. When I was single I only used a fitted sheet with my duvet, and it was eazy peazy to make. My husband like's the sheet, so my bed is never made anymore. Keep up the good work girly!

That was hilarious! All of the bedding you are considering is gorgeous. You can't go wrong...as long as it fits!!

Amy

I am a freak in that I love making the bed cause, as you said, it finishes off the room. AS for your new bed linens, I own the green paisley Crate and Barrel set. It is lovely and actually on sale right now. You can order it online or the Crate and Barrel outlet stores are carrying them right now too.

I wanted an easier bed to make and went with a matellaise cover. Actually got a Chris Madden from JC Penney. Regularly $150 for $40!. Ended up buying a king size for a queen bed. What's up with that? It is much easier to make, but like you it doesn't get made as much as it should!

I tuck just the end of my flat sheet under the bed, so that in the morning (or afternoon...) all I have to do is pull the sheet tight again and pull the comforter back over it. It makes making the bed really fast.

If you're going to get something new, I would recommend the non-duvet route. I would want to waste time ironing a duvet too, but with a quilt or comforter, I don't feel it needs it. One really affordable place to get bedding (at least around here) is Anna's Linens. They have a website www.annaslinens.com. I was able to get a really nice bedding set for only $35 last Christmas. I also got to drool over some higher end bedding sets with lots of fun pillows for only $60 (any size). They also had 500 threadcount sheets with the deep pockets, any size for $30. Good luck, can't wait to see what you do!

lifeofperks.blogspot.com
Only make the bed if company is coming and I can't close the door for some reason!!!

lifeofperks.blogspot.com
Only make the bed if company is coming and I can't close the door for some reason!!!

So funny and I have some of the same problems@! I gave up the viscoelastic topper and still have problems with fitting the sheets! Then the duvet and ultra down comforter were sweating us out so got a super soft blanket and put the comforter across the bottom for "looks" and remove it each inght...much better sleep. All I have to say is...good luck and happy shopping!!

I make the bed, but not everyday. I feel you on the making the room feel more "put together." When I walk into our bedroom and the bed is unmade, I automatically feel like our room is a disaster. Now if I had a bed like you, i would NEVER make that puppy up. We have a KING SIZE tempurpedic. The sheets fit wonderfully. THe sheets always look nice and snug on the mattress. Highly recommend a tempurpedic! Also, we have a quilt. We have had a comforter, we have had a down comforter in a duvet, and now we have a quilt. And I LOVE it. It's not too hot in the summer and we always have an extra blanket or two on the bed in the winter. Lerve it!! :-)

I'm not sure if someone else already commented about it, but you might want to check out the "kissing pleat" collection at Target. I have the white one in a king on our bed and we LOVE it but its short on the sides. So if you buy it maybe try the California King size?

Omg...that was the funniest post ever!!! I am the same way, and I feel so bad about it...I just look at the unmade bed and look away again....I hate how fitted sheets don't fit over the entire mattress....grrr

Cindy

This was my first time to your blog, and I laughed & laughed! Thank you!

Love the blog!

wow I would not make my bed often either if it was like yours, ours is just a regular slightly thick king size. Still though it is only made half the week :P

I love your post. I just re-did my bedroom and our bedding is sooo long and that I don't even use a bedskirt and we have a king size bed. If you want to check it out, here is the link...
http://creatingahouseofgrace.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-bedroom-makeover.html
Have a great evening!
Bonnie :)

I think the real question is: Why the heck were you up so early in the first place. 4:43? That's still snoozin' time.

Unless it was 4:43 pm. Then it's all okay.

We only make our bed on 2 occasions: 1. when the cleaning lady comes and 2. when company comes over. And it has to be new company not company like my parents or besties. They don't care about my bed.
Have you tried Private Quarters sheets? They are fabulous and VERY deep. I have 600 TC sheets and they feel like 1200 TC.
We bought fabulous Candace Olsen bedding. In Cream. With a toddler. Big. Big. Mistake!
Can't wait to see the bedroom redo!

Wow. And wow- what a task!

We've had the same bedding for 10 years. Yes, it's time for some new- we're getting that Restoration Hardware set you pictured. I just ordered an ivory quilt like the one they pictured (marked down from $100 to $30) a couple of weeks ago.

I wish i had the dedication to iron my duvets, but if you take a spray bottle of water and spritz it down when its on the bed, and then wipe it flat, it takes out almost all of the wrinkles.... just FYI;)

Making the bed is one of the things that I really do every day. Really.

I hear you on the deep mattress. Believe it or not, I finally found a set of sheets at Target that were deep enough for our humongous bed. The label said they would fit mattresses up to 20" deep.

As for comforters and coverlets, I finally GAVE UP and made myself a coverlet for our bed. I was so sick of having to leave one side of the enormous mattress uncovered. It was an easy bit of sewing, really (which is good because easy is the only kind of sewing I can do). Let me know if you'd like to see the post about it.

What a workout!! I would never make my bed if it took that much effort... Well, actually, I don't make my bed now and it takes all of two minutes. :)
But it was well worth the effort. It's a gorgeous bed!

I actually have the Crate & Barrel paisley, but I didn't buy it from them!! I bought a bed-in-a-bag set from my local Homegoods, and the pattern is Hillcrest Modern Paisley. I ADORE the set, but I ended up gutting the comforter (it was only stitched down in a few places) so that I could tack on some snap tape at the bottom to make a duvet for my down comforter. I got the comforter, 2 king paisley shams & 2 light green, pleated square pillows (including inserts) for about $85 total for a king size set. My Homegoods had it in a few different colors a while ago. The green you featured is what I have, and it has a lovely taupe & grey in the intermediary spaces in the paisley. Also, the light green Ikea Aina curtains are an exact match to the lightest green in the pattern (same color as the small pleated shams). Real linen curtains for $50 a 98" pair? You can't even buy the fabric for that price! Good luck on your choice!

The tufted comforter you posted from West Elm has an almost identical twin at Target...for pretty darn cheap. I purchased the king size set with comforter, bedskirt, and shams for $59. Looks JUST like the one in the pic, but mine is turquoise. Comes in several colors. Have fun!

I always make the bed. However, I can understand why you don't make yours if it takes that long.

At night, I fold the bedspread down and take it off the bed. It never gets used, so it never needs washing. My bedspread has texture and a design to it, so it doesn't need ironing and you wouldn't be able to see any loose hairs from pets on it. I take my pillows out of the pillow shams at night, so they too never need washing. They do have pillow cases on them and they do get washed. I just put the shams back on in the morning.

One of our boys has a pillow top mattress and I can relate to the tugging and stretching of the sheets.

Oh, man, this cracked me up! I feel the same way about making our bed. It's a workout! Most days I settle for pulling the sheets and duvet up straight and fluffing the pillows a bit. When it's time to put clean sheets on, I make my husband help. Otherwise I'm at it all day. :)

Definitely one of your best posts yet. I loved it! Funny, but so true...I HATE stuffing my feather comforter in the duvet. And I can NEVER figure out which is the long side!! Too funny. I make my bed about 3 times a week. I agree. It's so pretty with the pillows and all, especially considering what I paid for those pillows!!! Normally they lay next to the bed lol.

Very funny story! I don't make the bed every day, and I make no apologies for it! When I do change my comforter cover, it is always a big pain -- although I don't have to struggle with my bedding as much as you do.

Have you tried the bedding from Cuddledown? I think you might like their Sophia collection. Take a peek at cuddledown.com.

I make my bed everyday only because I can't stand to see it messy. It's like a dirty kitchen to me. ha! And I hate our mattress. My husband had to have the Cal King....there are no cute bedding to be found for a Cal King mattress. Curses!

I was thiking about getting a rectangular duvet cover for this fall. Now, I will not because I would not be able to stand if it was off-center. Thanks for the tip!

I am still Laughing, I love this post, I really thought somehow I did this post because my exact thoughts on everything you went through. We do not have a feather addition, we have the memory foam addition, you can buy sheet clips to help keep the sheets on the matress a little better. I go through the same thing you just did, more cursing and crying though, LOL. I now don't feel so alone. I only make the bed if anyone is coming over. A little advise, lose the duvet and fluffy comforter, less crying when you do have to make it. I just use flat pretty covers and blankets, helps so much and looks just a great.

Thank you for the laugh! I have had quite a few of those thought myself while wrestling my king sized bed. Luckily my mattress is only about 14 or 15" though. And i gave up on duvets long ago because they do NOT fit king sized beds...and because they make me too dang hot! I got a set I like at target on sale for like 40 bucks or something. Added a couple other pillow and another Euro sham. The comforter BARELY fits. I say when choosing a new set, choose one that FITS! That is most important cause they are all beautiful!

http://www.target.com/s?keywords=pleat+comforter+set&searchNodeID=1038576|1287991011&ref=sr_bx_1_1&x=0&y=0

Here's the knock-off from Target. Also comes in aqua, white, violet, and orangey-red. The aqua in the pic on the website isn't even close to accurate. It is truly a turquoise...like the stone, not a light blue like pictured. Happy shopping!

This is an awesome post. I've been a reader for a long time, but this is my first comment. Yes, I do make my bed at least Monday thru Thursday because those are the days I work and the nanny comes.

It is amazing how you can start cleaning your house just by making the bed and it makes such a big difference. I love that last bedding set as well. I've had a small bee in my ear to redo our bedroom, but this post is enough to get my going. Off to overstock!

I don't know if anyone else has commented on this (sorry 191 comments is too much to go through) but I have bad news. I too love the west elm beautiful duvet with the pin tucks. After doing some research on it however it's not worth buying. I guess it's not sewn very well and when you even pull to adjust the comforter the pin tucks snap and eventually leave you with just a flat bed spread. If you find another out there that doesn't do this please clue me in. 'Till then I'll just be dreaming in my not so pretty Ikea Duvet cover.......

Not to mention that stink eye sister is screaming in the background "Let's go! I'm about to eat my arm!! It's just a bed!"

You just need a couple sets of extra deep pocket sheets and those babies will hang tight all night...even with all those critters in bed with you :)

Wow, seriously.... I am SO anal about making my bed, even to the point of it making me late. But never ever would I consider doing it for an hour! I cheat tho, throw the blankets/sheets in the closet along with extra pillows. I make up my bed with only my quilt and pillows. I enjoy your blog.

Hi Sarah, first off LOVE your work, enjoy the feed every day. I agree beds should not be a drama, there is more to life. It's a bit like using a hairdryer in the hot humid summer. By the time you've finished drying your hair, you need another shower! Anyway, as a professional organizer I came across an Aussie product you might like to have a look at called the Coshee by www.ecosleepaustralia.com.au it mainly takes the pain out of the quilt cover part of it, and the idea is so simple, I wonder why it hadn't been thought of before. I'm always looking for ways for my clients and I to save time, so I thought I'd share this one with you, as you share so much with your readers. Sleep well!
Angela
Less Equals More, Australia

I hear ya on the 17" mattress. Unfortunately the only sheets I've found that fit mine are Pottery Barn. Check ebay, I got mine at a local store that sells Pottery Barn returns and overstocks for $40/set and often see other people in my area selling them on ebay, and even though they are usually more than $40, they are far less than the (choke) ~$170 Pottery Barn wants for them!

Hilarious, I have a double pillow top king mattress that's like 20 inches deep, and I have the exact same issue. I had a matelasse that fit until I washed it and it shrank just a bit, so now the side of the bed away from the doorway always gets shorted a little. How about finding a bed skirt to fit that monster whew...doesn't happen. Take Care, Carrie { the vintage wren }

I make my bed every day. It's just a little full size with sheets (Grandma's cast offs), an old quilt, four standard pillows and one king size. My day would be 'off' if I neglected to make the bed in the morning, ha.

Sarah, you crack me up! Girlfriend, you've got to get a different bedding set! That is just way too much work. My bed takes me less than 60 seconds to make, seriously. And I think it is beautiful, if I might add. I am one of those anal people that cannot leave the house without making the bed. My bed is made every single day. I love getting in to a newly made bed every night. But that's me.
I have a matelasse on my bed and just one sheet underneath it. I will add a blanket underneath it in the winter. I just pull it all up, throw the pillows on, and I'm done! Yeah!
Anyway, your bed is gorg!
Great post (again!)
Traci