10 tips for a perfectly made bed

There’s nothing quite so nice at the end of a long hard day than crawling into a perfectly made bed with freshly laundered sheets. It sets you up for a blissful night’s sleep. The other benefits of a beautifully made bed are that it makes your bedroom look tidy even if there’s mess in every corner and it gives you a clear space to use as you start to sort through said mess! But there’s an art to bed making, as I discovered the first time I went to camp as a kid and learnt how to create perfect “hospital corners” on my bunk. So here are 10 quick tips to make your bed so crisp and perfect that an army sergeant could bounce a coin on it.  

1.   Invest in a good mattress

If your mattress is getting a little saggy or you find you’re waking up tired or sore in the morning, then it’s time to invest in a new mattress. Get the best quality you can afford, as all the fancy sheets in the world won’t make a difference if the bed isn’t up to scratch. Click here to learn more about how to choose the perfect mattress.

2.   Iron or steam your bed linen

If you want your bed to look picture perfect, it all starts with crease-free linen. So once you’ve washed and dried your sheets, pillowcases and quilt cover, set up your ironing board or steam station, play some great music, and iron out those creases! Don’t settle for a mediocre job as it will make a huge difference later.

   

3.   Use good quality mattress and pillow protectors

Given that you can’t wash a mattress at home, prevention is definitely better than cure. Buy a good quality mattress protector (try a reversible one that has wool on one side and cotton on the other) as well as pillow protectors. This will help them stay clean and also give you a better night’s sleep.

4.   Air and turn your mattress

Air and turn your mattress once a month. Choose a sunny day, leave the sheets off, the windows open and try to place the mattress so the sun is shining on as much of the surface as possible. Sunlight not only kills dust mites, it warms and freshens the fabric if the weather has been damp or cold.

5.   Sheets first

Place that nicely ironed fitted sheet over the mattress protector. Pull the corners down gently and make sure every edge is under the mattress. Pull it down tightly to ensure there are no creases, sags or bumps. When you add the top or flat sheet, lay it down with any patterns, prints or borders facing down. The top edge of the bed sheet should be level with the head of the mattress. Fold the sheet back about 40 centimetres, which will show off the pattern, print or border. Tuck the top sheep in firmly using hospital corners.

6.   Add a thin blanket or quilt

Place a thin quilt or cotton blanket on top to keep you warm if it gets too hot for a quilt. Again, tuck it in firmly using hospital corners.

7.   Get cuddly with a quilt

Lay your quilt on your bed. Bunch up your quilt cover (right side up) where the pillows normally go. Take the top right corner of your quilt and push it into the quilt cover to the top right corner. Then repeat this with the left corner of the quilt and the quilt cover. Pull the quilt cover down over the rest of the quilt. Fasten the buttons or ties then, holding the bottom of the quilt and the quilt cover, shake out the quilt and quilt cover until the quilt settles into the four corners of the cover.

Make sure the overhang is equal on both sides of the bed then fold the quilt back about 80 centimetres. This way you can see the fold of the top sheet and the quilt cover.

   

8.   Pillow talk

Place the sheet set pillowcases over the pillows you use for sleeping, then place the pillowcases that match the quilt cover over the extra pair of pillows. Place your sleeping pillows on the mattress, where you usually rest your head to sleep. Place two European pillows on top of these pillows, resting them on the wall or headboard. Place the two decorative pillows against the European pillows. Then add a few feature cushions.

9.   Throw in a rug

Place a throw rug across the foot of the bed for an extra dash of colour and flair.

10. Common “scents”

Make your bedroom smell pretty and drift off to sleep with a lovely scent wafting up from your bed by using some linen spray. Homemaker stores sell all sorts of lovely combinations or you can make your own using water miscible essential oils. If you have trouble sleeping, try lavender as it relaxes the body and mind.

  [alert style="alert-info" dismissible="false"]

How to make hospital corners:

Step 1: With your fitted sheet already on the mattress, lay the flat sheet on top. Make sure that it hangs evenly on both sides of the bed. Step 2: Start at one corner at the foot of the bed. Slightly lift the mattress and tuck the hanging fabric along the foot of the bed. The excess fabric should now be hanging on the side of the mattress. Step 3: Grab hold of the excess fabric. Lift it up and place on top of the mattress. The edge of the sheet should form a 45-degree angle with the corner of your mattress. Step 4: Hold the fabric forming a 45-degree angle in place. Tuck in the hanging fabric along the side of the mattress and let the sheet fall. Step 5: Adjust the edge of the sheet to the corner of the mattress and tuck in. Step 6: Repeat steps two through five on the remaining corner. [/alert]