Put it to bed – part one Make Your Bed
People tend to fall into two distinct categories. Either you make your bed every day or you never make your bed. (The occasional variation notwithstanding.) A recent Sonata very non-scientific survey showed that two-thirds of respondents are habitual bed makers with one-third just not going there. I fall into the former category. My bedroom can be falling apart around me but, if the bed is made, I feel a sense of control and ready to start my day. Pristine sheets, tucked-in sides, layered pillows, a casually tossed throw…this scenario makes me breathe easy and actually want to put on real pants instead of joggers. I actually enjoy the ritual of making the bed each day. Bed makers of the world, unite!
I have been challenged, however, with a worldwide pandemic. One that keeps my husband, Brian, working at home each day and shoves me out the door in the wee hours of the morning to get my walking in before I start a day of teaching. Translation: I am never the last one out of bed and leave the house before there is an opportunity for me to make the bed. In the early days of the school year, I would come home to a tidy home but an unmade bed. Translation: Brian falls into the latter category. Cue dramatic music! Can this marriage be saved? Cue key change in the dramatic music!
In the spirit of marital harmony), Brian and I have worked out a compromise. He makes the bed every school morning and I do not mention any strange pillow configurations that might occur. I can be as OCD as I want on the weekends when I wash sheets and make the bed. Not exactly the stuff of therapy sessions, but we make it work!
In a world of continuous, unknowing outcomes, (and without changing your bedmaking DNA), I would encourage you to embrace the daily routine of making your bed. In the book, “Make Your Bed: Little Things that Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World,” the author Admiral William H. McRaven states;
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed… If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. And by the end of the day, that one task completed, will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made, that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.”
– Admiral William H. McRaven
Click to order your copy.
If you go to the bedding department of any store, you can get overwhelmed very quickly.
Here are a few of my must-haves:
High thread count sheets: My favorite are bamboo sheets because they are super soft, durable, naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial, and unabsorbent. (This means your sheets will not turn yellow or grey because they do not absorb oils from your skin.)
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Pillows: Yes, I can go overboard with pillows. But my baseline for pillows is at least two fluffy pillows for each sleeper. Take it even further with euro and standard shams, and various “Zing!” pillows (aka decorative). Are they all necessary? No. Do they feed my decorating soul? Abso-fluffy-lutely!
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Click to order
Click to order
Satin pillowcase: These gems help to smooth frizzy hair, minimize static, and reduces sleeping wrinkles. I will take every beauty assist I can get. Plus, it just feels really soft!
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Throw: I don’t have much time for naps. Actually, almost never. But, on the occasional Sunday afternoon that is available for a nap, I can use the throw without completely messing up my bed. Even with no naps, the throw is a cozy, open invitation to an imagined nap.
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Making your bed every day can feel like a chore. Take a deep breath and treat it as a self-care ritual that gets your day off to a good start and welcomes you with a snuggle at the end of the day.
Watch for my next post: Put it to bed part two – Pillow Talk (How to arrange all of those pillows!)
Cheers! Missy
