My secret to a happy life—go to bed. Haha! Feeling overwhelmed or anxious? Angry at how the day went? Devastated by a missed opportunity? Hopeless about how to “fix” something? GO. TO. BED. You’re tired. As Anne of Green Gables said, “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet.” That fresh start tomorrow may cure what ails you! So let’s talk beautiful beds because if, when you’re in it, you’re resetting to steer toward a more rested self—why wouldn’t we want to celebrate that by making it lovely?!
BFFR
If, to you, making the bed means throwing the sheet back up near the pillows and calling it a day—don’t plan for 80 pillows and 4 layers. They’ll just lay scattered around your bedroom and be a mess. If you sleep with 8 “sleeping pillows” we’re going to run out of room on the bed for decorative pillows! If you sleep under 3 weighted blankets factor that in, too! Just because I say it’ll be beautiful (and it will be) doesn’t mean it’s what you have to do if that wouldn’t function in your life! Edit my ideas down to best serve you!
MATERIALS MATTER
There are lots of different fabric materials and a wide range of construction quality in the bedding market! Let’s all remember that you’ll be touching these materials for 8 hours a night *fingers crossed* and so they should be good for you, feel good on your skin, and work well with your body temperature and melanin pigment! Consider a relatively new fiber—Tencel. It is from the Eucalyptus tree and is super, super soft and silky. It’s also moisture-wicking which could be good for you hot sleepers! This makes a great sheet! Bamboo fabrics are naturally anti-bacterial, though they dry slower than cotton, so this would be great for the outermost layer like the quilt or coverlet. The gold-standard, currently, in bedding materials is cotton. Natural, breathable, affordable, and easy to maintain.
LAYER UP
I believe a bed should have these layers: A sheet set (both bottom and top—If you think I’m looking at you it’s because I’m looking at you!), a light blanket or quilt, a heavier quilt or duvet folded at the foot, and shams to coordinate with BOTH layers. Generally I have the duvet match the larger Euro shams in the back and the quilt match the standard or king shams that go in front. If you can handle more pillows in front of these shams, go to town! For example: on my king I have a navy and white pinstripe duvet and 3 euro shams. I also have a pink cotton quilt and 2 king size shams. These pillows hide my 4 “sleeping pillows” (2 in cotton pillowcases, 2 in silk pillowcases for the curly hair). Finally, my teddy bear Rusty sits right up front and rests after guarding me all night. 😉 If you’re a bed maker you could always add a light throw at the foot and a toss pillow or two for added coziness and texture!
