Beds

Who made the rule that you have to have a bottom sheet, top sheet, blanket, comforter or quilt, and pillows, in that order?  And who made the rule you have to make your bed every morning?

I was raised to think that you had to follow the bedding rules, where your bed had to look a certain way.  I always questioned the necessity of making your bed every morning as it was just going to get messy again that night and I rebelled against this rule, starting at an early age.  It just didn’t make sense to me.  So, before I married my husband, a military-trained bed maker, I warned him that I didn’t follow the daily bed-making rule.  I reserved it for needed occasions such as when you needed a flat surface to sort papers or to have a place to put your guest’s coats.  It didn’t dawn on me until later in life that you didn’t have to follow the other bedding rules either which included sheets, pillows, blankets, comforters, and quilts.  I have learned that you should only put things on your bed for comfort and to help you sleep, instead of trying to make it look pretty.  I wish I would have been less rigid in this area as a newlywed as it would have saved some arguments with my spouse as to who kicked off the blanket and who stole all the sheets.

Now, I am not a bed rule follower as you can see in the picture above.  I have bamboo sheets that feel soft against my skin and are easy to wash and sometimes I don’t use a top sheet.  (Bamboo sheets are amazing.  I have tried didn’t kinds of materials and different thread counts and my favorite are bamboo sheets.  They don’t get “bumpy” like some other fibers.  Initially, they created some extra fuzz in the dryer lint trap, but otherwise, they have been perfect.)  For my blanket, I like a soothingly soft one with a little weight to give me a secure feeling.  My husband likes a lighter weight blanket that he can wrap around himself.  I prefer one pillow that I can bunch up and get the right height for my head, while my spouse likes to build a pillow fort to give support and comfort to every part of his body.  We did away with the comforter because it was just getting in the way.  Our bed isn’t picture-perfect, but it works as a perfect place to sleep and keeps our marriage happy.  Next time you go to sleep, think about the bed rules you are following and don’t be afraid to question them.  Maybe you would get better sleep in a hammock or a lawn chair instead of a bed.  Figure out what works best for you and forget the rules!