How to Make a Bed

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I’ll never forget the first time I met my friend and former roommate, Kristin. (Hi KMS!) We lived in the same dorm during our freshman year of college. “Move in Day” was characterized by parents and students milling about, arms full, carting stuff into dorm rooms.

Kristin and her mom were arguing having an animated discussion about the proper way to make a bed. I won’t tell you who won — or who was right. But, I will share how my mom taught me.

Start with a mattress pad.

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This protects the mattress from spills and excessive sweat.

Secure the fitted sheet.

Make sure the corners fit snugly. (Wondering how to fold fitted sheets when they’re not in use?)

Place the flat sheet.

This may be cause for some debate. But, if you place the right sides (the printed sides) together, then you will see the decoration when you get into bed. Tuck in the sides and foot of the sheet under the mattress.

Spread comforter over flat sheet.

Fold the excess flat sheet over the top of the comforter. This gives it a nice, smooth finish.

Don’t forget to teach your kids!

This little guy, at 6, can’t quite swing the bed making process on his own, but I make him stick around while I “help” him. This works for me.

How do YOU make a bed?

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30 Comments

  1. We have a big debate here over how it should be tucked at the bottom. I like the tight smooth hospital corners, and hubby likes no tucking at all. The military taught us both, go figure.

  2. I have my kiddos make their bed daily. My 4 year old does pretty good. She wants it to have not bumps on it so I help her with that. My 2 year old just pulls up the sheets. Somedays he does it other days…well, mama does it but he is there too!

    I make my bed just like you explained here!

  3. When I lived in England for a semester we simply had a duvet cover (covering for down comforter that can be taken off relatively easily and washed)…..That acted as our top sheet as well as the covering for the comforter….Making your bed becomes a whole lot easier because it’s all ONE! Every week or so you pull out the comforter leaving just the duvet cover & fitted sheet to wash. Our kids can make their beds easily and so can I! We got our duvet cover cheap through Ikea.

  4. This is exactly how my mom taught me! 🙂 Now, you could discuss how to fold the corners of the flat sheet, if you wanted to cause a little discussion! LOL! I love mine perfectly made w/ “hospital corners”….my husband likes it a little looser….my dad tells of learning to make his bed in the army, so “you could bounce a quarter on it”! Have never tried that trick!!!! LOL!!

  5. As far as I, my mother and grandmother, are concerned, the ONLY way to make a bed is pretty sides together so when you get it or fold the sheets back, the pretty side shows! 🙂

  6. Completely agree about the design going “inside”… that’s how my mama taught me. 😉 (I am, perhaps, even MORE adamant about how I fold my towels, however…)

  7. Making beds is such an essential thing to learn . I so love getting into a well aired and then made bed MM makes me want to go to bed just thinking about it

  8. Our family is emphatically “anti- flat sheet”. Always have been. Never liked the feeling of them against my skin and having it all tangled up by morning was irritating. Our kids make their own beds (5&7) by simply laying their blanket smoothly over the fitted sheet and Pow-Wham-Kazowie! done. Love the tutorial. Very nice.