There are few pleasures greater than that feeling as you curl up in bed after a long day. Or a short day for that matter. Bed is awesome. But could it be awesomer? Even if that’s not a word, here are our top 5 ways to for a heavenly bed.
Plus 17 reasons why I have a love-hate relationship with my bed.
There really is something about getting into a really comfy bed that wins. I’ve tried various other pieces of furniture and nothing can beat it.
Recliner armchairs, sprawled across a sofa, planked out on a soft floor rug… I’ve even tried a bloody chase lounge for god’s sake. Nothing compares to a good bed.
So, to put it briefly: bed good!
But there’s always room for improvement:
How to maximise the snuggle factor of your bed – our top 5 tips
Of course, all these exquisite reasons I love to hate my bed don’t come free. I have to work for them – like any good pleasure slave.
Here are our top tips for not only making your bed the most comfortable damn thing since 1st class but also making it easy to maintain:
1. How to fold a fitted sheet
Beth from Baby-Mac.com has discovered the secret to folding a fitted sheet and we love it.
Here’s her video on how it’s done: how to fold the dreaded fitted sheet – by Beth McDonald
2. How to find your bedding set in a split second
For an easy, rapid, painless change of bedclothes, we have subscribed to the Martha Stewart method (also in Beth’s video right at the end).
Fold your bed sheet sets up all together so that they all fit in one of the pillowcases. Then, when it’s time to change, you’re not rummaging around for that last pillowcase or trying to match up two different sheets.
3. Electric blankets vs flannelette sheets.
What’s better? Well, for instant gratification, electric blankets win providing you’ve remembered to turn them on.
However, once you’re snuggled up and you’ve turned the blanket off (it’s not a good idea to sleep with one switched on), the bed cools down again. Flannelette sheets don’t do that – plus they’re cheaper.
4. Our top 3 ways to warm up a chilly bed
- Get undressed in bed. All the movement warms your bed nicely – though it does make the covers all messy.
- A 3-4 minute blast from a hairdryer between the sheets will have your bed toasty for you.
- Pop your sheets in the tumble dryer before you get into bed – or just get your mug of a husband to warm your side of the bed for you… yes, I have done this. I’m a mug.
5. The biology of the most comfortable bed in the world (as in mine):
- Invest in a pillow-top mattress. It’s an extra layer of love on top of your springs and foam mattress.
- Buy a topper – an extra fitted sheet thing with padding that acts like a duvet for your mattress.
- Buy flannelette sheets – especially for winter.
- Buy an over-sized duvet – you can never have enough covers.
- Buy an even bigger quilt that goes over the top of everything. It’ll keep all that chilly air out and all the toasty air in under the covers.
- And of course, don’t skimp on cheap pillows!
But it’s not all plain sailing.
Even though it’s my favourite place to be in the world, I do have some issues with my bed.
While I did buy (and therefore own) this bed, it still feels like it has some strange hold over me. It’s as if – since I let it into my home – it’s taken control. It’s like that film Hand That Rocks the Cradle.
Here are 17 reasons why I have a love-hate relationship with my incredibly comfy yet slightly sinister bed:
17 reasons why I don’t entirely trust my bed
- It makes me late all the time.
- It somehow lets me find the most comfortable spot to be in right when I’ve made the decision to get up.
- It somehow lets Mrs Romance find the most comfortable spot to snuggle up with me when either or both of us have made the decision to get up.
- It gives all the covers to Mrs Romance over the period of about half the night.
- It calls to me in the most inappropriate moments.
- It encourages enormous elasticity in the ‘just 5 more minutes’ rule.
- Conditioning from reading a lot in bed now means I feel very sleepy whenever I have to read something.
- It makes me feel happy when it’s raining outside.
- It makes me wish for rain if it’s sunny.
- It has inspired the next level up from working at home: working from bed.
- It has made me hate all other forms of furniture – including other beds.
- It regularly makes even the most banal news item so absolutely riveting, I just have to read the whole article extremely thoroughly before I get up.
- It makes me hate the prospect of breakfast out.
- It makes me hate the prospect of a shower.
- It makes me hate the prospect of getting dressed.
- It makes me hate the prospect of being vertical.
- It manipulates me into washing its clothes by using the promise of the greatest pleasure known to man: that clean sheet feel.
They say nothing’s more important than a good night’s sleep. I intend to agree. I also think napping is particularly important – as is having a sleep in.
So don’t just sleep well, people. Sleep smart!
What are your tips for a very comfy bed? Do you have a love hate relationship with your bed? Tell us in the comments!
Liz @ I Spy Plum Pie
I just bought a whole new doona set and some additional pillows for my bed (post-break up it was time for a refresh!) and I’m so loving it. Next stop is to buy an extra fluffy doona for inside the new cover, I’ll wait for the sales for that one! I definitely recommend sizing up your quilt – I have a queen bed with a king sized doona, it makes a huge difference!
Mr Romance
Sorry about your break-up, Liz. Silver lining – your bed’s super comfy now! Yes, that extra fluffy doona filler will be awesome. And that over-sized quilt has kept us sane the past couple of winters. It just shuts out the cold completely. Love it!
Jxx
Zohra
Haha Jim, I love all your reasons for having a love-hate thing with your bed…and it reminded me of the article about dwarfs you had written while we were on the online course…Sounds like you’ve landed your dream job, Mr Romance! Happy for you 🙂
Mr Romance
Hey Zohra! Great to hear from you! Yes, I’m pretty happy writing for Mr & Mrs Romance! Still thinking about what I can do with that 7 Dwarves piece. It’s pretty vitriolic! Impressed you remember that though, I must say. Always impressed with your freelance work by the way. Love seeing what you’ve been up to on the Facebook group. 🙂
Jxx
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages
A dryer between the sheets, that is some serious comfort making. I’m a flannelette sheet lover, a really good mattress and a great pillow. I don’t get a lot of time to spend in bed (aka not as much as I’d like) so I want to make sure the time I do get to spend there is perfection.
Mr Romance
Ha ha! It’s a neat trick, isn’t it, Malinda? I should really thank Mrs Romance and her array of hair tech for the inspiration!
Maximising time in bed is a skill for sure. But like you say, there’s never really enough time, is there?
Jxx
Jo @ You had us at hello
A snugly bed is just sublime isn’t it. We got a new king size last year – best decision ever. Flannelette sheet fans here too but loving the hair dryer blast tip. I tend to go to bed late but always kick myself and realise how much I missed my happy place once I’m all snuggled in. Raining outside when you’re in bed is the best!!
Mr Romance
You’re 100% right, Jo. Rain + bed = perfection! And considering how much I love my bed, I really don’t get there early enough. Maybe I should remedy that. Right now! Lol!
Jxx
solid wooden furniture
Love my house furniture, pretty much spent 900 euro on a
chair the other week!
KimberlyGayeta
I was literally smiling the entire time I was reading the article! lol.
I just stumbled upon your blog and I could say i am now a fan! You definitely did a great job in connecting with your bed as well as your readers! Keep it up Mr. Romance! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Mr Romance
Hi Kimberly! Thank you for your kind words. Really made our day. I do my very best to connect very closely with my bed as often and for as long as possible! So glad you enjoyed this piece. Hope to speak to you again soon!
Jxx
3 fine dinners, Mrs R’s Braid Bar and the hottest chips everMr and Mrs Romance
[…] In the meantime, Mrs Romance and I will be using the cooler weather as a good excuse to snuggle up and look into the purchase of an electric blanket! We wrote about how to max out your bed’s comfy factor a while back… think we’ll have to revisi… […]
Callie Murphy
It all starts with the bed and bedding. Choosing a mattress that feels best to us and offers us enough support and I vacuum my bed room and dust and wash my sheets every two weeks. It’s a fairly relaxed routine and it works for me!
Mr Romance
Great point, Callie. And a great routine to get into. And there’s nothing quite like getting into bed when it’s clean sheet day, right?!
Jxx