5 Tips for a Perfectly Made Bed!

I love the way hotel beds are made.

Sometimes they may not be the color or style I love,

but the overall effect is so neat and crisp.

So when I stumbled across these tips from ABC.COM,

I combined them with a few I knew from my nursing days

and had to pass them on.

Here are the five steps for turning your ho-hum bed into one worthy of a five-star hotel........

1.   Keep it White. Or, as white as you can.  

Every bedding store sells beautiful, colorful bedding. 

And while that's fine, if you truly want your bed to resemble that of a hotel, you need to keep it white. Think about it:  Every fancy hotel you've been to has more likely

 than not had all, or mostly, white bedding. The good news is that by using white bedding,

 you may not need to buy anything new, 

at least when it comes to pillowcases and sheets. You may have them around the house. 

 Just get them out of storage and wash/bleach for a crisp whiteness. 

 Hotels typically use a sheet – not a blanket or duvet – as the top layer of bedding. 

But, if you want to add a pop of color or a personal touch, add a coverlet to the bottom of the bed or a few colorful pillows.

2.  Layer it Like a "Bed Sandwich".

 First comes the bottom, fitted sheet.

 Next, the top sheet. If you'll be using another top sheet as the top layer, leave some extra at the top of this sheet to fold over the layer that comes in between. That's the down or down alternative comforter. This is worth buying if you don't have one; it gives your bed a fluffy quality.  You can use a duvet cover or another top sheet as the top layer.

Bonus: If you already have a featherbed, add it as the bottom layer. If not, consider buying one, they come in a range of prices.  

(This also comes minus the feathers if you prefer.....I do.)

So far we have a featherbed, a fitted sheet, a top sheet, a down comforter, a second top sheet and a coverlet at the bottom for that pop of color.

3.  Pillow Protectors!   Inexpensive and durable, pillow protectors should go on every one of yours. They not only extend the life of your pillow by protecting it from the oils on our heads that can stain over time, but they give pillows a smooth look under your pillowcases.

You may need a few more pillows for your bed makeover......ones that will hold their shape more than anything.  Pillows you put your head on should lay flat, and all decorative pillows should "stand up," according to one expert.  You may end up with about 8 pillows by the time you are done but that is a personal choice.

4.  Tuck, Tuck, Tuck!!!  Take a look at the bed the next time you check into a hotel. Not only are the corners of the bed garments tucked in, but so is everything else, right down to the edges of the pillow cases. No loose ends translates to a tailored, polished look so common at luxury hotels. (P.S. In nursing school we learned to "miter" the corners. It gives a super neat appearance.)

5. Iron your sheets.  

Okay...this is NOT my idea.  Yuck.  Ironing.   

 They say you only need to iron the top layer of bedding.

Hotel maids in 5 star resorts iron it on the bed instead of struggling with a big top sheet or duvet on an ironing board, and that definitely makes it easier. 

Use starch to make the bed look crisp.

That's it!  

Now I won't be doing all this but you may be the one to try:)

Me.......I love a perfectly rumpled, slept in bed!

XOXO

Suzanne