A Tuesday Morning Bedtime Story

Today's blog was named by Leslie and inspired by Bridget. Thanks ladies!

I was pondering today's "productivity" blog while I organized our bedding... then Ping! Light Bulb! How about I share the bedding ideas with you instead?

Last week, I realized the bedding drawer in the guest space was a lot fuller than our bedding chest on the main floor. Today's project was to review what we have, purge unnecessary sheets and pillow cases, and re-allocate the ones we're keeping.

Also, while working with a client recently, she asked "Don't you have dozens of mystery sheets that are never used and match nothing?" Um, No, I don't, but I was motivated to complete this project!

Here's how it went:

1. I finished all the laundry and then collected all our sheets together in one
   place. We have 5 people living here, with 3 twin beds and one queen bed. In our basement we have guest lodgings of two more twin beds and a queen size Aerobed.
2. I sorted the sheets into piles for twin and queen size, then matched up the
   flats and fitted with the cases.
3. I folded the sets together, with the folded flat sheets wrapped around the
   folded fitted sheets and cases. I put one set of queen sheets and 2 sets of twin back in the basement guest space and stored the rest in the bedding chest in my room.
4. The "donate" pile held three random sheets that match nothing, an old set of queen sheets and some Buzz Lightyear twin sheets that have been through 3 boys and are ready for retirement. I answered a Facebook request from a mom looking for twin size bed sheets for her little boy's bed, and offered her our Buzz Lightyear sheets. I am glad they will be loved anew by another little boy! I bundled the rest of the "donate" pile together and will drop it off at the animal shelter this week with some old t-shirts.

A few tips I have picked up along the way:

1. For years, I purchased only white sheets so that I could bleach them all and
   keep them cleaner. Since it is difficult to determine sheet size at a glance, I
   noted a T or a Q on a discreet corner. If you use all the same color, you could also separate the sizes of sheets by storing them on a different shelf or in each room.
2. I grew tired of white bedding, though it did have its advantages. I am
   slowly making the switch to color and patterns in our bedding: any new twin size sheets I purchase are striped, and any queen size sheets will be a solid color.
3. I have also heard the suggestion of storing the two sheets and the extra
   pillow case if there is one folded together in the matching pillow case. That
   works for some, but not for me.
4. We store our guest bedding in a dresser drawer in our guest space, and
   everyone else's bedding in the chest at the foot of our bed, so extremely tidy edges are not necessary.
5. We don't keep a lot of extras. Two sheet sets for each of our beds (and one
   is on the bed), and one set each for the guest beds. Fewer items mean less
   clutter.
6. Once and for all, Here is how one person can fold a fitted sheet to lay flat
   while keeping it off the ground (I learned from a pro - Literally! I used to
   help out at my dad's Laundromat in high school, and the tiny and efficient
   Shirley showed me the trick):
   
   •  
     • Grab two adjacent corners and bring them together, and do the same for the other end.
     • Fold the flat size in half, so all the fitted corners fit together.
     • Grasp one end of the flat side in each hand and pull flat across your chest, then fold into thirds down your front, rounded elastic side in first, and the flat side in last.
     • Starting at the bottom (the lumpiest part), fold up in thirds so that you are left with straight sides and edges.

So, collect the bedding that you have; sort it into sizes and sets; determine what needs to go away either because it is old or ill fitting or scratchy; and choose a storage place close at hand for the items you intend to keep. Another quick project that will make your life easier!