I always make my bed. It's not something that I did as a child or even in my early teens, but once my mom let me redecorate my own room, it became a habit and it stuck.
Now, I know that there are very valid reasons why people will tell you to make your bed every day. Some say it's the path to success, but my own personal motivation has nothing to do with personal achievement.
I don't make my bed, because it sets my day off right with an early accomplishment. I don't do it so I won't be embarrassed if a guest sees it unmade or because I feel better when the room is made up and uncluttered.
Nor do I fuss and fluff, because I want the sheets to be neat when I get back in at night for a better sleep.
Nope.
They're all good reasons to do it. They're just not mine. My motivation is actually much more shallow.
Why do I make my bed every morning?
The simple answer is because it looks better that way.
That it.
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There's no underlying psychology here. I just like the way my bedroom looks when my comforter is pulled up
and the pillows are poofed and artfully arranged.Let's face it, I love home decor, it's my passion and I spent a ton of time planning the master bedroom out. I chose the paint, the rug, the curtains and the bedding.
I shopped for a long time and spent money on each piece. When the room is clean and the bed is made, it looks fabulous.
With old pjs on the floor and tousled sheets, well, not so much.
When I was a little girl my mom used to tell me stories in order to illustrate what she believed to be important life lessons, big or small. They were either pithy sayings, old wives tales or short anecdotes. I remember them all and repeat them to my own kids on a regular basis.
They love that.
Anyway, one of my favorites has to do with a woman's hair.
My mom always said that a woman could be wearing a thousand dollar dress, but if her hair isn't done, she will look like a mess. However, if her hair is styled, she could be wearing a paper bag and look fabulous!
I have to say, she was right.
And I hear those words in my head all the time, all these years later, sometimes when I'm getting dressed and sometimes, when I look at my unmade bed. It reminds me of a woman in a couture gown...and bedhead.
In my own master, I have gorgeous white bedding on my king mattress, antique furniture, cutwork euro shams, layers of white pillows, aged hardwood floors and gauzy, ethereal drapes framing it all. I own the right pieces and yet, when I don't make the bed, none of that matters.
The elements are still there ~ the floor, the windows, the antiques ~ but all you notice is the rumpled bed linens. Not only does the room look messy and undecorated, it looks dirty.
The end.
It's the easiest decorating cheat in the book. And it doesn't cost a dime.
When I posted a quote about making your bed on Facebook this week, people reacted with some strong opinions. Most said that they made their beds, too. Some said that they have better things to do than waste time making their beds and I get that.
No judgement. To each his own.
I just figure that I've already bought the dress.
I may as well take the five minutes to do my hair.
Are you an every day kind of bed maker?
Here are some more made beds in care you're interested!
Haha! I make my bed every morning too! Sometimes before my first cup of coffee. My reason is weird. As a girl scout leader for 7 years, I would impress upon my scouts that is was important to always roll up your sleeping bag so that "critters" wouldn't take refuge in the warmth, only to be discovered when you crawl in at night. So, without fail, I make my bed to keep the "critters" out!! Silly, but it works!
ReplyDeleteJanet, I am not a fan of critters and I think the same thing sometimes...a made bed will keep them out!! :) Here's hoping!!
DeletePrecisely why I make our bed each morning . . .
ReplyDeleteIt looks sooooo much better that way . . .
And then I feel better too . . .
Your mother had some wise "ditties" . . .
I can't always have all the clothing I would like.
But I can keep my hair in style . . . clean and dressed!
My mom did have some wise ditties, Lynne and I remember them all. For some reason the lessons stick when they are told in a little tale. At least for me they do…
Delete:)
I make my bed 99% of the time, the other 1% my husband does. It's habit from childhood, and I can just hear my mother saying something in my head if I don't make the bed. :) Love, love, love your mother's comment about doing one's hair and dressing. They go so well together.
ReplyDeleteI like my mom's comment, too. It's one of my favorites...I think because it's true!! Thanks for the comment, Betty!
Deleteyour bedroom is so beautiful!
ReplyDeletei like everything about it.
i was raised by a military man.
and believe me. YOU MADE YOUR BED.
LOLOL!!
i've always made my bed.
seriously. i've even been known to make it up in a hotel room on vacation!!!
it's just so much fresher to get into a neat bed at the end of the day.
i couldn't imagine NOT making one. lovely post! XO♥
Oh my gosh, Tammy, I have made the bed in the hotel room, too!!! Ha!!
DeleteGrowing up I never made my bed. My Mom would always do it. I never had the chance to. As soon as I got up to go to the bathroom and come back it would be done. I never asked my Mom why. I just thought it was normal at the time. When I got married I always made it as soon as I got up or on the weekends after Hubby got up. I did make my kids do their beds and that was a chore in itself to get them to do that. HA! HA!
ReplyDeleteMy mom used to make my bed, too, Betty and I used to make my kids' beds until recently. Now they do it on their own. They really like their decor and like the look of made bed. I'm lucky, I guess, because while I wouldn't be fond of making their beds, my design OCD would force me to do it...or shut their doors!!!
DeleteGreat post, I love your mom's thoughts that you shared. I think that your bed looks beautiful. I really like your choice of bedding,the green comforter and the white pillows. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lorri. Her comment holds a lot of truth and I think about it every time I am ready to leave the house with messy hair!
DeleteKim, I love your pretty white bedding. I'm a long time every day bed maker but I have a confession: in the last year or so, I've grown more comfortable not making it every day. If I will be gone for the day or longer, I don't like to leave it unmade. When I am home though, I often prop up my pillows and work on my laptop. There is something liberating about being able to smile at the comfort of the unmade bed that once would have caused me to shudder, lol!
ReplyDeleteCecilia, that is what a lot of the Facebook comments were about...getting older and being done with the bed making! They were ready to do other things. Maybe someday. Maybe!! ;) Enjoy your unmade bed my friend!!
DeleteYes! I totally agree with you. It just looks better made. Although, I do have to admit I like keeping it covered in the daytime because I like crawling back into a bed at night that I know doesn't have my cat's hair on the sheets, nor lint, dust, and/or pieces of stuff that floats through the air if you don't have the bed made up. I have to say I hate looking into a bedroom and seeing a bed all messy with blankets and pillows out of order. Just looks slovenly!
ReplyDeleteOh we had kitties, too, Barb and an unmade bed was a very tempting invitation!! ;)
DeleteI always make the bed...hubs says why do it when we just get back in it at night...silly boy...
ReplyDeleteI live with a silly boy who says the same thing, Donna!! ;)
DeleteYour pictures prove that your room looks better with the bed made!! I pull the covers up and straighten everything up. I don't fuss unless company is coming because my bed is on the first floor. I do do my hair every day whether I am going out or not and even if I am not going to wear make-up!!
ReplyDeleteI was a little hesitant to post that picture, AnnMarie, but I thought it worked better with a contrasting visual! Messy, messy...it doesn't sit well with me!! ;)
DeleteSure. The room looks so much better with the bed made, but the thing about hair... yes.
ReplyDeleteI know, the hair thing! Yes!! There's a lot of truth in those old sayings!!
DeleteI have became more serious about making my bed as soon as I get up after a certain as well. The whole room seems to look neat if the bed is made. You have a lovely bedroom!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Angela! I like it better when it’s all made up!! :) Thanks for the visit!
DeleteKim, to each his own, as you so duly noted. I make my bed because it feels like I've straightened up my mind, organized my thoughts, so to speak. That, and a fear that the ONE day I DON'T make it will be the day someone comes over and opens the door to the bedroom thinking it's the bathroom and is blinded by the chaos! Of course, it would take me weeks to clean up that mess in my mind!!
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
Poppy
I’ve been there, Poppy, with a messy kitchen. It’s always pin straight unless someone stops over. Then of course, it’s a disaster. Oh well, at least my bed is made! ;)
DeleteThank you Kim, for that post. Mom's are so precious and I wish now that I could remember every word she ever said to me. I am one of those people that can guilt themselves into making their bed everyday.If I walk through the bedroom to the bathroom and see my bed isn't made, I make myself make the bed before I can do the chore in the bathroom that I was going to do. Sometimes, as you can imagine, this can get quite harrowing, especially is the "chore" is urgent, but so far I have managed it each time! LOL! and that's how I get my bed made. Silly, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI make deals with myself too, Judy! I will just make the bed or fold that basket of laundry before I shower and get dressed! It keeps me motivated, too! My mom used to do it too...she'd say, let's make a game of it! It was certainly more fun when you thought about it that way! Thanks for sharing, Judy!! :) I hope you have a great night!
DeleteIt's sweet that she always told you stories to remember. Most days, I make the bed even with the clothes hanging from it. xoxo Su
ReplyDeleteI love all my mom's stories. I spent time with her tonight and read her my post. She liked it!
DeleteI make my bed every single morning without fail! Same as you, it just looks better....plus, I like my sheets all smooth and ready for me to slide back into them in the evening. And all sheets get washed at least once a week....sometimes twice. I might be a little bit anal.....oh well!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about the sheets...and the washing...decorating OCD. Glad to hear I'm not alone!
DeleteMy bed gets made every single day, but I haven't made the bed in 4+ years. I am always up before my hubby, so he decided the last person in bed should be the one to make it. I argued at first (silly me), because I had always made the bed in all of our 46+ years of marriage, but realized he was right! I agree with you, why bother with the pretty dress if you don't bother to comb your hair!
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend, Kim!
Carol
Lucky you!! I bet that bed looks good, too!!
DeleteI'm with you, Kim. I make the bed almost every day. When I don't, it bugs me every time I walk in the room that day.
ReplyDeleteI don't like looking at the room all unmade either, JoAnne!
DeleteI make my bed everyday too Kim. I like the way it looks all nice and neat. I hate the way it looks unmade and love getting into at night!
ReplyDeleteA neat bed is so comforting at night. I think I sleep better that way!
DeleteAs a kid, my bedroom was upstairs and ... NO ONE ever went up there, so I didn't worry about the bed, at least not everyday. Through life, kids, jobs etc., sometimes I did, sometimes not. BUT I always feel a little better when it's made. Now, in retirement, I can take all the time I want to pamper my house ... and I do, including making my bed :D Great post, by the way, Kim.
ReplyDeleteA time for everything, Cheryl! I have to say, I enjoy papering my house, so I like making the bed...well, I like a made bed better, but it's got to get made first! ;)
DeleteI always make my bed, for the same reasons that you do. I just think my room looks better with the bed made!
ReplyDeleteMuch better, Deanna, agreed!! :) Thanks for the visit!!
DeleteYou know I never made my bed before...seemed like a waste of time? But the other day we had an appraiser come and I made the bed...everything I went upstairs I realized how much I like the look, but more importantly how much "calmer" the room looked. It impressed me so much that now I make the bed!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, Cathy! You never know what triggers a new habit!! :) Enjoy your new view!
DeleteHaha!! Good post Kim. I am a stickler for bed making. If I don't make the bed my head feels like it's not screwed on right! Does that make sense? I can't t hink straight because I'm too busy staring at the messy bed. And t his only works with the bed and all the beds in the house really. Now for some exciting news! I am finally hosting my own link party with some friends, and I'd love to have you drop by at our Sweet Inspiration.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like fun, Mary, I will be sure to stop by!! :)
DeleteI make my bed every morning because I didn't spend hours making my bedspread to have it messed so I couldn't enjoy the fruit of my labor! And, because it looks better:)
ReplyDeleteYour bedspread is gorgeous, Rhonda!!
DeleteI always make my bed every day. Did so as a child and (mostly) even as a teenager! My 25-year old son never makes his bed and hasn't since he was a teen. He always says, "Why?" I tell him because it makes the whole room look neater and his attitude is, "Who cares?" lol Maybe if he ever gets married, his wife will whip him into shape, ha ha.
ReplyDeleteBoys...yes, my husband doesn't care either. If I left his garage all messy, he'd care...a lot! ;)
DeleteHello Kim,
ReplyDeleteI am with you. Yep, I make my bed. Yep, I have my boys make their bed.
And I am one of those folks that can not think straight with a mess hanging around...dirty dishes, dirty floors and un made beds. ;-) I like things to be tidy ;-)
Carla
I like tidy, too, Carla..and pretty...and tidy is prettier! ;)
DeleteI make my bed about half the time. I guess I really just don't care enough to do it faithfully though I do feel better if I get it done. I have read that it's good to leave it unmade to air it out between washings. ;)
ReplyDeleteAre the first pics of a room in your house? the green coverlet? I love that & would love to know where to find one.
Hi Jenny!
DeleteYes, that is my green coverlet! I love it. I believe at the bottom of the post is an Amazon link to the coverlet. It’s a Laura Ashley pattern. Hope that helps!
Good Evening Kim!
ReplyDeleteOh yes indeed the bed gets made every single day as well as many other routines:) it makes me happy to have an orderly house!
Your bedding is indeed dreamy....
Jemma
Thanks Jemma. I really like this pattern, too!! :)
DeleteIn our house, the rule is whoever is the last to get up makes the bed, so no, I don't make the bed too often ;).
ReplyDeleteBut you better believe if it isn't made right away there's hell to pay. I'm pretty OCD about it. The state of your bed is the state of your head.
(Your bedroom is lovely)
xxx
Thanks Doreen! Great saying too...see maybe my mom was onto something more than just a beauty tip!! ;)
Deleteoh yes I make it every day :) When my boys were growing up as soon as they learned how they had to do theirs as well.
ReplyDeleteWow, teach me your parenting ways, Deb!! :)
DeleteVery well said! I love a well made bed. It is more welcoming when it is made, no wrinkles and softy fluffy pillows. So cozy! Your bed is so lovely and is so inviting. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I appreciate the sweet comment and the visit! :)
DeleteAh yes...I make mine every.single.day. I remember a short time when I was a teenager and I perfected the act of sleeping on top of my comforter, so I didn't have to make the bed. Ha! I even timed myself once and it only takes me about 2 minutes to make the bed, and it's so worth it to have the whole room pulled together and looking pretty. I love your mom's saying too! It's totally true! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha!! Well that sounds like a neat trick...almost like sleeping in your clothes so you can pop up and go. No one I know ever tried that one...hmmm. ;) Shhh.
DeleteI am a bed maker too! Like you, it has been a part of my morning routine since I was a teenager. In fact, I shared a room with my sister who is a year younger than me and she never made her bed, never picked up her clothes or put anything away...talk about frustrating!! It got so bad that I moved my bed and belongings to an enclosed porch on the side of our house. I grew up in Florida so it was pretty comfortable temperature wise. I bought fabric and made curtains to match my bedspread. Maybe that was the start of my need to have my bedroom clutter free and a nice decorative area that I could call my own. Investing in nice quality bedding makes it easy to get everyone in my home on board with this morning routine :)
ReplyDeleteMy brother and I shared a room until I was about 7 or 8…then my sister got married and I got her room. Until then it was torture, only I was the sloppy one and even at 5, he was a neat knick! It kind of sounds neat to sleep in the porch though. Not a choice in the north, but it sounds kind of dreamy!! :)
DeleteI'm with you on that. I can't imagine getting into an unmade bed. It takes seconds to make up a bed, and then at the end of the day, there is is, crisp and welcoming.
ReplyDeleteWelcoming, yes...perfect word!! :)
DeleteI make our bed every morning for the exact same reason you do. It looks better. I'm in the middle of decorating and re-organizing our bedroom right now, and even though there's a plastic storage tub in one corner and a pile of hangers in the other, our bed is still nicely made up. Love your bedroom, Kim. Hugs, Nancy
ReplyDeleteYou’re right…storage bins or not, it just looks better Nancy!!
DeleteWell you may say you do it because you like the way it looks...but don't you like the look because it's pretty and orderly? Uh huh...I thought so. :) You are an orderly kind of girl!
ReplyDeleteYou got me, Stacey! I am! :)
DeleteGoldilocks would choose your bed any time.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
You just made my day,, Amalia! :)
DeleteI'm not going to be the only one to say that I don't make my bed every day. Nope, won't do it. ;) I will say that your bed looks so pretty with all of your pillows.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristi! Your bed is always made in pictures...that means it's made all the time, right? ;)
DeleteI too make my bed every day, I just like to see a bedroom ... well any room with a sense of order to it.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Right there with you, Jan! :)
DeleteI make my bed every morning as soon as I rise. I'm with you on this one... Nothing looks worse than an unmade bed. Did you know that my son told me a week or two ago that "some study" he heard discovered that bed bugs are found less in unmade beds, because bugs do not like light, they like darkness, and unmade beds keep the bugs in. Now is that some kind of weird reasoning or what! Or did some teenager come up with that? I'm still waiting for the research, lol! Just had to share that, it made me laugh when he told me. But... I will still be making my bed, I think! LOL!
ReplyDeleteOh no! I was hoping to keep things OUT by making it up. Grrr. Well, I do wash the sheets in hot water once a week. Hopefully that would kill those bad bed bugs. Or I will keep telling myself that anyway!! ;)
DeleteLol. I never made my bed today but I do try too. Sometimes there is just so much going on that I let some things slide for a day and making the bed is one of them. I do like it made up because it does look prettier and it is a joy to get into at night.
ReplyDeleteIt does look prettier indeed Ronda, but with a home to manage and a toddler to take care of it’s hard to get to all the time. I remember those days! Besides, messy beds will keep, small children do not!! ;)
DeleteI KNOW we must be related. I make our bed.......just because it looks pretty :^) My mother would be proud...she tried to teach me about things like this, but I never caught on until I started making bedding! Now I love seeing my handiwork looking so nice...so.......I make the bed every day!! Funny story....
ReplyDeleteI place the sleeping pillows one way if I am going to go all out with the decorative stuff, I place them a different way on an everyday basis.
Hubby has caught on and fixes them just right when he makes the bed on the weekends :^) Whadda' you mean...you can't teach an old pup new tricks ;^)
hugs to you,
J
Wow…you have a good hubby!! Mine likes to sit on my bed right after I make it. He always says, oh…did you just make this? Funny guy. Maybe he needs a new trick! I could use your training manual!! ;)
DeleteI would go nuts if I left my bed unmade all day. LOL I also make it first thing everyday. Couldn't live any other way. I can not imagine walking in the bedroom all through out the day and see the mess. Great post, Kim. xxx Maria
ReplyDeleteMe neither, Maria! It would drive me crazy! ;)
DeleteThis is such a great post. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thank you, Jess! I am glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteHello Kim, we are so happy to inform you that we featured this at our Monday Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful week. :)
Julie xo
Yay!! Thanks so much, Julie!! :)
DeleteWhat beautiful linen. I love a made bed too, purely for the look it gives the bedroom. Visiting from Cooking & Crafting with J & J.
ReplyDeleteAnne @ Domesblissity xx
Thanks so much, Anne!
Delete