The Bedroom Basics

Our instructions for Making a Bed was referenced in the book: The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook by Michael Volkin!

There is nothing more relaxing than climbing into a fresh, well made bed. The bedroom should be free of clutter and aspects of everyday living in order to create a relaxing, stress free environment. If you do not take the time in the morning to properly make your bed and straighten your room, you effectively dampen your nightimte pleasures. A room that is rumpled and cluttered with papers, books, electronic equipment, dirty clothes, and a wide assortment of other odds and ends cannot invite you into its realm at the end of the day with a feeling of rest. Instead a messy room reminds you of all that needs to be done, all the unmet chores of the day.

Bedroom Linens:
1. Mattress Cover and Pad - protects the matress from dirt, perspiration, spills, and all other types of soil
2. Rubber or Vinyl Mattress Pad - protects the matress for fluids * Necessary if you have a young child prone to wetting the bed *
3. Fitted Sheet - protects the matress pad
4. Flat Sheet - protects the skin from the scratchy blanket as well as protecting the blanket from dirt and oils on your skin
5. Pillow Cover and Case - protects the pillow from, oils, hair, perspiratiion, drool, and tears
6. Blanket(s) - used in the cooler months for warmth
7. Bedspread, Comforter, or Duvet - used during the day to make the bed attractive

Care for the Bedroom: Monthly:
1. Rotate matress with someone's help.
2. Wash comforters, bedspreads, and pillows.
3. Air throw rugs and pillows in the sun ocassionally.
4. Vacuum underneath the bed.
5. Wash curtains.
6. Dust tops of wood moldings around windows and doors.
7. Air bedroom by opening windows.

Care for the Bedroom: Weekly:
1. Dust nightstand, vanity, dressers, chests.
2. Vacuum carpets and rugs or sweep floors.

Care for the Bedroom: Daily:
1. Air and make the bed.
2. Put away dirty clothes.
3. Straighten personal belongings.
4. Put away reading materials, glasses, dishes, toys, etc.

Washing the Bed Linens: Weekly:
* In the summer months, you may wish to launder your sheets twice a week to keep them fresh *
1. Choose a day each week to wash the sheets.
2. On wash day strip the bed and pillows of all linens, including matress cover.
3. Place linens in washing machine following the manufacturer's directions for the care of your linens.
4. While the sheets are washing, allow the matress to air for a while.
5. Rotate matress if needed.
6. Make the bed following the method below.

How to Make the Bed: Weekly:
1. Place matress cover on matress if you are using one.
2. Take fitted sheet and stretch over matress, pulling sides down and smoothing the sheet across the top with your hands.
3. Place flat sheet on top of fitted sheet makig sure that the sides are even. When using a comforter, often the flat sheet is placed with the right side down so that when you turn it down at the top, the right side of the sheet is visible.
4. At the foot of the bed, tuck the flat sheet underneath the matress tightly. The sheet should be smooth without rumples.
5. To correctly make a hospital corner at the foot of your bed, lift the side of the sheet and tightly tuck in the portion that is hanging down.
6. Now you may either leave the side of the sheet hanging down or tuck in the entire length of the side.
7. Place bedspread or comforter on top of flat sheet checking for even lengths on the sides.
8.Tuck the pillow into a zippered pillow cover and then into the pillow case.
9. If you have a bedspread, place the pillow at the head of the bed and pull spread over the pillow tucking the excess underneath the pillow.
10. If you are using a comforter, turn down the top of the comfrorter as well as the top of the flat sheet and place pillow at head of the bed.
11. Smooth any wrinkles.

How to Make the Bed: Daily:
1. Upon waking, turn the covers down to allow the sheets to air for an hour or two.
* Allowing the bed to air helps to reatin a fresh smell of the linens and the bedrrom. *
2. After breakfast, continue making the bed.
3. Smoothe fitted sheet of any wrinkles.
4. Pull flat sheet up and smoothe wrinkles.
5. Pull up blanket and/or bedspread.
6. For bedspread, place the pillow at the head of the bed and pull spread over the pillow tucking the excess underneath the pillow.
7. For comforter, turn down the top of the comfrorter as well as the top of the flat sheet and place pillow at head of the bed.
8. Smooth any wrinkles.