Why Should I Make my Bed?

For some people, it won’t make a difference.  A made bed or an unmade bed doesn’t affect them.  But for some of us, well, crawling into a made bed may be the key to a more relaxing and better night of sleep.

It sounds weird doesn’t it.  It very well could be all in our head. I admit I’m weird. I admit that sometimes I feel like I walk to the beat to the beat of a different instrument played on a different planet in a galaxy far far away.

Are you familiar with Flylady?  She’s become quite the sensation over the last 14 years.  I stopped reading her emails long before she had her own website but if you’re familiar with her than you might know these two things:

1) Shine your sink!

and

2) Wear your shoes!

I’m sitting here typing and I am only wearing socks. I did wear shoes for a long time.  She was right about the attitude changes it brings.  Sometimes I wear slippers but I stopped wearing shoes.  Turtlegirl has started wearing shoes and more put together outfits for school hours. She says they help her get into a more focused frame of mind. Tailorbear has started as well. 

Oh and my sink?  I really love the idea of a shiny sink.  I think Tailorbear would love it too but it seems the sink is never shiny and there are always things in the sink. When the girls were much younger and I was the primary kitchen cleaner upper person the sink did get cleaned every day.  But since the girls have taken over kitchen duties I’m just happy if the dishwasher gets loaded and run, the floor gets swept a couple times a week and the counters get wiped down. Many days it feels like I am asking too much.

But my bed? I still make my bed most days. I didn’t make my bed today and it bugs me every time I walk into my room. (So why haven’t I just given in and made the bed?  I don’t know, I think I kept thinking I would just crawl in and take a nap.)

Back when I was participating in Flylady’s onelist and egroup (those predate the Yahoo Groups!) I heard it said that the bed can be the “sink” of the bedroom. When I am trying to clean my room I have to start with a well made bed. I can put items on the bed to put away if the bed is made but I have mental breakdowns if someone puts something on the bed when the bed is all messed up and unmade. Weird? Yes I know I am!

I find that if the bed is made, I can put up with a whole lot more “messy” with the rest of the bedroom. I think Tailorbear and Turtlegirl are starting to get that idea. They’ve started spending time on the bunk bed and I would guess that they find it easier (and more comfortable) to use the computer to watch a movie or to read a book when the covers are not all balled up.  Even the cat prefers to hang out in their room when the bed is made. (Good kitty!)

So why should I make my bed?  Because it brings a sense of peace and calm to my bedroom. Because it can be the one thing of order in my room full of chaos.  Because, when my bed is made, I am going to enjoy using the bed to curl up with a book and daughter and snuggle and read.

 

Image courtesy of Arvind Balaraman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net