Bed Makers

BED MAKERS

Can making your bed every day be a Life Changer? Is it possible that there might be more to the legendary skill of pulling together the covers and sheets and repetitively going through the motions of piling on pillows every day?

I can remember from my earliest youth always “making” my bed and the ritual has carried through well into this old(er) age of mine. Although I thought I instilled this habit into my own children, I must come clean and admit that (Gasp! Horrors!) when I visit their homes I see unmade beds in the middle of the day! Therefore, let me make an argument in defense of the art of assembling our beds each and every day so all will understand why I think mastery of this good habit is vital.

To begin, there is the obvious reason for completing this task. We buy lovely 600 thread sheets, beautiful coverlets and assortments of throw pillows. Doesn’t it make sense to gather them together into a clean, beautifully put-together area that affects a calm oasis away from everything else? Dishes in the sink? Toys on the floor? Paperwork piles in the office? All becomes inconsequential because no matter what happens the rest of the day, you know there is at least one tranquil place you can go to ~ a retreat of sorts ~ one you’ve created; stress reduction all around. Thus, a made bed sends the cheerful message you care about yourself and those you live with.

Think about it. You spend roughly 1/3 of your life in your bedroom. The appearance of a well-made bed encourages you to keep the rest of the room tidy, which in turn has a surprising serenity to it. Surely you understand that it’s hard to be relaxed and secure if everything around you is in disarray and rumpled; keeping it organized can have a positive effect on your mood, on your mind, on your health and happiness.

 Now don’t get me wrong, a properly made bed doesn’t have to be completed with military precision ~ “corners squared, covers tight, pillows centered under the headboard” per Admiral William McRavan  ~ in his commencement speech to the University of Texas ~ (although you have my absolute admiration if it is!) but a neat cursory covering of the bed’s undergarments will do. When I put together my bed for the day, I believe I am starting the day off with a sense of accomplishment. It may seem like a mundane chore; it may seem small; but this simple task can set the tone for the rest of the day, encouraging you to achieve other more detailed decisions. It sets in motion a sort of domino effect, a chain reaction that kick starts, bolsters and increases your productivity. Impressive results can be effectuated by simply taking a minute or two to pull up the sheets and comforter and fluff a few pillows. See how the idea that the little things in life matter?

Now I know that some of you are thinking I’m a tad bed-obsessed. Why, you ask, should I bother to take the tedious effort to dress and decorate my bed only to mess it up again at the end of the day? Fair enough. You can find the answer in the book "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. According to the author, daily bed making becomes a habit that gives you a sense of taking charge and further claims that habits cumulatively lead to "a greater sense of well-being"; which, if you were to determine to make your bed every morning, you would see how developing one good habit can often lead to others.

Now here comes the best part. There’s a simple pleasure when entering a welcoming sleep environment in pulling back the covers each night. At the end of a hectic day, there is a peaceful ahhh(!)mazing feeling that cannot be achieved if one has to first sort out the sheets and blankets and find those tossed pillows that have made it under the bed (most likely covered in dust bunnies) before getting into bed for a well-deserved rest. It only takes a few moments to create this positive state of mind. I know this may seem a bit oversimplified, but that is the point: small steps, large results. Can making the bed be a Life Changer? See for yourself and once you’ve tried it, tell me…is there anything better than that “Welcome” feeling you get crawling into a soft, clean, comforting  bed and falling into a deep restoring sleep?

Carpe Diem!