For such a small task that takes literally minutes to complete, making up your bed sets the tone for the rest of the day and maybe even the rest of your life. Making the bed instantly makes your entire room look better. Much like our appearance, when we look good, we feel good. Even the fanciest rooms look messy and unorganized when the bed is not made up. Think of what it’s like to walk into a hotel room. The bed is the centerpiece, immediately drawing your eyes to the focal point of the room. Literally, begging you to snuggle under the soft sheets and lay your head on a fluffy pillow. Imagine walking into that room to an unmade bed with crinkly sheets. You would probably run for the hills or call housekeeping immediately. If we wouldn’t accept it at a hotel, why accept it at home? There’s something special about a made-up bed that makes us feel good however there is added value and benefits to incorporating this small task into your daily routine.
The Value of Making Your Bed
It Will Make You Feel Proud
Making your bed is really no big task. It takes a couple of minutes, it’s easy to do, and it instantly instills you with a sense of accomplishment. Perhaps no one knows the value of making your bed more than someone who is or has served in the military. Ever wonder why making up the bed is one of the first things every soldier learns to do in basic training? Naval Admiral William McRaven, author of “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe The World,” shared his thoughts on the matter.
“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another,” he said. “By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”
Even this small task can make a big impact on how you feel, and sometimes, it’s at least one thing we can be proud of achieving. Here is my bed. Simple, nothing fancy but oh so comfortable.
It Makes You Feel Good
We spend roughly a third of our life in our bedroom, and the appearance of our room affects our mood. Living in a messy environment has been linked to some mental health conditions, like depression, and it could also suggest that a person is struggling to cope with problems or feeling overwhelmed. It’s hard to feel calm, relaxed, competent, and grounded when we’re surrounded by disorganization. Disorganization leads to a scattered mind, so even a nicely put together bed can make all the difference in ending a long day truly relaxing and rejuvenating in our bedroom. A properly made bed (no, it doesn’t have to be up to military standards, just neat and unrumpled) instantly makes the entire room look pulled together, creating a subtle vibe of tranquility and competence. A made bed shows that we care about ourself and our home, and that feeling of being cared for helps lift our mood and lighten our emotional burdens.
It Encourages Success and Builds Confidence
The simple act of making the bed just might be the world’s easiest success habit. Not because it automatically brings upon fortune and fame but primarily because it starts a chain reaction of other productive habits. You might be asking, “How is making the bed going to increase my productivity?” Daily bed-making kickstarts a chain of other good decisions throughout the day and gives us a sense of taking charge. Whether it’s being productive at work, being more motivated to work out or finally going to bed at a better time, making the bed is proven to help encourage us to make those smart decisions.
Making our bed every day may seem trivial, however doing it can serve as a reminder that we’re in control of at least one thing in our life. Like other habits, making the bed daily requires responsibility and commitment. Knowing that we can set our mind to something and persevere day after day can increase our personal satisfaction levels and improve our confidence in our own abilities.
It Promotes Self Love
Making the bed in the morning is an act of kindness and self-love to our future self who is going to crawl into bed tired at the end of the day. A future self who we believe deserves to come to a bed that is welcoming and inviting. If you don’t believe this about yourself, never fear! The act itself of making the bed, even if you start doing it for other reasons, will start to send an indirect message of worth and value which will start to translate to other areas of your life.
3 Easy Steps for Making Up Your Bed
It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect. I don’t fold my bed into neat little military corners. However, I do pull on the comforter and make it smooth and clean. I plump up the pillows, so they look pretty, and I fold the cozy beige blanket, so it sits at the bottom of the bed. Now, when I walk into my bedroom, I feel energized and organized. A neatly made bed acts as the foundation for our confidence and empowers us to feel we can take on any task that comes our way that day. My bed and accessories as you can see are black, which could make the room dark. However, I made a point to go with white/cream neutral bedding and window treatments, to make the room bright and inviting. On my bed is an Egyptian Cotton Goose Down Comforter, Duvet Cover and Egyptian Extra Deep Pocket Sheets with Matching Shams. The two throw pillows in the middle are actually purple but I used these cute Pom Pom Pillow Covers to change their look. The matching Sherpa Pom Pom Throw Blanket is not only cute but warm and cozy. Sometimes I sleep under it, instead of the sheets and comforter. White sheets and pillow cases have a luxe feel, a feeling of worthiness, godliness to be exact. On a personal level, the color choices force me to remove any make-up I may have worn before going to bed. In all my travels, I come to appreciate luxury. My bedding reminds me of a hotel bed, bringing forth a fresh feel, plush goodness….ahhhhh.
- Clear the Bed. Try not to put anything on the floor.
- Smooth the sheets with your hands.
- Fold and tuck sheets neatly in at the two bottom mattress corners.
- Place the duvet or comforter on top.
- Fluff the pillows.
- Add the finishing touches.
You may be struggling with making up your bed every day. It’s ok. Habits take time to form. You can overcome the resistance to change by starting with a manageable specific goal. For example, instead of saying, “I will always make my bed,” start with “I’ll make my bed every day this week.” Use a visual reminder, like a post-it or alarm clock. If you’re still struggling, get help from a friend, family member or if you’re lucky, a housekeeper. If one day you don’t make you bed, don’t beat yourself up however, don’t let it become an excuse for not doing it again. When this becomes a positive, daily habit that takes very little effort, you can expect to see improvements in your organization skills, self-confidence, better quality of sleep and life.
