To ask how much 'spare' bedding I really need?

[FlamedToACrisp]

I inherited my Mum's entire collection of bedding from her house. We have 2 double beds, in use, + 2 singles, not in use. Apart from the bedding actually on the beds, how many

pillows,
sheets,
duvets,
cushions,
sheets,
quilt covers

should I keep, assuming they are nothing special and I usually have about 3 lots of guests a year who stay about 3-4 nights?

Also - how many spare towels is wisdom and how many is hoarding?

We try to keep it minimal.
We have two sets for each bed so one to put on and one spare for when it is washing.
We do have a summer duvet and winter duvet for each bed but since we moved into this house, which is warmer than our last, we only ever use the summer one then throw a blanket/throw on each bed. It all adds up doesn’t it?
No cushions on the bed but 2 pillows for each person.
2 bath sheets each, & also around 4 extra bath towels, 4 bath mats loads of hand towels though as I also use for my long hair. I would love to have less stuff though.

The cushions are a problem. We have about 9 cushions, mostly brand new from 'dressing' my Mum's house to sell it and 2 Victorian ones, same age as the house. we don't use any of them!

I have one spare set for each bed.

We have two sets of mattress protector, sheets, duvet cover and pillowcases per bed in use (one on, one spare) and one set per guest bed. We have a winter and summer duvet for each bed (we use the ones that clip together to make different weights) and a lot of pillows that aren’t specific to any particular bed. No cushions, quilts, bedspreads or decorative bed items, I just find them annoying.

We have a few extra sheets, duvets and protectors for the children’s beds because they still aren’t totally reliably dry overnight and it’s not completely unheard of to need to strip their bed twice in a night.

We probably have about 30 towels of various sizes, many inherited. Between bath towels, hand towels and guest towels at home, plus towels for swimming, the beach, pet care, randomly mopping up from broken washing machine etc they all seem to get used.

We just have one set sheets per bed because it can be washed and put back on the same day. We then wear through them quicker so we replace sheets every 3 yrs or so.
We have two of each towel type per person
No cushions
2 pillows per bed
1 duvet per bed

We probably have about 30 towels of various sizes, many inherited. Between bath towels, hand towels and guest towels at home, plus towels for swimming, the beach, pet care, randomly mopping up from broken washing machine etc they all seem to get used

30 towels seems like an awful lot and if you had half that amount, you'd still probably have plenty.

We don't have any cushions at all. We have one set of towels each and a few hand towels. In the rare occasion that a towel is in the wash when one is needed, we do have one or two old spares that will do.

Bedding, I would have thought that one spare for each of the beds in daily use was enough. For the guest beds, I'm not sure I'd bother with any spares unless all these guests are going to come straight after the other so you'd not be able to turn around the washing.

It's up to you how much you keep, eg if there's anything you particularly nice or are sentimentally attached to, or will be useful to replace some of yours that is wearing out, but anything in good condition can go to charity or animal shelters or the fabric recycling bins if tatty.

We have 3 sets for our bed, one of which only comes out in winter as it's brushed cotton. I'd agree with a PP that you only really need one set for each spare bed unless guests are coming back to back.

I had a clear out early this year and got rid of a couple of cotton double duvet covers that were in good nick they just clashed awfully with the decor of our bedroom since it's been decorated - a local charity that were making facemasks to sell were happy to take them off my hands.

Teens each have two sets of bedding. We've also kept two old single sets so enough for visitors/sleepovers. One set of bedding for spare bed. Two spares for our bed.

Towels, dunno. Have enough to give a houseful a towel each but funnily enough the visiting teens don't seem to need a whole clean towel each. Boak. Have old crappy towels for sending on things like school trips/scout camp. I don't care if they come back. They always seem to make it though.

This is mumsnet, I’m sure someone will be along soon to tell you that you should change your sheets twice a day. Anything less is slovenly.

@Meepmeeep

This is mumsnet, I’m sure someone will be along soon to tell you that you should change your sheets twice a day. Anything less is slovenly.

there's always one

I get bored of the same bedsheets, so I have quite a few.
I haven't got the time to worry about a set not drying and be ready when I need it.

I don't even know how my kids got, maybe 4 or 5 sets each? Some they share, some they don't because they have different taste.

Frankly, it's more about
-storage space
-how often will you use them
No point owning 12 duvet covers but only using 2.

I usually calculate on the basis of:
One on
One off
One in the wash
So 3 sets per bed.

I think we have 5 or 6 sets for my DC. Mostly because I’ve made a habit of buying them a new set for their birthday, it’s almost a tradition now. Also because of stomach bugs, learnt the hard way with that...

Two on at a time - mattress protector, sheet, mattress protector, sheet. Started when we had a baby, in case the bed needed stripping quickly, carried on as it's easier!

Towels we have 2 each plus 3 for guests. Handtowels I have twice as many as I have out (e.g. 3 bathrooms plus kitchen plus one for my hair = 5 out so 5 spare to rotate while I wash).

None of our beds are the same size (we have a king, our spare is a double as that's what fits in the room, and then the sofa bed is an IKEA double) so I have a set of sheets for each (2 for our bed so I can wash it). Then a winter and summer duvet in both double and king. Plus maybe 4 spare pillows, just in case we have to crack the air mattress out.

I'd have two sets per bed in regular use, and maybe only one for the ones not in regular use, unless it's likely you'd have two sets of guests in such quick succession. Having said that, we have the safety margin that the guest bedroom is king like ours, and so if we did have consecutive guests we could use our spare set, or use the guest room set on ours in emergency. (I do remember the time DD was sick on two sets of her bedding AND two sets of ours.)

Three sets for our bed, the kids have five including Christmas / winter.

No cushions on the bed and pillows are preference, I have two, DH has three, kids have loads.

Two bath sheets and one hair towel each, plus swimming towels, dog towels, old crappy just in case towels. We have a lot of towels.

“30 towels seems like an awful lot and if you had half that amount, you'd still probably have plenty.”

5 sinks in the house inc utility room etc = 5 hand towels
Bath towel each (plus some of us have hair towel too) = 6
Swimming towels = 4
Beach towels = 4
Guest towels = 4 bath, 2 hand (also get used as spares if a family towel is in the wash)

Add in a couple of old ones for handling small furries and a few spare clean hand towels.

I don’t think it’s enormously excessive really. I suspect people have different answers depending on how much swimming/beach activity they do and whether or not they have a tumble drier...

We have two sets for the beds in use and 2 sets for the spare beds. I did a bit of a towel sort out and now have 9 for the 3 of us and 4 guest towels. They’re all in good condition and when towels get a bit wrecked I they go.

@HitthatroadJack what’s with the face. Clearly my message was sarcastic and I’m not saying that’s what she should do. 🤷🏻‍♀️

We have 2 spare sets for each bed and each bed has 2 pillows per person.
Except DD who has a spare duvet and 4 sets of bedding. We learnt this the hard way after a vomit bug and we are currently trying to get her dry through the night.
We have 2 head/face towels each and 2 big towels. We have about 6 hand towels.
There are a couple of scruffy old towels knocking about too.
The puppy also has two towels and a spare bed. We are also trying to get him dry at night.

After reading this am I the only one with loads of bedding? For our bed we have about 8 or 9 sets, similar for DC. I keep the bedsheets with the duvet sets, so lots of sheets. Winter and summer weight duvets, 2 pillows per person, blankets, throws etc.
I also have tonnes of towels, I keep the holiday beach towels in one of the suitcases.

I have 2 sets per bed / cot. Always been plenty for us.

I have 3 sets for each bed. Each bed has 2 pillows per person and a winter/summer duvet. Towels, the dc have 2 each, adult's have 4 sets each (bath towel and hair towel)and we have 4 hand towels between 2 toilets. We don't have specific bed linen and towels for guests.

It depends if you have cats that boke on beds, heavy periods, people who spill tea or coffee on them etc. If you have any of these, at least three sets per bed. Then you still have a spare one clean if one is waiting to be washed.