Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Time saving hack or crap idea?

32 replies

DramaLlamaa · 17/09/2016 12:07

Putting 2 or 3 sheets and pillowcases on the beds at once?

I've got 7 beds to change on a weekly basis and have spares so could keep the spares under & just rip off the top sheet to wash. Also thinking it would free up cupboard space Grin

Is that a good idea, I can't think of a reason why not?

OP posts:
HerRoyalFattyness · 17/09/2016 12:08

Well I think it's genius Grin

SoupDragon · 17/09/2016 12:10

I think they'd get stale and smelly. Particularly in summer.

ExcuseMyEyebrows · 17/09/2016 12:10

I'm going to do this, and put on two duvet covers as well. I don't have much storage space and I think it's a genius idea (I hate changing beds)

SoupDragon · 17/09/2016 12:11

Thinking about how the mattress protector gets grubby with a sheet on top, I can't see it working really. Although it would save time!

Iamdobby63 · 17/09/2016 12:12

Ummm not with my sweaty husband.

How does it save time though? You still have to do it twice.

donajimena · 17/09/2016 12:13

Duvet yes but not pillow. I bought new pillows earlier this year and they clearly need a wash. I think perspiration would soak through. Less so with a duvet as its on you rather than under.
personally I would change everything at once.

Original poster
DramaLlamaa · 17/09/2016 12:14

It wouldn't work if exh (aka mr pillow-yellower) still lived here but we all shower before bed...
I'm going to give it a go today and next Saturday I'll do a freshness test on the one underneath!

OP posts:
ExcuseMyEyebrows · 17/09/2016 12:15

I'm going to put two mattress protectors on Soup

I sleep alone and my bed doesn't get grubby so I think it would work for me.

Original poster
DramaLlamaa · 17/09/2016 12:15

Yes probably true re pillows, I'll do sheet & duvet

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 17/09/2016 12:15

I think each set will feel slept in , we all have several pillows on our beds , heads only actually touch one or two of them but every pillow case needs washing as they still feel slept in /on . Also surely you have to store the set you wash or you are just putting them straight back on ,which defeats the object of having more than one set in the first place IYSWIM .

pengymum · 17/09/2016 12:18

Not time saving in my view as the sheets & covers would not be fresh - they'd just absorb the sweat/smells from the top layer. Not as much but still will be iffy.
Only time I'd find it useful is if have bedwetter, then strip off top layer (make bed with waterproof bed mats alternating with sheets) and then have fresh, dry layer.
Wouldn't want to use waterproof layers on my own bed & think the sweat would taint lower sheets otherwise.

NoelHeadbands · 17/09/2016 12:20

I'm sure the lower ones would be clean enough, but they wouldn't be fresh enough.

I'm out Grin

LizzieMacQueen · 17/09/2016 12:22

are you running a B & B?

I agree with PP, the sheets wouldn't feel fresh and it would only save maybe 4 and a half minutes; not worth the effort.

OlennasWimple · 17/09/2016 12:24

But then you don't get that lovely, fresh clean bed feeling when you have changed the sheets...

I used to layer the kids beds up (mattress protector, sheet, mattress protector, sheet) when they were younger, so that any bed wetting could be dealt with in the night easily by stripping off the top two layers

Iamdobby63 · 17/09/2016 12:24

Maybe I'm a bit thick but I still don't understand how it saves time? Or is it not meant to? You still have to put the same number of items on the bed.

If you are all really clean you could perhaps change some of them every other week, for example I do mine every week but do the children (older but not smelly) each have double beds, every other week, so each week I do 2 beds. Or maybe you could do half changes so perhaps pillow cases and or sheets.

SoupDragon · 17/09/2016 12:48

It won't save cupboard space either as you have to store the set yve just taken off.

If your bed doesn't get grubby, why are ou washing the bedding at all...?

SoupDragon · 17/09/2016 12:49

And instead of putting on 7 sets of bedding you are putting on 14 or 21... It only defers thr time, it doesn't save any.

Dammit!

Original poster
DramaLlamaa · 17/09/2016 13:20

Well it would save time on one of the weekends. Time saving as a whole no, but then I'm already doing it so surely that's quicker than starting from scratch iyswim. I just did it on all the beds & didn't take much longer than putting one on.

As for cupboard space, in summer it's obviously a quick turnaround & but in Autumn Spring & winter I hang outside then needs a bit inside etc then airing cupboard

I could do one week with two on, one with one, one with two etc

Oh and they're thick sheets& we shower before bed. Anyway I'll test in a weeks time see how they are

Grin I'm wasting time thinking about this aren't I? Grin

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 17/09/2016 13:24

Ewwwwww no, won't feel fresh and will be sweaty!

Irisagogo · 17/09/2016 14:51

I always put on a mattress protector then two sheets.

The bottom sheet will still need washing, they don't look/feel or smell fresh. Two sheets looks and feels nicer though.

If you need to save time, and sleep in pjs, wash just your sheets pillowcases and pop your duvet outside for a few hours ( with cover) it will smell fresh. Then you could just change is every two weeks.

My other tip is to borrow the spare duvet if I can't dry mine outdoors, just lift it off spare bed.

P1nkP0ppy · 17/09/2016 14:54

I think I'll pass on the doubling up 😳. I imagine the second sheet won't smell lovely and fresh once it's been on a bed for a week, it doesn't take two minutes to change a bed so I can't see the point, sorry!

ChunkyHare · 17/09/2016 19:44

How old are your DC and could they help?

School residentials start in year 3 and most children give bedmaking a go. Plus boarders can learn to make a bed at 7 years old.

My 10 year old is better at it than my 13 year old but they both strip their beds and then put the clean stuff back on (although I do have a tumble dryer so same bedding)

LugsTheDog · 19/09/2016 11:29

What if someone's sick and goes through all their layers?

Actually we do layer up the kids' beds to make for easier changing of wet beds in the middle of the night. However we have a waterproof mattress protector between the layers, and generally the bedding is all washed very often, which is the whole problem!!

Agree with PP that if there are 7 beds, can't you delegate a bit? Also consider just swapping the bottom sheet and pillow case and flipping the duvet every other wash.

ParadiseCity · 19/09/2016 11:32

Well it wouldn't help for anything fluid. Are any of the beds shagged in?

I reckon you could just change them less often for a better way of saving time...

bibbitybobbityyhat · 19/09/2016 11:35

7 beds a week? Shock

Tbh if you all shower before bed, I'd change the sheets fortnightly Grin

My children 13 and 15 change their own beds and have been doing for many years.