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How To: Keep a Duvet in Place

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We know, it's so Martha to do this.. but having had duvets for years, we used to be no strangers to reaching up and inside the duvet cover each morning to straighten out the comforter which always got bunched up during the night. So a couple of years ago we made a simple modification that eliminated wrangling with this and now making the bed is a 5 second science.. (and yes, with Wes and Kayla's Tuck/Drape survey, this looks like duvet day on AT Boston!)

 
 

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It can be easier to shake out a duvet with another person, but it's not always possible. Especially when you're teaching an 8-year old to "make the bed himself". So, on advice from the mom of a European friend, we stitched two pieces of twill tape to each of the corners of the duvet cover. When putting our duvet inside its cover, we take a second to tie the ribbons around the corners of the duvet. Because the duvet doesn't shift anymore, we can fluff it with a quick shake, and on days we crawl back into bed the comforter hasn't all migrated to the middle. (FYI, we love Laure's easy system on getting the comforter into its cover here).

If you're not one for a needle and thread, there are also easy-on/easy-off comforter clips that do the same trick. What about you, AT readers? Do you have any tips on keeping a duvet in place?

Pic 1: Martha Stewart

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bedroom, How To..., sheets, duvet, making the bed

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Comments (20)

also we had a similar post yesterday. I think AT writers have duvet covers are on the brain! many of the comments yesterday advised a similar solution to yours, some saying they could buy some straps, while others like to climb in.

posted by chelc on January 21st 2009 at 6:05pm
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Safety pinning the comforter corners to the duvet cover from the inside simply does the trick for me. No need to buy these contraptions.

posted by chowbaby on January 21st 2009 at 6:30pm
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Metal binder clips from the office.

posted by bromeliad on January 21st 2009 at 7:33pm
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I've never actually had a problem with my comforter moving inside the cover, but I just found out that my West Elm cover had strings inside it to tie to the comforter!

My only issue, is then the corners of the cover get pulled inside of itself. Any suggestions?

posted by grafxnerd on January 21st 2009 at 8:05pm
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I don't have this problem with my duvet at all. I tend to hold it by the corners of the top and shake it out on a regular basis and it falls right into place for me. I guess if I didn't shake it out often, it could get out of place, but a quick daily fluffing works for me.

posted by KWorld on January 22nd 2009 at 1:48am
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I need to do this, mine is shifting quite badly!

posted by Domi on January 22nd 2009 at 9:41am
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I've not had good luck with the comforter clips. They always come loose and roll around inside the cover. I've considered this option you mention in your post, but by stitching one piece of ribbon to each corner of the duvet and duvet cover, and then tying them together.

posted by als1 on January 22nd 2009 at 11:32am
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Nice job!

posted by ModHomeEcTeacher on January 22nd 2009 at 8:59pm
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pottery barn sells duvets with the ties already sewn in

posted by downtownLAloft on January 23rd 2009 at 12:14pm
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A loop sewn into the comforter corner could also facilitate this! I'll be doing this over the weekend!

posted by Charmedseed on January 23rd 2009 at 1:34pm
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i got a duvet from target and it came with those. But then, I also had a duvet from Ikea that didn't, and it never shifted

posted by nutterbuddy on January 24th 2009 at 5:21pm
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I have no problems with my duvet either but do want to know where that birdie light on the wall came from. It is fabulous!

posted by schnauzer on January 24th 2009 at 10:11pm
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humm this sounds easy, could replace my Hose straps. Heres a tip; you know those old panty hose holders? The white things with clips? those work well. Mine broke, I have lump insted of a duvet LOL

posted by jen of the north on January 24th 2009 at 11:18pm
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It was a bit of work, but I sewed buttons to the corners inside the duvet, and buttonholes to match on the comforter itself (I looked up a buttonhole tutorial online, it's pretty easy!). It's small and has worked beautifully, and you can't tell there's anything there from just looking on the outside.

posted by Quezzie on January 25th 2009 at 12:14am
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Duvets out here come with bias binding stitched across the corners and a loop in the middle on all four edges...duvet covers come with a pair of strings stitched into each corner and a pair in the middle on all four sides.

You tie the first two corners and the one in the middle (with the duvet cover inside out) then as you shake the cover right side out over the duvet, you accordingly tie the middle ones and then once its completely over the duvet, tie the remaining two corners and the middle. Simple..and nothing moves, no matter what side you grab to shake it out.

posted by HongKonger on January 25th 2009 at 5:50am
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Garnet Hill's duvet covers also have the ties already inside. And Company Store comforters have loops of fabric on the corners for easy attachment.

posted by emilymch on January 25th 2009 at 8:48am
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I've used the corner clips from Bed, Bath, & Beyond with much success. It's so nice to have the duvet stay put!

posted by juloa on January 25th 2009 at 8:50am
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I used velcro when I was in college. I still wanted it to be easy to get out so i sewed velcro dots into the corners (and along the top and bottom) so that it would stay in place like a second skin, but when someone puked on it, it was still easy enough to rip off without crawling inside to untie things.

posted by bitterepiphany on January 30th 2009 at 5:12pm
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How funny, I've been mulling over this very problem for the last week....I didn't want to do velcro or clips as I don't want little hard bits in the corners, so this sounds like a perfect solution.

posted by babydragonsister on March 17th 2009 at 9:02pm
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All great ideas and here's another ... comforter/duvet clips at Handy Accents online. Great selection of colors and designs.

posted by mazie on August 14th 2009 at 9:42am
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