How to Make Your Bed Like a Soldier The Art of Manliness

I love the look of a tightly made bed! And who makes a neater bed than the men and women of the military? Luckily, I stumbled upon a guide for making your bed like a solder — no basic training required.

While the military uses bed making as a disciplinary act, it cannot be denied that a tightly made bed is also quite aesthetically pleasing. Now, thanks to the folks at The Art of Manliness, we get a tutorial in making a bed you can bounce a quarter off of.

The secret to a really tight bed is to forgo the fitted sheet in favor of a making hospital corners with a flat sheet. I've never quite been able to achieve a neat hospital corner but perhaps if I start following the advice from The Art of Manliness I'll be able to do it at last.

First, start at the foot of the bed and tuck the end of the sheet under the mattress, keeping it smooth rather than simply bunching it under there. Now, move to the head of the bed and pull the sheet taut before tucking it under the mattress as you had at the foot of the bed. Now that the sheet is laying smoothly on the bed, secured at head and foot, it's time to make those hospital corners. First, grab the sheet draping from the side about 16 inches from the foot of the bed, place one finger on top of the corner, lifting the sheet with the other hand, and then tuck the lower drape under the mattress. Then, hold the corner in place and bring the sheet over, making sure the fold creates a 45-degree angle. Finally, tuck the rest of the sheet under the bed, smoothing wrinkles as you go along. Repeat on all four corners of the bed. (There's an illustrated version of this tutorial at The Art of Manliness.)

Now that the bottom sheet is on, it's time to spread the top sheet and blankets on the bed. Again, smooth the sheet and blankets as you go along and then, using the same hospital corners as with the bottom sheet, tuck the sides under the mattress. Finish off the bed by folding the blanket and top sheet down from head of the bed and place pillow on top.

This may seem like a lot of work and, in the absence of a drill sergeant breathing down your neck, it may be tempting to leave your messy bed as is until you crawl in again after dark. With a little practice, however, this bed making routine will become second nature and you'll be greeted by a tidy bed when you return from a long day fighting the battles of the real world.

Image: The Art of Manliness

Comments (15)

My father taught me to make my bed this way, he was in the military. He would bounced a quarter on it to make sure it was correct. I can still do it in my sleep, but choose not to make my bed this way as an adult.

My mother was raised in a military family and I was obligated to make my bed this way as a child as well. The learning process did not produce the happiest of childhood memories but it does make for a beautiful bed now. However, I definitely don't make my son make his bed in this style...

this makes me laugh...I was raised by a SFC lifer and yeppers each of us were taught HOW to make a bed the RIGHT way. My husband however tends to nest...literally. Looking at our bed you can definitely tell whose side is whose. Thanks for the laugh and the link is being sent to him now.

That would drive me nuts. I can't sleep with sheets tucked in on any sides, so I wouldn't see the point of making my bed that way, when I even bother to make my bed.

im with ms melly, im sure it makes a neat looking bed but i cant be tucked in like that.

That's not a Navy bed!

The corners are the same though.

I think if I started putting hospital corners on the bed my husband would conclude I'd lost my mind. Also, its a lot easier when the bed is narrow, not a queen.

Ah, memories from basic training.

A distant relative also taught me how to make my bed this way, and although it looks great it's quite annoying trying to get IN the bed.

unfortunately, my military husband has forgotten his training :) must remind him!

My favorite part of this post is the laundry bag tied to the headboard in the illustration. Now THAT takes me back to basic training!

An easy way to get the correct angle on hospital corner, use a hangar to flip the fabric over create the 45 degree angle.

Ditto Mlme--

The funny thing is that I was one of the first guys who "Got it" and helped teach the others how to do it!
(So much for DADT...)

first thing i do when i walk into a hotel room - I disassemble the bed down to the mattress and put the top sheet back on according to these instructions. what's the polite way to let the staff know not to tuck EVERYTHING under the bed - just the one sheet is fine?

My problem with flat sheets is that they don't seem to be quite big enough to tuck in properly, but I may just have an overly thick mattress.

Anyway, I'm good with just tossing my comforter over the bed in the morning, so this post isn't exactly targeted at my demographic.

I was raised by an AF SMS. So yup, that was my way too. WAS. Now I pile blankets on top of comfy sheets and make a wonderful bedding stew! My bed is messy (and *GASP*, sometimes I go over a week before changing my sheets!), but it's 100% sleep worthy at all times!