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I work from home and often get up and work for a few hours and then take a delicious nap. There's nothing like into our unmade bed. I shamefully rush to make the bed before my spouse returns from his job.

Certainly is inspiring me....
...to keep my bed made.

I've always disliked stiffly made beds, and am usually accused of being merely lazy. But there's something so rakish and inviting about a mussed bed...

@leadingedge--that is hilarious. You'll have to confess to your spouse (I'm sure he'd get a kick out of it).

I’m not really one for an unmade bed. It somehow always makes me feel that I’m somehow lazy and goes against my desire for a visually steam-lined appearance for my living space. What I have done to ease my bed making and to achieve the stream-lined appearance that I so love, not to mention, avoiding beating myself up for feelings of laziness is I have eliminated the top sheet and any blankets and only use a bottom sheet and a comforter with a removable cover. I simply fluff the pillows and fold the comforter back to the foot of the bed. It achieves a lived in un-fussy look while still not distracting the eye. It’s also very inviting for the occasional nap!

While I don't think of myself as being straight-laced or having a strict routine... I do like a made bed. Not "Martha Stewart" bed corners tight, but at least throw the comforter up and put the pillows back in place and it still looks super comfortable.

I had a friend who stayed at our home and when would get up in the mornings he would tell us that he doesn't make the bed because Europeans just don't do that... they like to "air" out the bed. Hmmmmmm.... still wondering about that. Any comments on that???

I love unmade beds–much better for dreaming– and I've never felt lazy about it, just happy to spend the time doing other things. It's funny, this photo could be from the moments just after getting out of bed and people are up in arms about laziness!

The idea of airing the bed is to fold the duvet over at the bottom of the bed to air out the sheet underneath. So, basically, you can see the sheet, but the bedding could still be straightened.

I like partially making my bed and then turning the right corner down (like in a hotel) during the day--(no mint on the pillow though). It's an invitation to hop in and nap or read or just stare at the ceiling and think.

I usually just straighten out the sheets and duvet and rearrange the pillows. It looks "made" enough for me, but still inviting and casual. Then again, my mattress is on the box spring on the floor. When I get a bed frame, I will probably want to make the bed more often.

sfteri--i'm european (although i've lived in the states for quite a while now) and everyone in my family & extended family (european side) makes their bed daily. the bed is aired out while we have breakfast--it's a no no to make it straight after getting up. instead you fluff up the duvet and comforter, open the window & let it sit. after breakfast, it gets made. i have to say that only half, if that, of the americans i know make their bed daily.

Yayyyyyy!

I love making my bed up all fancy with tons of decorative pillows and interesting sheet/duvet configurations...

But I secretly loooooove an unmade bed. It is the utmost in cozy and inviting. My bed looks even more beautiful when it's unkempt, I think.

Thank you for your answers on the european style bed making... I like the idea of airing it out.

Airing out the bed is more hygienic than making it right away. Cheryl Mendelson (the author of "Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House") says:

"While you are sleeping, you breathe about two pounds of moisture, along with breath odors and flocks of microorganisms, into the air, your pillow and your bedding. You also perspire, perhaps a cup's worth, and exude skin oils and body smells. And you use up the room's oxygen and replace it with exhaled carbon dioxide. When there are two or more people in the bed or the room, these effects are multiplied. All this explains why, if you sleep with closed windows, the room has a characteristic stale morning smell (although you might not perceive it until you leave for a few minutes and then return.) Unless you leave the bedcovers pulled down and the windows open for an hour or two, the moisture you have left in the bed either does not evaporate or evaporates very slowly, which makes for an environment in pillows and mattress in which dust mites, molds, and other microbial life have more of an opportunity to multiply. Opening the windows lets in new air to dilute the pollutants (microbial and particulate), carry them off, and bring in fresh supplies of oxygen."

(um... EX-hale. But, I have to agree with her).

I am an adult. I make my bed.

I'm an adult---and I don't make my bed. Actually, my bed sort of defies "making." I would like to have bedding that lends itself to being easily "made" but mine does not. Husband and I have radically different needs when it comes to pillows and covers (and fans, heat, and air conditioning) and it's a miracle that we can even sleep in the same bed. But airing out the bedding each day is a must.

Sometimes I make my bed, sometimes I don't. Big deal?
I love my bed either way.

Sometimes I make my bed and sometimes I don't. When I *do* make my bed, the dog promptly unmakes it. The only thing that really matters to me is that the sheets, blankets, etc. are all properly tucked in and even before I go to bed. After I get up, I just don't care.

I can't stand having my bed unmade. At the very least I pull up the covers over the sheet so it doesn't look as bad - most of the time it's properly made. Helps me stay out of bed unless I'm sick and then I need to be there.

I definitely like the bed to be made. Unless, it's a rainy weekend day and my fiance and I, with our dog at our heels, are on our way back to our unmade bed with pastries and coffeee...well, then that's a different story.

When I read the sentence "Typically we're a straight laced kind of person" I almost bit my tongue off laughing. AT, your consistent use of the royal we is walking a fine line between hilarious and harmful!

"we're a straight laced kind of person"

hehe

I personally can not leave the house without making my bed, but I don't like the overmade up bed look. I want it to still look sort of casual and elegant and neat. Your bed should still look like some one actually sleeps in it and it should not look so made up that you would not be tempted to jump back into bed.

As for airing out the bed. When I get up I fold the flat sheet and cover/bed spread down to the foot of the bed and let it air out while I check email and eat breakfast and get dressed for work. Then right before I leave I dedicate 5 minutes to make the bed up.

Seriously?

I don't usually make my bed unless I'm having guests over. I don't use a flat sheet so it's easy to make my bed when I want to. I try to straighten the comforter up a little bit but I like just leaving my pillows slightly strewn about.

I'm not European, but I usually air my bed out in the morning.

So now I can just tell people I'm airing out the bed? Fabulous! I'm a visual merchandiser and it's not unusual for me to make 4 beds with all the trimmings in one day (and for none of them to be in my own apartment.

CaliforniaDreamer: "have eliminated the top sheet and any blankets and only use a bottom sheet and a comforter with a removable cover. I simply fluff the pillows and fold the comforter back to the foot of the bed."

I just did the exact same thing. It is so freeing! Making the bed was always a pain but now it's a piece of cake. And I like the way it looks - simple. Easy to slip in for a nap and then straighten it up again...or not.

The joke in our family has always been that I would stay and make the bed if the house was burning down. I simply can't stand an unmade bed. It only takes a minute.

“ … we’re a straight laced kind of person?” Oh, brother.

The editorial we is fine, but please keep it consistent.

I have to make my bed, if I don't I feel guilty. It's my mother's fault she drilled it into me from childhood (sigh).

i love a made bed for the freshness of it, every time. Sadly, my husband gets out of bed well after I do. So the bed is NEVER made for the day. I make it when i get home from work =/

I don't see much point in making the bed daily. it's not likely anyone but me is going to see it all day, and then when I go to bed at night I can just jump right in.
Nicely made beds feel very un-homey to me, to much like a hotel.

I am rather bemused by these comments- and slightly mystified. In Scotland everyone I know has a fitted bottom sheet, a duvet (is that the same as a comforter?) with a removable washable cover, and either 2 or 4 pillows, also with removable washable covers. And that is it. So bedmaking, if one is so inclined, means shaking the duvet and pillows and putting them back. End of story.

the royal We is hilarious.

as there is no such things as "the Europeans" just like there is no such thing as "the Americans", we see beds made and unmade over here in Europe, too. i never make mine, but it doesn't matter much one way or the other as it is a loft bed, and nobody can see the top of it unless they climb the ladder ...
but i have no problems with unmade beds. at least they are, indeed, well-aired.
when i saw the topic of this thread i knew there would be loads of responses :-P