This $21 Bed Skirt Alternative is the Genius Solution to Achieving a Better-Looking Bed
Now that I’m back living at home in the suburbs during COVID Time, there are plenty of new things I’m learning that I didn’t appreciate when I was a teen. Every time it rains, “the yard really needed it” (why do dads say this?). Particularly dirty laundry should be washed with a sanitizer, not just detergent. And, of course, box springs are unsightly and should be hidden at all costs. My parents and my brother got new beds this spring, and I’m sad to report that, although the beds look nice, they do nothing to conceal the dreaded box springs.
Naturally, this would not do. My mom purchased some bed skirts, but none of them looked right. And anyway, bed skirts aren’t exactly considered stylish anymore. Needlessly frilly and fussy (not to mention dusty), they are not the style my mom was going for. That’s when she discovered something that I have to admit even I was impressed by: a box spring cover. Unlike a bed skirt, the box spring cover hugs the sides of the box spring and has no extra fabric hanging down, resulting in a clean, streamlined look that’s both simple and contemporary.
Installation was super easy—the stretchy fabric, made from a polyester-spandex blend, easily fits around the sides of the box spring. You don’t have to lift it up, and no fabric is wasted on the top or bottom. One reviewer described it as like “a stretchy headband,” and I think that’s exactly right. The whole thing took exactly two minutes (including the time it took to remove the mattress), and the result was immediate. Even better: It’s machine-washable, so you can easily take it off every few months to give it a cleaning. And unlike a bed skirt, which is prone to shifting, the cover comes with optional elastic bands that can be buttoned to the cover to prevent any movement. So simple, yet so genius.
The other great thing is that it’s available in a nice range of colors. My mom got the white for her bed and navy for my brothers’, and both blend perfectly with the rest of the bedding. My mom also appreciated that the material itself is pretty substantial, and definitely feels durable enough to withstand years of use and cleaning. While this cover is slightly more expensive than your average bed skirt, the quality more than makes up for it—and anyway, $21 is hardly considered a splurge. All things considered, she’s recommending these covers to everyone she knows—and now I am, too.
It turns out we aren’t the only ones. After checking out the Amazon listing for myself, I was immediately impressed by this cover’s nearly perfect rating: Nearly 690 people (85 percent of the number of reviewers) gave it 5 stars.
“I have a low profile (5 inch high) box spring, so I was worried the cover would be baggy and loose,” says one reviewer. “Not the case. I was able to tuck the excess fabric under the mattress and between the box spring and bed frame.”
Said another reviewer: “I’d been using a king fitted sheet to cover my box springs, but it had a lot of the same issues I had with dust ruffles, plus it looked baggy. This box spring cover solved all my problems!” While I have to admire this reviewer’s clever idea of repurposing a fitted sheet, I’m happy they discovered a better solution.
If you’re like me and have a platform bed, be thankful that you don’t have to deal with the loathsome box spring. If, however, you’re trying to find a better alternative to an old-fashioned bed skirt, this cover might be just what you need for a better looking bed.