I Never Thought A Fancy (Yet Budget-Friendly!) Sheet Set Could Have Me Romanticizing My Entire Life

There’s something about renting my first solo apartment as a 28-year-old that just feels good. After many years of hustling, moving, and cycling through roommates, I’m finally in a position to afford a tiny sliver of the city that’s all my own. And it’s sacred.

It’s in this space that I’m really getting to know myself, learning to enjoy my own company, and figuring out what refills my cup. So far, I’ve discovered that I’m in such a healthier place when I’m able to build little moments of joy into each day, rather than waiting for future plans, milestones, or achievements to make me feel fulfilled. What led to this revelation, you ask? Well, what if I told you it all started with a set of fancy sheets… 

Let me preface this by saying that sheets were never something I was “excited” to buy — honestly, it felt like a chore. I was always more drawn to splurging on the elements of a bedroom that people saw, like the trendy comforters and duvets from Urban Outfitters or the cute decor above my bed. As a person, I’ve never been big on sleep. For most of my early 20s the concept of “rest” felt like the antidote to becoming a #girlboss, but that’s a tangent for another time. 

Anyways, my apartment was pretty bare for a while, so I lept at the opportunity to try Quince’s organic bamboo sheet set. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t the gorgeous array of colors that drew me in. I chose “Clay,” which is the perfect pinkish-terracotta shade I’d been pinning for months on my apartment mood board. 

My first impression upon opening was obviously the “Sheets of Egyptian Cotton” song from the movie Uptown Girl (IYKYK). It randomly gets stuck in my head every so often, but this is truly what I imagine Molly Gunn must have felt when running her hands across the fancy sheets in the department store. So soft and silky and LUXE. It was giving main character energy, and I couldn’t wait to put them on my bed.

The next morning, that’s exactly what I felt like. I grew accustomed to waking up hot in the middle of the night (mostly because there’s no a/c unit in my room), but for the first time in forever, I fully slept through the night. It turns out, the silky smooth sateen weave does more than just look beautiful, it has natural temperature-regulating properties. Not only did I feel well-rested, but these sheets actually had me questioning my other life choices. What other simple day-to-day pleasures was I missing out on?!

I started waking up in a good mood — what a game-changing feeling. Before I knew it, I was romanticizing my entire routine: making my bed, just so I could dive back into it later; switching my Keurig for pour-over coffee and enjoying a cup before work; spending time getting dressed, even when working from home. There was a ripple effect. 

This is not to be dramatic and say these sheets solved all of my life’s problems. But what I am saying is that you’d be surprised how being intentional and investing in items you use day-to-day could impact your outlook on the more mundane parts of life. This hasn’t been a year of many “big milestones” for me, but small changes have created happiness in unexpected ways.

Buy: Organic Bamboo Sheet Set, Queen, $109.90 (normally $229)