- Things you wish your mother had told you
- Your Basic Toolkit
- How to Clean and Tidy Your Room
- How to Clean a Toilet
- How to Clean a Sink or Bath
- How to Wash Dishes in a Shared Kitchen
- How to Make Your Bed
- How To Sort your Clothes Ready For Washing
- How to Wash Your Clothes
- How to Clean a Floor
- Guestbook
- good food bad food
- Help! I hate vegetables!
- Falling in love with Mr Potato
- Meat sauce
- Cooking for a Crowd
How to Make Your Bed
In which we uncover the mystery of the mattress protector.
If this is your first time away from university, your parents have probably sorted out your bedding. Even so, the list below may be helpful.
Halls of residence will always provide a bed and a mattress. Increasingly, they are offering "starter packs" with all your basic bedding and sometimes cooking utensils too. Sometimes you have to pay extra for this, but often it is included in the price.
If you go into a shared house or private accommodation you will probably have to provide all your own bedding and you might actually prefer taking that old familiar duvet from home. Again, you need to check exactly what you need to bring with you.
Even if you arrive at university with no bedding and you need to buy some - don't panic! Just pop into a largish supermarket or Wilkinsons and you will be able to buy everything you need at a low price. Often, they sell their own "student starter packs" of bedding at the beginning of term.
You will normally be in a single bed. Obviously, if for some reason you have a double or king size bed you will need bedding in that size too.
This is what you need:
1 mattress protector (single size)
1 single duvet (12 tog is about average. The warmth of the duvet is shown by its tog value - the higher the tog the warmer the duvet.)
1 or preferably 2 fitted single sized bottom sheets.
1 or preferably 2 single sized duvet covers.
1 or 2 pillows.
1 pillow protector per pillow.
1 pillowcase per pillow plus extra if possible.
Halls of residence will always provide a bed and a mattress. Increasingly, they are offering "starter packs" with all your basic bedding and sometimes cooking utensils too. Sometimes you have to pay extra for this, but often it is included in the price.
If you go into a shared house or private accommodation you will probably have to provide all your own bedding and you might actually prefer taking that old familiar duvet from home. Again, you need to check exactly what you need to bring with you.
Even if you arrive at university with no bedding and you need to buy some - don't panic! Just pop into a largish supermarket or Wilkinsons and you will be able to buy everything you need at a low price. Often, they sell their own "student starter packs" of bedding at the beginning of term.
You will normally be in a single bed. Obviously, if for some reason you have a double or king size bed you will need bedding in that size too.
This is what you need:
1 mattress protector (single size)
1 single duvet (12 tog is about average. The warmth of the duvet is shown by its tog value - the higher the tog the warmer the duvet.)
1 or preferably 2 fitted single sized bottom sheets.
1 or preferably 2 single sized duvet covers.
1 or 2 pillows.
1 pillow protector per pillow.
1 pillowcase per pillow plus extra if possible.
And now, the mystery revealed. What is a mattress protector?
A mattress and pillowcase protector are important. A mattress protector in particular is essential and will probably be provided but you need to check this. It is a thick, fitted sheet which goes directly over the mattress. Your bottom sheet then goes on top of it. You will need to remove and wash your bottom sheet every week or so, but the mattress protector will only need washing occasionally, perhaps every term.
The protector does just that. It protects the mattress from your sweat and possibly from other (unmentionable) bodily fluids. Since you will probably not be the first to use your mattress, nor will you be the last, a mattress protector is very important. Now that you know what it's for, you really do want to use one, don't you? So please do.
A pillow protector does the same thing and you put a pillowcase on top of it. It protects your pillow from dribble, sweat, greasy hair and make up that might seep through the pillowcase. It is probably less important than a mattress protector as you can more easily replace a pillow, but now you know what it's for you will probably want to use one.
This is what you do.
1 Stretch out the mattress protector over the mattress and fit the corners of the protector over the corners of the mattress.
Do the same with the fitted sheet. This video clip will help you. Note that the mattress protector (pad) is already in place and that this is a king size bed.
http://www.ehow.com/video_4426065_put-fitted-sheet-bed.html
2 Fit the pillows into the pillow protectors and then put the pillowcases on top. This video clip will help you with the technique (but note that the pillow doesn't have a protector- oh dear!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi9TCD_HgYc&NR=1
3 The most difficult bit is fitting the duvet into your duvet cover. This might help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aaVB4qVvew&feature=related
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50IGdVZuC3o&feature=related
or this is another technique. It's worth watching for pure entertainment value!
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-use-tips-to-change-your-duvet-cover-204604/
And there you are! Bed made with lovely clean bedding.
Now, bury your face in the sheets and pillows and have a good sniff. Everything should smell lovely and fresh and clean. This is how you want your bed to smell all the time, so you will have to wash the bedclothes frequently. That means every week for your pillowcases and the bottom sheet. You can turn your duvet over and wash the cover every fortnight or so. You don't lie on it so it shouldn't get sweaty and dirty like a bottom sheet. You may sit on it a lot and spill things on it though, so use your discretion. As already stated, the mattress protector won't need washing very often unless it's obviously stained and dirty, and the actual duvet should be OK with an annual wash if you always use a cover. If you do spill something on your duvet, remember that it probably won't fit into a standard sized machine and you will have to find a launderette with extra big duvet sized machines.
For more washing tips, see the page How to Wash your Clothes.
A mattress and pillowcase protector are important. A mattress protector in particular is essential and will probably be provided but you need to check this. It is a thick, fitted sheet which goes directly over the mattress. Your bottom sheet then goes on top of it. You will need to remove and wash your bottom sheet every week or so, but the mattress protector will only need washing occasionally, perhaps every term.
The protector does just that. It protects the mattress from your sweat and possibly from other (unmentionable) bodily fluids. Since you will probably not be the first to use your mattress, nor will you be the last, a mattress protector is very important. Now that you know what it's for, you really do want to use one, don't you? So please do.
A pillow protector does the same thing and you put a pillowcase on top of it. It protects your pillow from dribble, sweat, greasy hair and make up that might seep through the pillowcase. It is probably less important than a mattress protector as you can more easily replace a pillow, but now you know what it's for you will probably want to use one.
This is what you do.
1 Stretch out the mattress protector over the mattress and fit the corners of the protector over the corners of the mattress.
Do the same with the fitted sheet. This video clip will help you. Note that the mattress protector (pad) is already in place and that this is a king size bed.
http://www.ehow.com/video_4426065_put-fitted-sheet-bed.html
2 Fit the pillows into the pillow protectors and then put the pillowcases on top. This video clip will help you with the technique (but note that the pillow doesn't have a protector- oh dear!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi9TCD_HgYc&NR=1
3 The most difficult bit is fitting the duvet into your duvet cover. This might help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aaVB4qVvew&feature=related
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50IGdVZuC3o&feature=related
or this is another technique. It's worth watching for pure entertainment value!
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-use-tips-to-change-your-duvet-cover-204604/
And there you are! Bed made with lovely clean bedding.
Now, bury your face in the sheets and pillows and have a good sniff. Everything should smell lovely and fresh and clean. This is how you want your bed to smell all the time, so you will have to wash the bedclothes frequently. That means every week for your pillowcases and the bottom sheet. You can turn your duvet over and wash the cover every fortnight or so. You don't lie on it so it shouldn't get sweaty and dirty like a bottom sheet. You may sit on it a lot and spill things on it though, so use your discretion. As already stated, the mattress protector won't need washing very often unless it's obviously stained and dirty, and the actual duvet should be OK with an annual wash if you always use a cover. If you do spill something on your duvet, remember that it probably won't fit into a standard sized machine and you will have to find a launderette with extra big duvet sized machines.
For more washing tips, see the page How to Wash your Clothes.