Were You Always Taught To Make Your Bed?

We've all heard the phrase, "you made your bed, you lie in it."

When I was growing up, my mom always made the bed so I learned by example. That, plus the fact I grew up in a military family. And I taught and preached the same lesson to my children although I don't know if they always follow it. I also tell my grandchildren it's the first productive thing to do to start your day. 

After doing a little research, however, maybe it's time I break my being a perfectionist (as far as bedmaking goes) or "it should look tidy" routine.

Is it true it reveals something about your personality whether you make it or not? How many of us nowadays are working from home while sitting up in our beds? I suppose that's a good reason not to make it.

There was a survey of 2,000 Americans performed by a market research company on this subject a few years ago which issued its report.

The report … found that people who make their beds tend to be adventurous, confident, sociable and high-maintenance. Meanwhile, people who don't make their beds tend to be shy, moody, curious and sarcastic. (Source from 2018.)

According to The Spruce's November 2021 article, 5 Reasons to Make Your Bed Every Day, people who get up in the morning to make their beds tend to be morning people. The article also stated that night owls, like me, are less likely to make their beds. I consider myself both a morning person and night owl and I always make time to make my bed.

Many people state they don't have time to worry about bedmaking. I don't think it even takes five minutes. When I was at my 9 to 5, I made my bed before I went to work. I think it gets your day started on the right foot. If you have children, it sets an example for being tidy. Was I wrong?

You may be thinking nobody's going to see your room anyway if you're single, right?

Columnist, John Kelly, for The Washington Post had an interesting perspective that included the following I never believed in making my bed. It turns out, I was right all along.:

Experts now say you shouldn't make your bed. Apparently, microscopic dust mites - the kind that feed on scales of human skin - love the warm, dark embrace of a neatly made bed. Leaving the bed unmade and exposing the sheets to light can cause the mites to dry up and die.

Well, that was a little disgusting.

After I read that, I might just start pulling my comforter back, although neatly. Another thought I had about why you want to make your bed was what if a spider was hanging around and decided to drop on top of your bed. At least you might see it then. You know you don't have to live in the country to have one of those scary wolf spiders pay you a visit.

Some say making your bed is disgusting. Some say you're OCD. It's true a made bed gives the appearance that you are a neat and tidy person. At least that is the message I would receive. In truth, I like a tidily made bed plus I was trained to make it. I'm organized and systematic so I generally like everything back in its place. I think more clearly regardless of whether I'm a perfectionist. (I am clearly a perfectionist.)

There are a variety of articles out there indicating a made bed with tight sheets wrapped around your mattress traps dust mites. That nearly makes me want to wash the sheets every day!

Here's how the theory goes: If you immediately make your bed with the sunrise, the tight sheets will trap millions of dust mites that live on your bed, feeding off your dead skin cells and sweat and potentially contributing to asthma and allergy problems. An unmade and open bed, however, exposes the creatures to fresh air and light and will help dehydrate and kill them off. (Source.)

Let me know if you made your bed this morning, or if you plan to pull that comforter back.

© Cathy Coombs