6 Reasons to Make Your Bed in the Morning
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What if I told you that making your bed can makeover your life? It might sound crazy, but hear me out. Starting your day with this simple task can bring remarkable benefits.
When my kids were little, my mornings were always hectic, and making my bed became a task I’d skip, promising myself I’d do it later. Most days, I’d get distracted by other things and wound up climbing into an unmade bed, upset with myself for forgetting.
Then, one day, I decided to prioritize bed-making before other tasks. The impact was incredible—it transformed my outlook and my home. Now, nearly two decades later, I can’t even recall the last time I forgot to make my bed. Trust me, this simple habit can have remarkable benefits that you won’t want to miss out on.
1. More Time For Yourself
Making your bed every morning might require getting out of bed a bit earlier, but it’s worth it. When you wake up before your kids instead of waking up to them, you get precious time for yourself. Set your alarm 5-10 minutes earlier, and you’ll have a chance to make your bed and ease into your day. Once I started getting up just that tiny bit earlier, I found I had time to mentally plan my day and shake off sleep before anyone needed my attention. It’s like a moment of calm before the storm.
2. Boost Creative Thinking
Have you ever noticed that your best ideas come when you’re in the shower? Or how you think up that perfect comeback to a snarky coworker when you’re in the middle of vacuuming? There’s a reason for that: when you’re doing menial tasks like bathing or making your bed, your brain’s default mode network operates in the background to solve problems and come up with new ideas. I’ve had more than one great idea for a blog post pop into my mind while making my bed in the morning.
3. Your Bedroom Will Feel Cleaner
The bed is often the largest piece of furniture in our bedrooms, making it the focal point of the room. When the bed is messy, the entire bedroom looks messy, even if it’s not. The opposite is equally true: a neatly made bed instantly gives the impression of a cleaner bedroom, even when it’s not perfectly tidy or you haven’t changed your sheets in weeks. (It happens.) So, the fastest way to make your room look better is by simply making your bed.
4. You’ll Start the Day Feeling Motivated
Making your bed each morning becomes a gentle wake-up call for your brain, leaving you mentally alert as you begin your day. This quick task can motivate you to tackle other chores and goals. For me, it led to tidying up my bedroom and establishing a habit of doing at least one load of laundry each day. Before long, I developed a daily whole-house tidy routine, which led to all of the routines that gave rise to this blog. And all because I started making my bed every morning!
5. You’ll End Your Day Feeling Comforted
When you’ve had a rough day, the idea of crawling into bed and getting a good night’s sleep can be a saving grace. But a messy, unmade bed can make you feel even worse, if it confirms your negative thoughts or self-doubts. I used to climb into my unmade bed at night feeling like I’d failed, regardless of all the other things I accomplished during the day. Now, getting into bed reminds me that no matter how challenging the day was, I completed something and took care of myself. It’s a small but powerful mood and confidence booster.
6. Making Your Bed Sets a Good Example
Making your bed sets a good example for your children. It teaches responsibility and the importance of taking care of one’s personal space. Parents who want their kids to clean up after themselves know that modeling such behavior for them is crucial. My kids were still quite young when I get into the habit of making my bed daily, but they were old enough to see the task as a natural part of their day, too. Kids pick up their parents’ habits, so why not make sure the ones they adopt will help them become productive, responsible adults some day?
The 30-Day Make Your Bed Challenge
It may not seem like a big change, but making your bed every day can be the perfect first step in finding your motivation to clean your home routinely, too. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your home, commit to doing it every morning for 30 days straight and watch the difference that making your bed can make in your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
This blog exists to help you. I encourage readers to ask questions in the comment section. When many people have the same question, I update the post to include the answer and increase the article’s helpfulness. If you have a question not answered in the article or FAQs below, please leave it in the comments and you’ll be helping others, too.
How do you make a bed quickly?
Quickly make your bed with ease using these steps: Set the pillow aside, straighten the flat sheet, and tuck in the end and sides, making neat hospital corners. Pull up the bedcover or duvet evenly on both sides, and if desired, fold the flat sheet over the top edge. Arrange your pillows at the head of the bed, leaning them against the headboard for support. Finally, add decorative pillows or cushions to complete the look. Enjoy a perfectly made bed in no time!
How long should I wait to make my bed in the morning?
Your bed needs 30-60 minutes in the morning for the sweat and moisture from your breath to dry. This waiting period helps reduce dust mites, which prefer a warm, damp spot as their breeding ground. To prevent them, and to help your bed smell fresh, pull the covers to the foot of the bed when you get up so it’s exposed to air. By the time you eat breakfast and get ready for the day, your bed should be cool, dry, and ready to be made.
Join my Daily Cleaning Series
These quick emails focus on minor tasks that leave you feeling accomplished in just a few minutes each day. They’re the “secret sauce” to taking your home from tidy to truly clean — or rediscovering your cleaning motivation if you’ve lost it under the clutter.
I have made mine since I was a kid, we were taught to make it up after we brushed our teeth in the morning. I now add spraying my pillows and sheets with an antibacterial spray . I have feather pillows and kitties that like to lay on them. Even though they are under the covers , sometimes they still manage to sleep on them , or under the bed spread. So I have extra incentive to make up my bed, so I don’t sleep in a nest of cat fur. Having an unmade bed makes me twitchy.
I’ve never wanted to make this a habit, or even do it at all really- I never have seen the point since I use it every night, and the messy look has never bothered me. But as a new housewife I have felt very overwhelmed, despite making my own schedule and having no kids. Also I am stumped as to why, since I loved homemaking before and considered this living situation a dream come true. I came across this article of yours after reading a couple others of yours about organizing. I don’t need the help really, but have hoped that reading about it will get me more inspired to create a routine. I like to be spontaneous, and have resisted routine, but it’s quickly becoming the only option I haven’t tried. And reading your simple idea alone: “It will change your life,” and hearing out your explanation, I accept your challenge. I’ll do it for 30 days and then let you know whatever impact it makes. Thank you for the motivation!
I’m looking forward to hearing back from you in 30 days, Alison! Meanwhile, don’t come down on yourself too hard for feeling a little disillusioned now that you’re a new housewife. You’d described it as a “dream come true,” but sometimes we think things will be one way yet they turn out another. Be sure to balance your life with fun activities and things that feed your soul, not just cleaning (or making your bed)!
I’ve always made my bed, but not right away. I throw back the covers and let the bed air out while I shower and dress, then make it. It’s never been so the room looks nice, it’s because at the end of the day, it’s a real pleasure to get into a well-made bed.
My entire house can be a disaster, but my bed is always made with the linens smoothed out. Sometimes I feel its a little weird to be so disorganized and messy, but that bed is perfect!
You’ve got the timing AND the priorities down!
I’m looking for the word organized, and I don’t see it. Making your bed starts your day being organized. Your mind needs organization to optimately operate.
I totally agree! Great post! I feel so much better when I make my bed and at night it makes you feel better to get into a made bed!
Thanks for sharing on Treasure Box Tuesday.
Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
I sleep better in a bed that’s been made, too, which is odd because the first thing I do when I get in bed is yank the covers around me until I’m in a blanket burrito.
Thanks for hosting!
I straighten and pull the covers up…..does that count?! I already multi-task by putting dishes away while waiting for the coffee to brew, wiping the sink and bathroom after brushing my teeth and straightening the room the computer is in before sitting in front of it to work. Great idea !
Pulling up the covers and straightening them definitely counts, AnnMarie. The important thing is that your bed isn’t a tangled mess of sheets, since it makes the rest of the room look messy, and that you’re in a daily habit of doing something that gets the cleaning-ball rolling.
I ‘ve always been a fan of making my bed. I can’t think straight when it is a mess. I need reasonable order to function, s imple as that!
I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one who can’t think when surrounded by a mess. If I let things slide for a few days I can literally feel my mood growing worse until I take the time to sort the clutter and restore order again.
I can’t stand making the bed, I really don’t see the point, although if what you say is true, it make be worth it.
I like the idea of cleaning of the kitchen counters every morning. This would actually put me in a great mood all day.
I accept your 30 day bed making challenge, I’m going to add kitchen counters to the challenge too. I’m off to make my bed.
I hear you. Making the bed is tedious, especially if you use a top sheet, comforter/bedspread, regular pillows plus shams AND decorative pillows. That’s why I ditched the sheet and comforter in favor of a duvet — it really takes just a minute or two to make my bed now.
And cleaning the kitchen counters every morning is a very powerful way to change the way your kitchen and the rest of your home feels. That’s why it’s one of the steps in my daily cleaning routine. 🙂
My grandmother taught me hospital corners when I stayed at her place (which was often) and did the same thing as your Mother if I didn’t make it properly. My Mom carried that tradition and to this day, even while in the final stages of Alzheimers, she can’t dress herself anymore, she doesn’t remember anyone’s name, but she still makes her bed EVERY morning!
I can attest to the power something as simple as making our bed, can change the tone of the day. Enjoyed reading this post and couldn’t agree more with everything you said. Happy Organized 2016!
Isn’t it amazing how things like that stay with us our whole life? God bless your Mom.
This is amazing, I had no idea that making a bed had that much of a difference on your life — aside from the organized look 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
– Alexa
It definitely made a difference in mine! 🙂
I totally subscribe to this. When I think about just leaving a dish instead of putting it in the dishwasher or just washing it I always think “I should just do it now so I don’t have to do it later.” I love walking into my room and having the bed made and everything looking neat. It makes it so much easier to keep the whole house neat! I’m glad you’ve found some peace as well. #InspireMeWednesday
I wanted to dislike this article!
I have such strong feelings about people forcing others into their way of thinking–like your mom and the military–that I was mad at them FOR you.
But this article is GREAT–and fits in with my new routine for 2016.
Thanks so much–great stuff.
(I popped in from Inspire Me Monday)
Dea
I am horrible about making my bed first thing in the morning. I can tell you no days that I do though, I feel better and accomplish more around the house. I think I’m gunning to run upstairs and make it right now.
Isn’t it strange how such a little thing can make such a big difference in your day?
I’m stuck in the vicious cycle. Not in the habit of doing my bed in the mornings. I think this 30 day challenge is a great idea. I’m going to give it a go.
I can’t stand making the bed. So, instead (because, frankly, your argument has a TON of merit), I started cleaning off the counter. Every morning, I do that first. It’s working!
I always feel so much better when I make my bed…even if it’s messy and rumpled underneath, pulling up the comforter and arranging the throw pillows just makes me feel more centered. Have a great day!
Centered is VERY good.