Make in the beds...times eight

The other day we had a food-in-the-bed incident that resulted in the need to wash someone's bedding.

I really hate washing bedding (ok, if I'm being honest I actually hate laundry in general, but bedding is laundry plus aerobics and yoga to get everything off and back on so I hate it even more than normal laundry).

But, over the years (and the exciting chance I have had to manage bedding for eight humans around this place) I have developed a routine which amps down the yoga for sheet/blanket changes and I thought I would share it with you in case you have the same issue I used to have.

Ok, so stripping the bed isn't that bad (yank all the stuff off) and the washing is annoying but not too cumbersome, but the putting the stuff back on the bed was the part I really really hated.  It was hard to arrange the sheets and blankets into place and then tuck them tightly under the mattress so they won't come out too easily and do it all with either very little head room or while trying not to bump the ceiling since almost all of our beds are bunk beds (you try to fit 6 children in an 1800 square foot house and bunk beds are pretty much a requirement) all while also kneeling on the sheets trying not to muss them up or pull them out of place.  And just when you get the top half tucked, then the bottom half wants to come out or the blanket gets tucked but the sheet pulls out or who knows what else.  I was generally exhausted by the time this wrestling match --  I mean chore -- was done.

So, new plan.

Now-a-days I take the mattress off the bed entirely.

Mattress...no on bed.

 Then, I put on the fitted sheet followed by the other bedding.  I tuck it around the mattress pretending that said mattress is lying flat on the ground instead of on its side. 

Nice, cute, bed all tucked together whilst leaning on the wall.

 Then I heft the bed back up into its spot.  This is the hardest part because a) I am a total wimp and b) mattresses are awkward to maneuver.  However, the nice part is when you get the mattress up onto its appointed ledge and slide it back into place, this helps to secure the blanket edges tucked around the bottom tightly into their designated position.  The friction of the slide smooths them out and keeps them from bunching so they are in the right spot.

Precariously perched mattress, notice blanket/sheet ends underneath the mattress
ready to be smoothed tight.

 And voila!  Freshly made bed with very little yoga involved.

It works well for me.