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4 Bedding Mistakes You're Making—And What to Do Instead

The right bedding can make or break the entire ambience of your bedroom. That’s why it’s important to know what not to do when it comes to bedding, too.

Apr 10, 2020

The right bedding can make or break the entire ambience of your bedroom. That’s why it’s important to know what not to do when it comes to bedding, too. To help ensure your bed becomes the stylish, restorative place it deserves to be, we rounded up a handful of bedding mistakes you might be making—and what to do instead.

1. You’re stressing thread count.

Let’s face it: Of all the factors that go into creating an amazing set of bed sheets, thread count seems to be the one that everyone obsesses about. Determined by calculating the number of both vertical (warp) and horizontal (weft) threads woven together in a square inch, the idea is that the higher the thread count, the softer the fabric. But believe it or not, some manufacturers inflate their numbers or use thinner fibers to score higher thread counts, so it shouldn’t be the only factor you take into consideration when picking out bed sheets. 

Instead of only sweating the thread count, also focus on the cotton, ply, and weave of the bed sheets.  Look for long-staple, single ply cotton with a thread count no higher than 500 (because anything higher is likely false advertising). Then take care to choose a weave that’s right for you—percale feels cool and crisp, while sateen is exceptionally soft and smooth—since you’re the one who will be sleeping on them.

The Laundress | ALIGN : LEFT

2. You’re not caring for them properly.

Knowing the right way to clean, care for and store your linens is essential to creating a comfortable sleeping environment. If you’re not washing your bed coverings regularly with quality detergent and fabric softener, you’re not doing it correctly.

To achieve the deepest clean, toss them in the machine on the normal cycle in warm or cold water. If your whites are starting to yellow, pre-soak them in oxygen bleach, like Oxi-Clean, and then wash them in hot water with a bleach or bleach alternative, such as The Laundress All-Purpose Bleach Alternative (our favorite for getting our whites whiter, and colors brighter). Cotton sheets should be dried on a low heat/ tumble cycle, while linen bedding can withstand tumble drying with high heat—just don’t forget a good plant-based softener (no one wants to sleep on stiff sheets)!


Hardcore Sheet Bundle | ALIGN : RIGHT

3. You’re not playing with color or patterns.

For as crisp and clean as it looks, all white bedding can be, well, boring. Fortunately, an eye-catching pattern or color can make a big impact in a bedroom—and your bedding is brimming with design opportunity!

When styled properly, a combo of colors and patterns can vamp up your bedroom in no time. Start by selecting a dominant hue—a duvet cover in a rich earth tone, like deep navy, is a safe bet—to serve as the palette and inspiration for the other colors and prints you’ll be integrating into your bedroom. Then layer in a graphic patterned piece or two, like our clean-lined graphite bed sheets and pillow cases—to create visual interest in your room without making it look too busy.

4. You’re not investing in quality bedding. 

Of all the bedding mistakes you can make, the biggest one is not buying quality bedding in the first place. Research shows there’s a strong link between how well you sleep and how good you feel— suggesting that uncomfortable bedding might be affecting your quality of life more than you think.

Instead of wasting your money on subpar off-the-shelf bedsheets, invest in quality bed sheets to ensure you get the best sleep possible. Along with rich, long-staple cotton fibers and soft, single-ply thread counts, our bed linens boast some of the finest weaves and finishes available, so you won’t just sleep better at night, you’ll reap all the benefits of a solid sleep schedule—think: improved memory, focus, mood, and productivity—so you can be a happier and healthier person all thanks to your bedding.


Written by Caroline Biggs

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