Making the Bed With Grandma's Quilt

Though the official first day of autumn is still a couple days away we've already pulled out a second quilt for the bed.  The nights are getting quite chilly already.  So, as I was making the bed yesterday--smoothing out the sheets, pulling the quilts up, fluffing pillows--I realized that I've never posted about the simple joy and calming effect of making the bed.

In the summer we only use this light, fan quilt that I was given by my great aunt Mary Ann.

I suppose I've not yet mentioned bed-making because it is a fairly new phenomenon at our house.  Up until this year making the bed was just never high on my list of priorities.  It always seemed a pretty pointless task as I would just be tearing it apart in my sleep again that night and besides, who sees my bed anyways?!   

Well, it was a burning desire for greater cleanliness and order on my part, combined with a post I read by Rhonda over at the Down to Earth blog which finally prompted me to pick up the practice this past spring.  Now it is just a part of my daily routine and I cannot imagine going back.  It is such a simple thing to do with surprisingly wide reaching and positive effects on me and my household.

I have found that....
...it is more pleasant to pass by or enter the bedroom and see the tidy, ordered space inside when the bed is made. 
...the room looks larger and nicer from just this one simple task.
...it is more comforting to crawl beneath the smooth, inviting covers each night rather than trying to pull the whole mess together quickly so that I can just get warm and go to sleep already!
...I sleep more soundly because the bed clothes are in order rather than in a rumpled, twisted mess than ensnares me (or exposes me to cold) in my sleep.
...the sheets are washed more regularly when the bed it made each day because I handle and look at them more closely each day which makes the bed that much softer, and more comfortable.
...it just looks nicer and makes me happier!

In the autumn we add this quilt made by my mother atop the fan quilt.  We also have one made by Matt's grandmother that gets added to this mix as needed.  Then in the midst of winter we snuggle under a heavy, heavy jean quilt made by my grandmother.  No matter the season we are wrapped up in family love!  This could be another reason to make the bed: You can properly display your beautiful quilt tops!

So, if you aren't already making your bed every day, give it a try.  You might be pleasantly surprised at how much you take to it, too!