CLUTTER SPOTLIGHT:
Bed Sheets
Q: How many sheets do we really need?
It’s a simple question, really. How many sheets does a person need to own? A bit subjective, perhaps, depending on how many beds are in your house and your access to a washing machine.
So let’s get more specific: How many sheets do YOU own for YOUR bed? Does it feel like too many? Too little? Surely you’re wondering how I could write a blog post about such a trivial question, but it’s time I address this subject! For an aspiring minimalist who has limited closet space, (raises a stiff hand), sheets are one of those linens that just seem to take up a lot of room.
Now I own a motel – so you can bet I know how to fold sheets for optimal storage and crispness! But despite my first-rate sheet-folding abilities, the sheets in my closet eventually become disheveled and dusty. Why? It’s the same reason anything else does…. I have a favorite set or two and I rotate those as often as possible. As for the others sets? They basically just sit there collecting closet dust, waiting for the day I get so behind on laundry that I must reach for my ‘backup sets’.
There it is. The real reason I’ve kept so many extra sets of sheets. They were my backup plan. My “maybe-this-decluttering-and-minimizing-thing-won’t-work-out” plan. My failsafe for my inner messy, inner lazy, inner hoarder self.
My stockpile of sheets was my excuse. We all have them: excuses for why we’re not making more progress with our own decluttering journeys. Earlier this year, I got rid of a good handful of sheets and last night I “minimized” five more sets, leaving myself with a total of two sets of sheets.
It took an entire year for me to do this. To me, having only two sets of sheets means freedom from a needless decision of “which to swap out” on wash day. It means room to breathe in my linen closet, and motivation to keep up on the laundry.
Yes, two sets of sheets, as trivial as it is, is just the right number for me. How about you?
26 comments
Agreed! I feel like I could get away with 3 sets of sheets total in the house (master bed, two kid twin beds) but that feels a little like tempting fate with illnesses. So I have a four sets for kids beds, and two sets for our bed. It’s fantastic now that it all fits in my linen closet and I DO NOT know how to fold a tight sheet, but I do now how to sort of fold/wad and put it inside a pillowcase so it APPEARS to be neatly folded 🙂 Have a great day!
I agree with keeping and extra-extra set for kids beds..! You just never know with them!
Melissa, youtube it, quite simple once you see how it’s done – 60 seconds or less in a nice rectangle instead of some folded up lump.
This past summer, while I was in the tossing mood, I saved one set of flannel sheets and 3 sets of regular sheets (I have 2 queen beds). Got rid of numerous twin sheets and bought 2 brand new fitted twin sheets (only). I have a guest daybed and trundle that is only used for guests. All the other stretched out, holey, worn out stuff went to the animal shelter for their bedding. They also got about 10 throw blankets. I really have to stop myself when I’m out shopping and I see sheets on sale. I have a strange addiction to them!
Good for you! I used to find it really tempting as well. I don’t see myself buying them on a whim again in the near future, but when I see a particularly cute pattern or a good deal… it can be tough to not act on it!
We used to have so many sheets. If they fit my bed I kept them. Okay… lets be honest… I kept the other sizes too JUST IN CASE we needed them some day.
Now we have Two sets of sheets (only one bed in the house). I generally wash the same set over and over and put them right back on the bed because they are my favorite. The extra set is just in case these get ruined, or I forget to turn the dryer on and all of a sudden its time for bed! The spare set can also be used on a blow up mattress for guests if need be. We also have one more flat sheet that doesn’t match the others that my husband takes on hunting trips along with his sleeping bag in case its too hot to zip up the sleeping bag.
Instead of a linen closet we now have a linen basket.
I was kind of forced into 2! I was given a new sized bed (from a twin to a full) with a set of sheets from my parents and purchased a couple more as extras. After a year or so, one set got a rip and some fabric paint stains from my lovely kitty running across a project (got to love those crazy fur balls!), so I tossed that set out. I love the fact I’m down to two now, as I loathe washing and folding multiple sets of sheets!
I was taught in the olden days,one on the bed, one in the wash, one to rest.
That sounds like a fine number to me! 2-3 seems ideal.
I have 4. Two flannel sets for winter, and two silky sets (cotton & microfiber) for the summer.
Yes I also have 4 as above. I rotate the sheets each week. Electricity is expensive in South Australia so I prefer to hang my sheets on the clothes line to dry so 2 sets for each season is best for me.
One set it’s fine at least has been for past 5 years. Just good quality cotton or anything 100% natural , and when it gets really washed out (don’t wash in hot water , and don’t use dryer, can be used for 3-4years )replace. 🙂
I had 2-3 then I got married. My husband didn’t like my ‘soft sheets’ nor my fleece sheets (why are men so warm?). Then he brought in his high-end CRISP sheets which say no bleach and no fabric softener???? How high-end can they be if they can’t handle bleach and softener? The timing of this post is so funny because I just downsized to 2 sets. Don’t ask how many pillow cases I have 😳.
I miss your face!!! Maybe a video showing your fitted sheet folding tips.
One thing I use “extra” sheets for is linens to take with us to beach rental house in the summer. Sometimes they have a King bed, so even though we don’t I’ve kept a set of King sheets I “inherited” when my mother-in-law downsized. And even though we now only have one twin bed in the house I keep several sets of those for the beach as well. In a clear box. In the storage room outside my laundry room.
Would you please show how to fold sheets and bedding nicely? Fitted sheets are the best ON the bed, but a nightmare to fold!
You totally inspired me to declutter the linen closet and it feels AMAZING but I wanted to say ….. I have a special needs daughter that can go through numerous sheets in one day (due to sickness etc) so for that I have some back ups folded and in a storage cubicle right in her own closet. I hope that helps with anyone who might be in my same situation.
We have one set of sheets for our daughter’s bed (she’s only here weekends) and another for the guest bed. Two sets for ours, so one can go onto the bed while the other set is in the wash. That seems like plenty! (To be honest, though, I do have a couple of folded up twin-size sheets out in the gardening shed to cover budding plants when there is a late freeze.)
Yes, I donated a bunch of sheets last year and only had two sets. Then literally the next day my mom sent me two new sets. Lol! Seriously, I can’t win!
Where did you get those sheets with the sort of arrow/chevron design?? Love those
Totally agreed!!! I got down to two sets. Each set includes two pillow cases and two top sheets. I started using hospital corners to reduce purchasing elastic + it is so freaking cheap to just buy a single cotton top sheet as you need it. Great post, keep being fab! PS your new equipment makes a huge, positive difference!
The REAL question we have all glossed over here is….”How do you fold the blasted sheets?”. You need to do a sheet folding video.
Judy (or whoever), somewhere long ago I heard or read that you put your hand into one of the corners, then bring up the other three corners one by one and hang them on your hand. You have to do it in such a way that it ends up folded at the end, but if you get what I mean…try it! It helped me for years.
I don’t bother folding any more because I just have one set of sheets. When I wash them, they’re off in the morning and back on by night, so I seem to be doing fine. 🙂 Prior to that, I had two sets that kept me going almost 20 years. They finally got threadbare and sprang holes. I should throw them away but they’re in the closet for “rags” till I can make myself do it. 🙂
I love this post! In the last 6 months, I, too, have whittled down to 2 sets of sheets per bed in our household. I have a teen & young adult, so I let them choose their favorite set and bought them 1 new set. I do keep a few extra pillow cases & 2 pillows for overnight guests. I also kept 1 set of sheets for our bed in our RV. I just pull those off, wash, and put them back on, so the bed is always made & ready for our next camping adventure.
So, we only own 7 sets of sheets and a few pillow cases.
My daughter loves one sheet and a blanket only in ger bed. She’s always asking me to put on her favorite Essmak Flamingo design sheet because she loves the color.
So I have just counted at we have 11 sets so I through out seven my wife is not going to be happy. I am happy it looks so much more organized and they don’t all full out when I open the door.
I don’t think I have any bed sheets…
WAIT LET ME EXPLAIN…
I sleep on a shikibuton with a washable cover, and my comforter also has its own washable cover. It would be hard for me to find another shikibuton cover that I like as much as the one I have, so I don’t have a second one. When I wash it, I make SURE that it gets dry before bedtime (thank goodness the fabric can handle high temperature machine drying). I sewed & dyed the cover of my comforter myself, and it’s made from organic linen (expensive), and making a second one would take more money and labor that I want to put into a ‘just-in-case’ item. Being linen, it needs to be line-dried (for longevity), so while I am waiting for it to dry, I use my camping quilt instead of my comforter (I suppose my camping gear doubles as my ‘back up’ plan for when I can’t use my everyday bedding).