Hello again, savvy savers! For this weeks Tuesday Tutorials, I want to share with you a mid-season change to my bedroom linens in my master bedroom. As longtime readers will know, I’m a sucker for fluffy linens and towels, and as a general rule of thumb always change linens seasonally. This past weekend, for a change of pace (and due to the fact that Mississippi and most of the deep south actually has a true Indian Summer), I opeted to change my linens.
So before showing my newly pull out set, I wanted to share a few rules for changing linens seasonally:
1. Higher thread count doesn’t always mean higher quality: It goes without saying that one should purchase the best linens one can afford. While this may sound like a bank-busting practice, think again! Did you know that any thread counts exceeding 500 are actually two textiles that are woven together, and so linens in the 350-450 category, priced between $20.00-$30.00 after coupon at stores like Bed Bath & Beyond will due. You will save money, and chances are will sleep on sheets without synthetic finishes; chemicals used to treat all thread counts above 500 count.
2. Some materials are cooler than others: Synthetics have a tendency to trap heat, making for a more uncomfortable sleep experience; quality cotton keeps you cooler, and can even keep you warmer in winter. Egyptian cotton also helps to remove all impurities, mites, and dust too. Also worth noting, for menopausal women prone to hot flashes and night-sweats, cotton should be your go-to for most linens, including blankets and layers, for they help to provide moisture-wicking coolness at night.
3. Wash new sheets before you use them. Make sure that you wash your sheets at least two times before putting them on your bed, to remove any irritants on sheets.
4. For sleepers with sensitive skin: Always wash linens in a mixture of 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup borax powder.
5. Wash linens weekly: Toss bedding in the laundry basket every seven to 10 days. Quilts can be steamed in the dryer weekly as well.
So onto my reveal. I firmly believe, seasonal bedding makes all the difference in the way your bedroom feels. I seasonally change out my linens for several reasons, including that a change of pace and color scheme is always pleasant, but my primary reason in doing so is to help cut down my cooling costs in the warmer weather months. As I live in Mississippi, and the seasons are anything but normal and average, we have warmer spells lasting until nearly Thanksgiving many years, and so thinner, layered sheets and linens help keep my husband and I cooler in the summer evenings, but also help break the chill of central air and ceiling fans as well.
In warmer months I use:
- Layer one: lightweight jersey sheets; I rotate between aqua, coral, and cream.
- Layer two: A lightweight knit blanket; I seasonally use a blanket in a box weave pattern in aqua.
- Layer three: A thinner, patterned quilt, folded in half along the bottom half of the bed; this layer is removed at night.
- Layer four: A lightweight throw; I again us an aqua throw, which is removed at night.
In cooler months I add additional pillows. As with my other seasons I use two Euro Inserts and cream colored cases for summer, and then two sets of queen-sized standard pillow inserts, one set of these pillows being cooling gel pillows from Sam’s Club, both with two sets of funky pillow shams; I like to mix and match patterns for the standard pillowcases, for a more shabby chic look. I then add several throw pillows, and in this case a set of coral-inspired pillows, in the front; please note, I always buy throw pillows within a month of a season ending, and generally pay 80-90% off at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I also purchase other bedding items out of season as well.
This set will stay on my bed until the end of September, in which case I will switch to a Halloween set, and then an Autumn ensemble, and then a winter/holiday set which will stay on until Spring. I find that cooler layer help my husband and I sleep better, help out body temperature stay better regulated, and all without having to sacrifice style in doing so!
Here’s to saving!
