Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Airing

Making up the bed has always been the first thing I do in the morning. "There, that's done," and I can proceed on to laundry, bird feeders, dog cookies, refilling cat food bowls. a handful of pellets for the goldfish, picking mint and brewing tea, coffee, Internet news, and breakfast, more or less in that order. 
 One day a week  I generally change the sheets and on that day, if the weather cooperates, I air the pillows, something I remember my grandmother doing. They smell of sunshine when I lie down that night.

Now  The Wartime Housewife  suggests that it might be a good idea to air the bed every day. Having seen pictures of the various dust mite and other microscopic critters that can lurk in bedding, I'm thinking, why not? I remember traveling in Europe and seeing duvets hanging out windows in the mornings. 

So I'm breaking the habit of a lifetime and leaving the bed to air. But, silly though it may seem, I still go make it back up in the afternoon. Of course, one could be like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who, I've read, insisted on having fresh sheets twice a day -- after a night's sleep and after her afternoon nap.  

The rich are different . . .


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21 comments:

R. Burnett Baker said...

Oh yes, the rich ARE different. And many of them, I'd wager, don't appreciate that they actually HAVE sheets, and a bed to put them on!

Rick

Unknown said...

I love this post Vicki. I sometimes pull back the covers to give the bed an airing. In my retirement house I sleep upstairs so visitors can come and go and have no idea my bed is unmade. I vacuum the bed when I change sheets because I'm a bit paranoid about bed bugs and dead skin! Sun smelling pillows. Yes!

Martin said...

We always turn back the bed linen each day, to allow a good airing. Apparently UV rays kill off the dust mites, so placing pillows in the sunshine is a sound move.

maria cecilia said...

Love this post Vicki, knowing something more from you is a good thing!!
Your grandma gave a very good idea, I will also air all the pillows in the house, how nobody taught me this before??
I wonder when you write or milk the cows... jaja!!!
hugs dear

Pat in east TN said...

Although I usually try and make up the bed right away, I have been letting it 'air out' until mid-morning or so, and on days I change the sheets I let the bed set for several hours before the clean ones go on. Pillows are aired whenever it suits.

I have to add that I love all the windows in your bedroom ... from the pictures taken from there it must be like being in a tree house.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

My husband is Jackie reincarnated I'm afraid. How he would love to have fresh sheets even once a day. I know if I ever do it once, he'll be spoiled for life.

I grew up before the days of permanent press sheets and my mother took our sheets to the cleaners and they came back folded and pressed. I'll never forget how marvelous they felt. Ah, for the good old days...
Sam

Louise said...

I love the idea of airing the pillows. However, in critter kingdom here, I'm afraid they might get hit with more than a little fresh air. I was watching an episode of "The Doctors" one morning when the young woman doctor said that you should change the sheets on your bed every day. I'm afraid I stopped what I was doing and just stared in amazement. She doesn't live in my world, that's for sure.

JJ Roa Rodriguez said...

Because we are 8 siblings. My mother cannot afford to hire house Hellers. So to lessen the job for the helper, we have to do our own bedroom. That's a law! I remember when I wasmin garde 5 (11yo) my more arrived in school and asking my teacher if she can excuse me from class for a while. Our house is just across the street. She said there is an emergency at home. Just to fnd out I forgot to do my bed. And I have to do it before she will allow me to go back to school.. LOL! And until now it became to be a routine. And I am one of those who change the sheets twice a week. Ironed!...

JJRod'z

Thérèse said...

Better not see what's crawling in either the mattress or on the skin...

Stella Jones said...

I love a clean bed too Vicki, who doesn't but airing is the next best thing. I am lucky that I have a garden here in England and can hang the sheets and pillow slips out to dry after the weekly wash. They smell wonderful after the fresh air has been on them, don't they. I also learned, when I worked in the school, that you should always, always, iron the pillow cases because that kills the head lice eggs! Hmmmm
We should also iron underpants, especially in the crotch because that kills worm eggs. I don't think I'll go any further on that subject.
On a happier note, which picture did you decide to put in the back of your new book? I think I can guess...

Suz said...

Airing things out is a great practice
in the winter i even open the windows to expose the room to fresh cold air..for a few minutes...
and nothing beats the smell of sunshine on your pillow at night
now lets hear about the mint tea...you pick it fresh ?
I used to get dried mint from my grandpa...is fresh better?

Friko said...

Jackie Kennedy wouldn't have made the bed herself.

In the old days great big feather beds (the massive duvets of the day) would lie in all the windows early in the morning in Germany. You wouldn't dare not leave yours out. There were nursery rhymes attached to the shaking of these monstrosities and the feathers that tumbled out of them. I still have the old fashioned, huge pillows in their crisp cotton cases on my bed.

Glory days. Now it's a quick shake and smooth over, hardly worth the effort.

BB said...

And I'm sure Jackie never changed them herself either!

Vicki Lane said...

Oh, I remember ironed sheets! I sometimes iron pillow cases but mainly for guests. And not because of head lice but for the luxurious feeling.

Pat -- It IS like a treehouse -- I love the feeling.

Louise -- my grandmother just shoved the pillows up against the window screens on the east side of their bedroom.

Funny story, JJ. And who irons YOUR sheets.

I'm not looking, Therese -- but I do give the mattress a vacuum cleaning now and then.

Suz -- fresh mint is definitely better for garnish but for brewing with the tea, dried probably works just as well.

Friko -- I've seen stories where snow was from the old woman on the sky shaking out the featherbeds.

You got that right, Barb.






Oh, my, Star -- I am feeling paranoid now.

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm not a bed-maker, so mine gets plenty of air! I adore the color of your walls, by the way.

Deanna said...

The rich are different, and the very, very rich are very, very different! They are missing out in many ways, though.

Airing the sheets....hmmmm... I think I'll keep doing my weekly change!

jennyfreckles said...

I'd have clean sheets every day if I didn't have to do it all myself. Hate changing the sheets; putting a king-size cover on a duvet without help is like fighting an elephant. I do air my duvet - though not out of the window as it would get a bit grimy in the city I think.

Victoria said...

The photos in the previous post are breath-taking, Vicki. So beautiful I just kept scrolling down, then back up, then down...

I love the color of your bedroom walls! I pull back the covers of the bed for about twenty minutes every morning and have the windows and the french doors open, even in the winter.

estaminet said...

You inspired me today, Vicki. I took all my bedding outside and let it soak up the hot sunshine. After I remade my bed, the whole room smelled fantastic. I hope this proves addictive...and that my new home in Canton doesn't have a neighborhood committee that frowns on such a practice!

Merisi said...

I air my bed every morning. Sometimes I make it in the evening. Everything goes, but making the bed while it is still "warm" from the nights sleep.

Kath said...

While I air my bed for at least fifteen minutes before making, I hadn't thought how wonderful it would be to put the pillows out in the sun!!! Thank you.