Feeling overwhelmed with everything going on in your life, in the world and on the internet? While there are many coping techniques for managing stress, burnout and anxiety (common themes in modern western society) some healthcare professionals recommend cleaning. Cleaning is viewed as therapeutic for several reasons. It gets you up and moving which means exercise, even if you are only walking or moving items from place to place. Exercise is proven to reduce stress. Also, reducing clutter and organizing the environment that you live and work in can help you to focus on your most important tasks.  

A common recommendation is to take the time to make your bed each morning. Climbing into a clean, crisp bed after a long day is an amazing feeling. Generally, we learn how to make our own bed from a very young age, and while other things have taken priority and improved in our lives, our bed-making may skills have fallen behind. Below are instructions for how to make a bed like the professionals do at hotels, hospitals and nursing homes: 

Step 1: Gather Materials 

• Mattress Protector 

• Sheet set (although hotels often do not use fitted sheets most sheet sets include them and it is easier to arrange on a bed, so it still makes sense to use a fitted sheet for personal use) 

• Sham covers 

• Quilt or blanket 

• Duvet and duvet cover or comforter 

• Two bed pillows 

• Two standard pillows for the sham covers 

Step 2: Protect Your Mattress 

Use a mattress protector to protect your mattress from wear and tear and even stains. This prolongs the use and quality of your mattress. You can even buy pillow protectors since it is not recommended that you wash your pillow more than a few times per year. This way if you have allergies or just do not want to think about all the bacteria and dust building up on your pillow, you can protect yourself. Like the mattress protector, the pillow protector protects the pillow from wear, tear and stains.  

Step 3: Arrange the Sheets 

Start with the fitted sheet by pulling it down and around the edges of the bed to spread it evenly so it lies flat with minimal wrinkles. You can iron your sheets if you want, use a steamer or keep them in the dryer until they are just about dry, but still slightly damp. All these methods will give you the crisp, flat and clean feel and look that you get at a hotel. 

Next place your flat sheet on the bed making sure it is even on all sides. Notice the corners at the end of the bed and fold over the corners and tuck the excess under the bed. This is called a hospital fold and it is like wrapping a gift. Our MSNW housekeeping team makes the beds at a nearby sleep center and uses the hospital fold method on every bed. 

Step 4: Quilt 

Some people like adding a quilt or heavy blanket to add extra comfort or warmth in the winter. This blanket is added after the flat sheet in the same way by creating the hospital folds at the corners at the end of the bed. 

Step 5: Duvet or Comforter 

Place the Duvet or Comforter on after the quilt or flat sheet. Spread it evenly so it hangs over the edges and end of the bed. Then, at the head of the bed fold the flat sheet, quilt and comforter over so that one to two feet are folded forward.  

Step 6: Pillows 

Place the bed pillows at the head of the bed first, then the standard pillows with the sham covers can be placed to rest against those bed pillows. Bonus: if you have decorative or throw pillows, you can put them on at the very end to add the final touches. 

Making your bed is something you can do every day to feel accomplished and now that you know how to get a good start to your day by making your bed like they do at hotels, you can feel even better.