How to Make a Bed Like the Magazines

If it were up to my husband our bed would never be made but I like to have it crisp and neat. So I make our bed almost every morning. When I do it makes me feel like I have started the day on the right foot. Here are the steps to making a bed just like they do in the magazines.

Me in the process of making the bed, straightening blankets in a bedroom with dark blue walls and a wooden herringbone headboard.

*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.

How to Make a Bed Like the Magazines

The most important part of making a bed is having a good quality mattress. Everyone likes something different. My Mom likes a really firm mattress. I like a soft and cushy one.

Whatever you like make sure you go with something that is going to last a good long time. Eight years is what is recommended for a mattress, then it’s time to replace it.

My husband and I sleep on a Purple mattress, and I absolutely love it.

Have a Bedskirt

Once you have a good mattress you need to cover up the box spring and frame of your mattress. Bedskirts are a great way to do this. They also cover up anything you might have to store under your bed.

A bed made with a black dog sitting on it in a room with dark blue walls and a wooden herringbone headboard.

My daughter didn’t want a bedskirt so she bought a box spring cover. It covers the box spring but not anything that is under the bed. If you don’t have stuff under the bed this is a great option.

A bed made with white bedding and a wood headboard with a sage green headboard wall.

Mattress Topper

If your bed isn’t great quality or it’s older and needs a little help a mattress topper is a great thing to have. It will really extend the life of your mattress.

When my girls went to college they got a 2 1/2 inch mattress topper for the very uncomfortable dorm beds. These mattress toppers saved their lives!

My younger daughter still uses one on her bed.

Mattress Pad

A quality mattress pad is needed as well. This will help keep the dead skin cells from getting onto your mattress. I know, not a fun topic right?!

Another good option is a mattress pad that wraps around the entire mattress. This is especially helpful for those (like me) who suffer from allergies.

Quality Sheets

Now you have your bed all set it’s time to put some sheets on it. I like to splurge on sheets. I mean, you spend a third of your day in bed it’s nice to have something luxurious to sleep in.

In the winter we use flannel sheets because we live in a cold climate. In the summer I love good quality cotton sheets. The higher the thread count the better!

My younger daughter likes jersey knit sheets all year round. She likes the softness of them.

Whatever you choose, go with the good stuff. You will thank me later.

When you put your sheets on have the fitted sheet nice and tight on the mattress and pull the top sheet all the way up to the top of the bed.

I know that there is some controversy of having the top sheet or not. If you are on the side of not having it then just forget this step.

Blanket or Quilt

Because it can get really cold here in the winter I like to add a blanket or quilt at this point. You don’t have to do this though if you sleep hot or live in a warmer climate.

When you add the blanket or quilt make sure it’s pulled all the way up to the top of the bed.

A made bed with white bedding, a beige blanket, a wooden headboard with a sage green paint on the wall.

As you can see my daughter uses a queen size blanket for her bed. I also love the look of a quilt. This one in particular from Amazon is great because it’s reasonably priced but comes in a zillion colors!

Add a Comforter

For the comforter, you want something that is soft and fluffy. If you have pets that sleep in the bed then you might like a duvet cover so it’s easier to wash it.

I have the Casaluna duvet cover and I absolutely love it! It has a bit of weight to it so when I sleep it feels like a weighted blanket but not a heavy one. It’s just a touch heavier than the standard comforter.

If you have a quilt or blanket on the bed then you can take the comforter and fold it in half to show the quilt/blanket underneath. This is how they do things in the magazines!

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A bed partially made with only sheets and blankets, dark blue walls, and a wooden herringbone headboard.

Full disclosure, I know that they duvet looks wrinkly but that is because its a linen blend, and even if I were to iron it the wrinkles would still be there. That is just the nature of this type of material.

Stack the Sleeping Pillows

Stack your sleeping pillows at the head of the bed like the picture shows.

I also got a new sleeping pillow from Kohl’s. It’s gel and for back and side sleepers. I have slept amazingly ever since I got it! I love mine so much that my daughter wanted one for her room!

A bed with just sleeping pillows and blankets, blue walls, and a wooden herringbone headboard.

Add Decorative Pillows

Men often complain about the amount of pillows on a bed, my husband is no different. So I keep my decorative pillows to a minimum.

I add the king size pillows first, the ones that match our comforter. We have a king size bed but really prefer to sleep on standard size pillows at night.

Then I put my long decorative pillow. I picked it up at Target a couple of years ago from their Magnolia line. I just love it! This one is very similar to the one I have.

A bedroom with white bedding, dark blue walls and a wooden herringbone headboard.

Add a Throw Blanket

Put a throw blanket across the foot of the bed for nights when you need a little extra blanket.

Make sure it’s folded and drapes completely across.

A bed made in a bedroom with dark blue walls and a wooden herringbone headboard.

Bedroom Source List

How to Make a Bed Like the Magazines Recap

Well, I hope you got some really actionable steps here to make your bed look like the ones in the magazines. Here is a recap of all the steps:

Quality Mattress
Add a bedskirt or box spring cover
Get a mattress topper (optional)
Use a Mattress Pad
Quality Sheets pulled all the way up
A quilt or blanket pulled all the way up
A comforter or duvet folded
Stack pillows
Add decorative pillows
Add a throw blanket at the foot of the bed

Me making a bed with white bedding in a room with dark blue walls and a wooden herringbone headboard.

Other bedroom posts you might like:

Me making the bed, fluffing pillows with white and light gray bedding, dark blue walls, and a wooden herringbone headboard.

Wendy Duffy

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As a licensed Real Estate Agent and an avid home decorator, I strive to give my clients the very best I can when it comes to staging, selling, and decorating their homes. I have lots of experience with paint color choices and love to DIY my home so I can have everything just the way I want it. I share my ideas and projects with the world in the hopes that I can help others have their homes just the way they want as well.