Bedroom Furnishings and Linens
One area that I want you focus on is the bedroom. A good night sleep is crucial to your good health and well being. You must have a comfortable mattress, good pillows and nice bedding. If your bed is not comfortable, replace it! We spend approximately 1/3 of our lives in bed… yet most people balk at spending money on mattresses and linens but don’t bat an eye at buying expensive cars or clothing….
So go out and get a comfortable mattress and pillows and cover them with nice linens. I recommend 100% cotton sheeting because it is comfortable (it breathes) durable and affordable. When buying sheets, you may have heard that thread count it important…this is true but the highest thread count isn’t always indicative of the best sheets. You should feel the sheet and buy what feels best to your hand. A quality set of sheets can last ten years.
Egyptian cotton is considered the best fabric for sheets. I would recommend buying a solid set of sheets in a neutral color that you love. Look for down comforters and pillows that contain 90 – 95% down, these are the best and can last 20 + years. If you are allergic to down, there are many hypoallergenic options (like cotton or silk) available in the marketplace. You do not have to spend $1000 to outfit your bed in quality sheets there are plenty of options for considerably less in the marketplace.
Although I like to shop locally, if you have trouble finding quality linens at your local store, you might try one of the larger discount houses like T.J. Maxx or Tuesday Morning or on-line at Overstock.com or eBay. You should be able to buy a set of quality sheets for well under $100 and if you consider the cost over the years. $100 for a set of sheets that will last 10 years is a better buy then the $25 set that starts to pill after the first few washings and has to be replaced after a few months. You really only need 1 or 2 sets of sheets. I like to have 2 sets so I can alternate between washings.
For quality bedding, try Pacific Coast Feather
Towels are another items that you should invest in. Clean out your linen closet and get rid of the thread bare towels (you can recycle these and use them for rags). Commit to buy nice quality towels. The best towels are typically made from 100% combed cotton either Egyptian or Pima cotton. You do not need an entire closet full of towels to experience the best. I would recommend that you buy two to three sets of towels plus a few extra washcloths (since they tend to wear out the fastest) per person in your household.
High quality towels can last ten years. Remember a few sets of quality towels are a better investment that a closet full of inexpensive rags. Often you can find quality towels in the same shops as you find quality sheets.If you buy items in solid neutral colors, they will stay in style much longer than trendy colors or prints. For example, solid white sheets look as crisp and fresh today as they did twenty years ago. Where as harvest gold and avocado green screams 1974, rose/mauve 1980’s and turquoise with pink screams 1990…think about the various trends that have come and gone over the years and the classics that have withstood the tests of time.
Save the trendy patterns and colors for inexpensive accent pieces like throw pillows.Fresh flowers are a nice touch. You can cut some flowers from you garden or pick up a bunch from the store or local farmers market. In season, flowers are very affordable. For example, it is not unusual to find tulips at my local farmers market for a few dollars a bunch during the height of the season.
In the off season, I like to buy live orchids since the flowers can last several months. If you are lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s, you can often find orchids for less than $15. No fake flowers or plants please!