What do you mean, no top sheet?
George (RIP) says: No top sheet necessary!
Today I’d like to discuss something of utmost importance; something that impacts all of us on a daily basis: bedding. (Ha ha, but also true.)
How I grew up doing it
If you are like me, you grew up with your bedding assembled as such:
- Top layer = bedspread
- Next = 0-2 blankets and/or comforters depending on the season
- Next = Top sheet (flat)
- Next = Bottom sheet (fitted)
- Bottom layer = mattress cover
I think most of my readers will understand that people are meant to insert themselves between the top and bottom sheets for sleeping, but apparently some Europeans are confused about this. That’s because they do not use a top sheet at home. What?!. Similarly, I was almost 50 years old before it ever occurred to me to sleep without a top sheet — or without blankets and a bedspread, for that matter!
Duvet v. Comforter
Before we continue, I think a few definitions are called for.
I’m sure everyone has their own terminology, be it regional, familial, generational, or marketing.
But for purposes of this blog post:
Duvet = A fluffy insert for a duvet cover. I have two — a winter-weight duvet and a summer-weight duvet.
Duvet Cover = A cover for your duvet that can be easily swapped out for a different look. Many people who use the covered duvet for decorative purposes often still use a top sheet. In my case, though, I only purchase duvet covers that look and feel like sheets and can be machine washed and dried along with the bottom sheet and pillowcases.
Comforter = A stand-alone layer, not requiring a cover, that can replace a blanket and/or bedspread, and is usually used with a top sheet.
Depending on the size, I suppose a comforter could fit inside a duvet cover, but that doesn’t make it a duvet despite Landon Bryant, in this TikTok, talking in terms of putting “duvet covers” on “comforters”. He usually talks about Southern things — phrases, food, manners — and I think he’s run out of Southern things to talk about, since there’s not a lot of call for extra warmth in the South. In any case, note the comments on his post — people have big feelings about this topic!
SIDEBAR: Duvet vs. Comforter: What’s the Difference and Which to Get
If this image is blurry, click the sidebar link.
OK, but…no top sheet?!?!
I’ve seen several references lately to the “no top sheet” debate. There seem to be two major reasons for the divided camps: geographical and generational. Europeans, for example, tend not to use top sheets (or so I hear), and younger generations (starting with Millennials) seem to be trending that way too.
I was converted to the “no top sheet” way of life years ago on a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) trip to Alaska. It was something that frankly had never occurred to me before. And I never slept better! (Well, the gentle rocking of the ship might have had a little something to do with it, too.)
NCL’s staff is very international. I’m not sure if they were just doing what they’re used to doing at home, or if NCL HQ declared it to be more efficient. They used duvets, but wrapped them in sheets in a way I’m not sure I could recreate (i.e. they didn’t use closeable duvet covers).
When I got home I researched duvets, duvet covers, and comforters and decided to give it a try. I’ve been through a few duvet covers and bottom sheets since then, but my choices are always made of machine-washable and -dryable cotton fabric that feels soft, like a regular sheet, on my skin.
SIDEBAR: What Is a Top Sheet? Do You Actually Need One?
How I do it now
So, my bedding is (and has been for years now) assembled thusly:
- Top layer = Duvet inside sheet-like duvet cover
- Next = Bottom (fitted) sheet
- Bottom layer = Mattress cover (I just use an old blanket. Maybe one of these days I’ll spring for a proper one.)
You should probably know that I’m also not the kind of girl with decorative pillows on her bed. It’s just not worth the effort (to me) of putting them on, taking them off, storing them, and keeping them clean.
Bed pillows are supremely important for sleeping, though! I may or may not write a whole separate post about pillows. I’ve tried them all and am currently a fan of the Pillow Cube, if you want to know.
Benefits of streamlined bedding
Ah, the simplicity of it!
- No getting tangled up in the sheets and covers during the night!
- No blankets separating from the sheets and from each other and having to wrangle them all back into place in the morning!
- One shake of the duvet and I’m done making the bed!
Common concerns
The main concerns people seem to have are cleanliness, comfort, and difficulty of putting the cover on a duvet.
So, to answer your questions, no, I am not getting a fancy duvet cover dirty, or sleeping with something non-absorbent or scratchy next to my skin. The ones I buy have the same exact feel as a top sheet, and are just as easily washed and dried. We won’t get into how often to wash bedding. It depends on so many things, like what you wear, if anything, to bed. And who allows their pets to sleep with them (me) or eats crackers in bed (not me).
And no, it’s not too hot (or cold) because I have two duvets — a lightweight one for summer and a heavier one for winter. I change mid-spring and mid-fall when I start getting too hot or too cold. And I have, on occasion, slept under only the empty duvet cover (so, the weight of two sheets).
Over the years I’ve had a couple of different styles of duvet covers. Most of them close at the bottom. In that case I recommend the “burrito method” of putting the cover on: The burrito method of putting on (and taking off) a duvet cover.
The one I’m using now, though, opens on two sides and zips closed. It’s sold by Quick Zip, which also offers a unique bottom sheet solution: The sides that fit around and tuck under the mattress stay in place. And the top zips off to wash. Hard to picture? See the illustration below and look for the videos on this page for how the fitted sheet and duvet covers work.
QuickZip fitted bottom sheet
I don’t care if you purchase anything from Quick Zip. I just want you to know that such a thing exists. Can you see how much easier this would be for someone who struggles to maneuver their mattress and fitted sheet? (And maybe doesn’t wash them as often as they should as a result?) If you aren’t struggling, then never mind, this isn’t for you.
Why am I writing about bedding, anyway?
This is not a right or wrong thing. Although I don’t expect everyone to switch their bedding based on what I do, I will say I’m a little surprised at how adamant people can be about the way they’ve always done things, including how they make a bed. And how some of them disparage those who do it differently. But it’s most definitely a way to simplify bed-making, if that’s what you’re looking for!
How to fold a fitted sheet
Either way, you’ll need a fitted bottom sheet. (Well, unless you want to use a flat sheet that’s big enough to tuck in the edges to keep in in place.)
If you aren’t using Quick Zip, and if you have multiple sets of sheets per bed, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of folding them neatly for storage. So here are a couple of how-to videos for you:
How To Fold A Fitted Sheet (The Seana Method)
If that doesn’t work for you, try this:
How to purrfectly fold a fitted sheet in seconds (Meow!)
PRO TIP: Did you know that you never have to fold anything if you take it off the bed, wash and dry it, and put it back on the bed? Yes, there will be a few hours during which the bed will be — gasp! — naked. But it’s also an incentive to finish the laundry you started, no?
Are you in the “top sheet” camp? Or are you team “no top sheet”?
What generation are you and where did you grow up?
Do you use the terms duvet and comforter interchangeably?
How do YOU put on your duvet cover or fold a fitted sheet?
Please share with us by leaving a comment below!
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- Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
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Interesting post, Hazel. I still use a fitted bottom sheet, top sheet, blanket, blanket cover, and duvet. When I was a little girl we changed sheets once a week on the weekend. It’s a habit I continue.
I have two children. One son, uses no top sheet and a duvet cover. The other does the bottom sheet, top sheet, balnket, and duvet for all the members of his family. Interesting…
Hi Diane! I had never heard the term “blanket cover” before! (Also known as a coverlet, which I’ve heard of but never seen or used, it seems to serve the same function as a bedspread.) When Googling it I also discovered “comforter protector”. So many ways to do it!
Aw, thanks for the shoutout Hazel!
I grew up not using a top sheet. I just, for some reason, didn’t like the feel of it. I liked feeling the blanket against my skin. I guess this meant my Mom had to wash my blanket more often, but I never noticed.
I eventually did progress to using a top sheet because washing sheets was easier than washing blankets. I have lots of European friends who all swear by the duvet. My Danish friend uses two, one for her and one for her husband. They both live on the bed, folded to meet in the middle. Interesting!
My only issue has been finding changing the duvet cover to be hard. I’m sure if I practiced more often, and used the burrito method, it would be easier.
When it comes to the sheets, to be honest, I just pull them off, wash them, and put them back on most of the time. I’d rather not worry about folding and storing them. I do this for clients a lot, but for my own bed, I try and keep it simple.
You and I could probably make a chart weighing the simplicity of sleeping and making the bed against the difficulty of various duvet cover solutions against the frequency (and variables determining the necessity) of washing schedules. LOL! For example, I change my pillowcases more often than I wash my other bedding because I wear t-shirts and knit shorts to bed.
I love this about you and I love when you take a deep dive into minutia. It is like watching one of the minute documentaries.
When I had a duvet with a cover, I tried leaving off the top sheet, but it meant washing the duvet cover more often that I would have otherwise and it’s never easy to take off and put back on. Now I always have a top sheet.
As for fitted sheets, my attitude is just fold it so it fits on the shelf. It’s never going to be neat and tidy and it’s not worth the trouble of trying.
If anyone reading this thinks I’m lazy, so be it. I’ve never claimed to be a Suzy Homemaker!
Reminds me of the saying, “Organizers are just too lazy to look for things.” Also a post I once wrote: Confessions of a Professional Organizer (I’m organized enough, and not one bit more). You’re in good company, Janet!
My first encounter with the duvet was traveling in Europe. I fell in love and eventually bought a set – a light- weight and a heavier weight and the two of them could Velcro together for those really cold times. I bought the set at IKEA where they also had multiple duvet covers.
At this point in time, I use a mattress pad, a fitted bottom sheet, a top sheet, a blanket, and a bedspread. In the colder months I add the light-weight duvet without a cover (as the bedspread goes over it).
I wash the sheets and pillowcases every Saturday and put them back on the bed. (I also wash my bath linens on the same day and put them right back on the racks.)
Ooh! two duvets in one cover! I had just been thinking about ditching my heavier one (too heavy, and harder to manage). This might be a good solution, thanks!
When I was about 12, I started subscribing to Seventeen Magazine. I still remember one of the back-to-school issues that was chock-full of dorm-related advice, and one photo was of a student flicking the comforter to put it on her bed. The advice? Sleep without a top sheet and just use a comforter, and “Think of all the time you’ll save in making your bed!” And I remember thinking, “ewwwwww.” I hated making my bed, but there was no way I wanted the comforter right next to my body. That was 45 years ago, and I feel the same way.
I like to sleep “cold” but I also like to feel a weight on top of me. I sleep under a top sheet, a comforter, and a weightless-seeming fuzzy blanket that magically feels cold, so I can put my arms out on top of the bedding and feel cool. Just a sheet or blanket isn’t heavy enough; a comforter and a heavy blanket would leave me too hot, and why would I care about changing the LOOK of my bedding with duvet covers when it’s so much freaking work? 😉 (Oh, and I sleep with a fitted sheet and mattress pad beneath me. I am the princess and the pea — I can feel every wrinkle and thread, so I don’t know how people can sleep without padding between the sheet and the shiny, bumpy mattress. (Don’t get me started on futons!)
Also, for what it’s worth, everywhere I went in Italy, Scotland, Wales, and England, every hotel room had a top sheet. Maybe it’s because they cater to tourists?
I loved the ads for Pillow Cube when they were all over TikTok, but they look too high for my neck. Do you know if they’re good for side sleepers?
Finally, I have never managed to put a duvet back in a cover on my own, though I’ve occasionally helped others, and it seems ridiculously laborious. I can make my bed after changing the sheets in about three minutes; if it took any more effort, I’d likely spent my life sleeping in a sleeping bag on top of the bed. 😉
This was a fun post.
I use the pillow cube. I am a side sleeper and find it comfortable because I am not compressing my arms as much.
This reminds me to tell Julie that there are instructions on the website for picking the right size Pillow Cube.
I’ve tried it all. For years, I used a duvet with a cover. But it was a pain washing and getting the duvet back inside. Finally, I decided it wasn’t worth the hassle. However, I liked how it felt.
Now I’m back to using a mattress cover, fitted and top sheet, and quilt (or comforter.) I have a few to accommodate the various temperatures during the year. During the winter months, I sometimes add an additional blanket.
My kids hated having a top sheet. They didn’t like getting tangled in it. However, as you explained, it made it easier to make the bed. One swoosh of the duvet and the bed was made. Easy, peasy.
Funny how we’re all different. But also how our needs change in different phases of our lives!
So, here is why I like the top sheet. One, because I sleep nude and just don’t shower as much as I used to and it is easy to wash. Two, because sometimes I sleep with only the top sheet on because it is so hot and I like to be covered. I have a mattress cover, a bottom sheet, a top cotton sheet, a top flannel sheet that serves as a thin blanket if I need it and then a thin coverlet in case it gets cold during the night. (Because I have two fans aimed at the bed at all times. In the winter only one.) I am like Goldilocks. Everything needs to be just right. (We will not go into earplugs and white noise machine and how I suffered when Medicare wanted me to stop using a CPAP machine. Spoiler alert, it worked out in the end but I still miss that feeling of being cocooned.) I used to wake up about three times a night with night sweats, which I put down to the world’s longest menopause. However, just lately I took away one of the blankets on my bed and discovered I had been suffering because I was just legitimately too hot! (I love sleeping in freezing room all snuggly. If I was rich, I would have a walk in refrigerator for my bedroom. Maybe even a freezer.) So that is fixed and I am no longer waking up sweating.
I get it. There are lots of reasons, like yours, to use a top sheet. LOL about removing a blanket and suddenly not being so hot!