Does making the bed matter?

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I get up in the morning and fold the covers down to air the bed - one of those old-fashioned pieces of wisdom that turns out to be backed up by modern science. Making the bed – i.e. putting the covers back in place right away – traps moisture under the covers, damaging the mattress and providing a breeding ground for fungi, bacteria and viruses such as Streptococcus and Norovirus. The problem is that once I have washed and dressed and started on my day, I rarely go back to the bedroom until bed time. And then I’m tired and it’s late, and I get to the bedroom and see the unmade bed and that just makes me feel worse, like ‘Here’s one more thing I didn’t manage to get done today’. In contrast if the bed is neatly made then when I open the door and see the bed all ready and waiting for me, I immediately feel kind of soothed and calmed. Freshly-washed sheets are a special bonus! I know this isn’t universal. My partner doesn’t seem to care at all if he has to drag the covers into place as he gets in and never even thinks of washing them (except if I go away, when he hurriedly does so before I get back!). He thinks my pleasure in clean bedding is just plain unnecessary and would think it was downright weird if it wasn’t for one of the main characters in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels, who is known for his meticulousness and appreciation for clean sheets. Thank you Sir Terry! Does this kind of thing matter to you, or do you think you have more important things to worry about? All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2025.