You’re Probably Making Your Bed Wrong

Recently, while scrolling through TikTok, I came across Loui Burke, a slight man in a calm, airy bedroom. In the video, the Melbourne-based art director and design marketer pulled out a tape measure to show viewers how far back to fold their duvet when making their bed: “A lot of you aren’t pulling your duvet back far enough,” he said. “I want to see a minimum of 45 centimetres!” A home and hosting influencer gently bullying viewers into making their bed better? I was hooked.

The advice might sound specific, but folding duvets back further exposes more of the fitted sheet, airing it out and keeping it fresh longer, while the larger cuff looks more polished. The bed I was mindlessly scrolling from—rumpled, missing pillows, top sheet half off the mattress—looked more like a moulting bird than an oasis of calm.

I took 90 seconds to fold back the duvet—then got in touch with Burke for more advice. Here’s what he (very kindly) told me.

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What To Do

Invest in a mattress topper

A mattress topper can double as a protector and a level-up in comfort. “Look for something plush but supportive—memory foam or natural fibres like wool can work wonders.”

Use top sheets

A top sheet helps regulate body temperature throughout the night and keeps your other sheets clean. “But if you’re someone who kicks them off every night, it might be better to go without and opt for a good quilt cover that you can wash regularly,” says Burke.

Know when to wash your sheets

It’s easy to get used to stripping the whole bed when laundering linens, but each piece has its own rhythm. Washing your top sheet and pillowcases more often can keep the rest of the bed’s linens cleaner for longer; a very light coverlet can do the same for a duvet.

What To Ditch

Buying higher thread-count sheets for the sake of it

Just because they’re expensive doesn’t mean they are necessarily better. “They might feel luxe at first, but they often don’t breathe well,” says Burke. The quality of the yarn is more important than the thread count itself. (Steer clear of synthetic fibres; cotton percale is his top choice.)

Using the same sheets year-round

“What works in [summer] won’t feel good in February,” says Burke. Duvets can be a pain to store, but they’re also just not ideal for hot weather.

Over-layering

A coverlet, a duvet and an accent throw might look cute, but “too many layers trap heat, especially in summer,” says Burke. “Your bed might look great, but if you’re waking up sweating, it’s not serving you.”