Make Your Bed Every Morning
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 by Chris Lesinski 
Because you read a lifehacking blog like HackCollege you obviously already make your bed every day. Right? Because all students make their bed each morning. Because students never take naps. Because students always get a full night's rest. And nobody has a pain-in-the-ass loft bed.
So maybe that's not all true. But I think I can convince you othewise on that whole bed-making issue. I can't help you with that loft bed though. Those are a bitch.
Why should I make my bed EVERY F'IN MORNING?
Let me have just a four-bullet-point-chance at telling you:
- You can impress your family (and the opposite sex): Nobody in college makes their bed. Making this 30-second habit a part of your morning routine will -- for some strange social reason -- impress people.
- It ties the room together: Let's face it -- your itty-bitty dorm room is about 98% bed. You have about enough room to walk in, and have a bed. That's it. So, by making your bed, you're effectively tidying a large majority of your room with minimal effort.
- Workspace: You have permission to use your bed as a workspace only if it's made. Otherwise, that's gross. (Who wants coffee grinds and Ramen flavoring INSIDE THEIR BED? Not me.)
- Instant wake-up call: If you can convince yourself to make your bed right when you get out -- I think you'll be hard-pressed to press snooze. It's a great way to routine-ize the moments after your alarm rings, hence disengaging that early-morning fog-of-mind.
So, hopefully one of those bullets, like the bullet from a revolver, convinced you to change your life a bit.
How to kick in this new habit
It will take you 60 seconds to make your bed. Especially after you practice it every day! Practice makes perfect! Perfect bedding!
Since it only takes that single minute -- all you have to do is find a window. I promise you, there is a window in your daily routine. A window you should close with bed-making. Here are some ideas:
- While your phone or computer boots up
- While your coffemaker is running
- While you're waiting for your shower to warm up
- While you swish around your mouthwash
- While YOUR ROOMMATE FEEDS HIS SNAKE IN THE GODDAMN CLOSET EVERY MORNING
I don't know. You can find a few minutes if you put your mind to it. You're in college.
Crazy lifehack option no. 2
Save 2 minutes every day by not making your bed.
In the comments -- tell us if you make your bed! We won't tell mom. Cross my heart.
Reader Comments (6)
I agree that making your bed ties the room together. Doing the habit as soon as you woke up is a good thing because it's somehow an exercise of your organization skills. Sweet right?!
I make my bed every morning as well! More for beeing able of putting all the clothes that I dropped on the floor the day before, right back on the bed!
Surprisingly enough, in my halls of residence, most students make their beds as well! What kind of students are we, hu!
I make my bed almost every day. The only time I don't is when I leave early in the morning and get back around dinner time. Since I don't spend any time in my room those days, it doesn't bother me. But if I'm home, its done. I can't study at my desk if my bed isn't made.
+1 on the bed-making.
It really pulls a room together.
I think making a bed is good if the rest of your room is tidy as well. I don't think it's worth the effort though if you have a messy room. It doesn't really help much at that point or make the room look any better.
I never made the bed before I got married. Now I do it as a matter of atonement -- to help smooth things over with the wifey.