For all of those reasons, and to get the most out of your room’s form and function, brilliant table lamps are essential. They perform the oh-so-practical task of filling your room with light while adding to its overall style and ambience — a form-function win-win.

The best tableside lamps can light up your life (or your bedroom anyway), and here’s how.

Bedrooms & Table Lamps 101

Let’s start with the basics — what makes a good bedside table lamp? Each part of that phrase matters: bedside, table, and lamp.

First and foremost, the lamp should fit comfortably next to your bed, both in terms of size and style. It shouldn’t be so large that it overwhelms the space, nor should it clash with your bedroom décor. For example, if your bedroom leans toward a rustic, Tudor, or classical Versailles-inspired aesthetic, an ultra-modern lamp might feel out of place.

But design isn’t everything — function matters too. A beautiful lamp is of little use if it doesn’t provide enough light to read or see clearly while in bed.

Once those essentials are covered, you can focus on the finer details, like the lamp’s color, lampshade, and overall dimensions. Even if you opt for a smaller lamp, a single well-chosen piece is often enough. Unless you’re intentionally pairing two small matching lamps, adding more than one can clutter both your bedside table and the room’s overall look.

As a general rule, the lamp should sit just a few inches above the height of your mattress to provide optimal lighting coverage. In terms of width, aim for something between 30–60% of the width of your bed — large enough to be functional, but still proportional.

Top 10 Bedroom Table Lamps to Consider

1. Globe Electric 12939 Remington 15-Inch Table Lamp With Black Finish

One of the dynamics we will return to again and again throughout this list is that between lamps that look to the past and those that embrace the future. This offering from Globe Electric does an intriguing job of dabbling in both.

Globe Electric 12920 Holden 18" Table Lamp, Satin Black, Modern, Night Stand...

• New Nordic: contemporary finishes mix with minimalistic...
• Accent light: a perfect accent light for any space, the...
• Exposed bulb: create a truly unique look by adding a...
• Versatile placement: the 5-foot cord allows you to...

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On the one hand, there is no denying that its sleek black finish and exposed gold socket are anything but a “traditional” table lamp. Unlike many of the options on this list, it does not come with a lampshade, nor is it intended for use with one. As such, it has a certain minimalist, modern feel to it.

On the other hand, however, it is undeniable that there is something “old” about its minimalism. This isn’t the kind of lamp that looks to the future of lighting technology, but rather one that makes use of a bare-bones style from the past and brings it into the present with aplomb and improved efficiency.

It can be used with different bulbs, some brighter than others, but none quite as bright as some of the biggest and most bulbous options on this list. It therefore makes for a great accent light. The five-foot cord is a nice touch, and makes it that much easier to plug it in wherever you have a power socket handy, even if that is far away from your bed.

More Info on Amazon

2. Stone & Beam Ceramic Geometric Cut-Out Table Desk Lamp

In contrast to the contemporary minimalism of Globe Electric’s offering, this piece from Stone & Beam offers an elegant display of ceramic shapeliness. Its base features lovely geometric patterns arranged in an off-white ceramic design.

Amazon Brand – Stone & Beam Ceramic Geometric Cut-Out Table Desk Lamp With LED...

• This lamp will bring a touch of glamorous style to your...
• Ceramic base, polished nickel hardware, and Off White...
• LED bulb included
• Simple assembly

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This brings us to yet another theme to which we’ll be returning again and again, and it’s one that we’ve touched upon a bit already — that between form and function.

The first two lamps on our list do a great job of this divide. The Globe Electric one has a few modern touches, to be sure, but there can be no doubt that its minimalist design places the emphasis of its value on its functionality. By contrast, while this is no slouch in the lighting department, this table lamp from Stone & Beam does a great job of exemplifying what form and elegance are all about.

Which is better suited to your bedroom?

That depends on what your decorating tastes are, as well as what you need in terms of lighting. The exposed lightbulb of the Globe Electric piece is ideally suited for those who want a bit more light in their space. On the other hand, to those for whom elegance and beauty are more important in a table lamp than raw lighting power, this offering from Stone & Beam can do a fantastic job of serving as a classic yet still understated centerpiece.

More Info on Amazon

3. Philips Hue Go

One of the most important things to consider when looking into bedroom table lamps is how creative you want to get with the design. Because these aren’t large-scale lamps but small beside ones, you can afford to be a bit more creative with the lamp design you have sitting by your bedside.

Philips Hue Go White and Color Portable Dimmable LED Smart Light Table Lamp...

• Voice Control: The Philips Hue Go White and Color...
• Limitness Posibilities: The wireless, Portable and...
• Easy & Convenient: Control Your Philips Hue Go even...
• Expand Your Ecosystem: Expand your smart lighting...

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A good example of a design that’s creative without going “too far” is the “bowl” shape offered by the Philips Hue Go. Obviously, one doesn’t traditionally expect their lamps to come in a design like that, but this offering from Philips makes it work.

What’s more, this little bowl-shaped lamp features a bevy of features, with one of the most impressive being its ability to be set for different light routines. You can set it to light up and dim at certain times to help you wake up or fall asleep. You can, according to Philips, set it to one of 16 million colors (yes, really.) You can pair it with smart home mainstays such as Alexa or Google Assistant and tie it in with the rest of your smart home setup.

All of this makes for a lamp which, while on the unconventional side and certainly more suited for tech-friendly décor than more traditional setups, offers a ton of features and shines all the more brightly for it.

More Info on Amazon

4. Ore International K313 White Glass Floral Touch Lamp

Let’s bring a couple of our trends together and take a look at this picture of table lamp elegance and modernity.

On the one hand, this lamp really is a thing of beauty. It boasts a brilliant metallic base that does a great job of reflecting the light emanating from the bulb, making the unit appear all the brighter.

Ore International K313 White Glass Floral Touch Lamp, Brushed Gold

• 3 Way touch sensor control
• Requires 40W bulb
• Low, medium, high and off paces
• Polarized plug for safety use

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Of course, the real eye-catching thing with this piece is its lovely floral lampshade. This can be a great way of adding a touch of color to a space without being too flashy. What’s more, the floral work itself can be paired wonderfully with ceramics, headboards, wallpaper, sheets, or any other floral-themed elements you may have in your bedroom. Theming is key to quality décor, so if floral themes appeal to you or you already have some in place, this lamp could be a great upgrade.

On the other hand, this table lamp is no slouch in terms of modern lighting technology, either. It is a touch lamp and so can be activated with the mere touch of a finger. It offers low, medium, and high settings, and makes use of a polarized plug in order to make it extra safe.

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a table lamp is what kind of lightbulb it takes. After all, you want to make sure you are getting the best performance out of the lamp. This particular table lamp, for example, requires a 40W bulb.

All in all, this table lamp does a great job of bringing together disparate strengths in a single, dynamic, elegant option. If you’re looking for a little lamp that does a lot, this could be the choice for you.

More Info on Amazon

5. Lifeholder Bedside Nightstand Lamp

By far one of the most characteristic elements of this lamp is its enormous lampshade. Whereas the previous model features a big bulbous uncovered lightbulb, this lamp goes in the complete opposite direction, with a long lamp shade that covers the bulb and makes up the majority of the visible surface area of the unit. This has the effect of making it appear somewhat like an illuminated lantern, giving it a look that’s simultaneously quite modern and a vague throwback at the same time.

lifeholder Table Lamp, Bedside Nightstand Lamp, Simple Desk Lamp, Fabric Wooden...

• Lamp Size: Lamp Size: The Shade is double-layered with...
• Lamp Parameter: Black Base, 110V-130V, 60Wattage Bulb...
• Easy Usage: the distance between the ON/OFF switch and...
• Simple and Vintage: Smooth wooden texture base with a...

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In terms of its size, this is another example of a good space-saving lamp. The long, vertical nature of its lampshade helps make this one of the slenderest options on this list, which contributes greatly to its space-saving nature.

In terms of the light it gives off, this unit doesn’t shine as brightly as others on this list, nor is it intended to do so. Rather, this is a great example of moderate, ambient light at work. The light it gives off is filtered by that aforementioned lampshade, which diffuses the light into a soft, ambient, and welcoming warm glow. If you are looking for a bedside lamp that’s soothing and can help get you ready for bed at night, this is a superb choice.

More Info on Amazon

6. Mathmos Astro Lava Lamp

At least one brief reference has to be made to that classic of groovy, far out, hey-remember-the-70s chic, lava lamps. The eternal favorite of college kids and those stuck in the era of Bell Bottoms, Hair, and the Age of Aquarius, this take on the lava lamp features a classic design, which is itself interesting to say given what a novelty the thing was when it first debuted in 1963. At the time, it seemed timely and even vaguely futuristic — now, it looks like a fun, kitschy product of its times.

Lava the Original 16.3-Inch Silver Base Lamp with Yellow Wax in Purple Liquid...

• Yellow Wax in purple liquid
• Provides relaxing, soft light
• Silver aluminum base and cap
• 40-Watt light bulb included

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With a sleek metallic exterior and blue and red “lava” inside, this unit certainly does a great job of bringing color into a space. If that is one of your primary goals with your lamp and you don’t mind embracing the kitschy side of décor, a lava lamp can be a fun and playful way to go.

But how well does it do in terms of giving off light? The fact of the matter is that this lamp isn’t anywhere near as bright as many of the options on this list. As with the Lifeholder lampshade, however, it isn’t necessarily meant to do so. It is a novelty, full stop. If you’re looking to illuminate your bedroom with a touch of playfulness, this lava lamp can certainly help you do just that.

More Info on Amazon

7. Kira Home Lucerna 13-Inch Touch Bedside Lamp

Here we have another great example of a touch lamp. Like the Lifeholder lamp, it features another design that emphasizes the size and prominence of the lampshade, giving it a vaguely lantern-esque appearance. Unlike the Lifeholder lamp, however, its design is boxy. Whether you find that a welcome change or not will depend on your aesthetic preferences.

Kira Home Lucerna 13" Touch Bedside LED Table Lamp, Energy Efficient...

• RESPONSIVE TOUCH LAMP: No longer deal with difficult...
• DIMENSIONS: Table Lamp: 12.5" (H) x 5.5" (W) x...
• UL LISTED FOR YOUR SAFETY: Includes (1) 4W LED bulb...
• ELEGANT, TRANSITIONAL LIGHT FOR YOUR HOME: This...

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It is the touch functionality of this lamp that truly “shines.” It’s one of the most responsible touch lamps out there, which is always a good thing. You don’t want to have to keep leaning over and slapping feebly at the base of the lamp to get it to light up. All it takes is a slight touch of your finger to light up this lamp.

To once more compare it to the Lifeholder, this unit likewise features the same tradeoff between giving up bright lighting in favor of a softer, more diffused light. This is great for those who hate bright, harsh lights and want something a bit warmer and more calming.

What’s more, this is another lamp that’s on the compact side, a fact emphasized by its boxy design. Its 13” size is just big enough to make an impact in your décor while still being small enough to fit neatly on most nightstands. If that’s what you prefer in your lamp design, this might be a good, compact light with a soft light to match.

More Info on Amazon

8. House of Disaster Origami Woodland Night Light

This is another example of a wonderfully creative lamp design at work. Contrary to the product name, if you can successfully pull this off, not only will this not be a disaster, but it can add a real sense of uniqueness to your bedroom décor.

This lamp may have the most personality among the options on our list. It comes in bear, fox, and rabbit origami-inspired designs, each of which does an incredible job of reimagining the animal in question as a tabletop nightlight. In fact, its animal designs, as well as its tabletop status, make it a great choice for anyone looking to brighten up a child’s room.

The unit features a unique kind of plastic that’s semi-opaque and allows just enough light through to light up while still looking “paper-like” enough to approximate origami. Even better, that unique plastic paired with the light inside makes for a truly warm, glowing light. It is incredibly soothing, putting another check in the kid-friendly column.

A potential strike against it would be the fact that, though the light it gives off is warm and comforting, it’s probably not enough to read by. If that is your intention, you would probably be better served looking into brighter, more bookworm-friendly options on this list. For what it is, however, this is a truly lovely tabletop lamp.

If you are a fan of Japanese aesthetics in general and origami in particular, this neat novelty lamp can be a great way to add a cute kawaii touch to your bedroom décor.

More Info on Amazon

9. Brightech Grace LED USB Bedside Lamp

Along with touch lamp technology, USB and LED upgrades are certainly two more waves of the future that are finding themselves in some of the present’s most state-of-the-art lamps.

This offering from Brightech Grace does a great job with the USB functionality in particular. A USB port is located at the base of the lamp, situated in such a way as to make it highly accessible and convenient to use. The upside here is obvious. If you’ve ever had the misfortune of going to bed with a phone that’s not charged, this lamp allows you to charge it in a snap.

Brightech Grace LED Table & Desk Lamp with USB Port – Compact Bedside Reading...

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What’s more, it offers a more convenient way to charge phones than simply plugging them into your laptop. Doing that can work, but it may take longer, and your laptop may be in an inconvenient spot.

With this lamp, you are always assured of having a convenient USB charger by your beside.

All of that is well and good, but what about the actual lamp part of this lamp?

Size-wise, this lamp strikes a good balance between being big enough to make itself noticeable while not being so big as to dominate your tabletop. It is another lamp that features a boxy design, and that once again extends to its lampshade, though this one stops a bit shorter of the base than the Lifeholder.

It emits a fair amount of light but does not feature the unbridled brightness of the Tala lamp.

More Info on Amazon

10. Chloe Lighting Liaison Tiffany-Style Victorian Table Lamp

In contrast to the glimpse into the future offered by the Brightech Grace USB lamp, let’s close with a blast from the past. If your bedroom décor is a bit more classically inclined and you would like a tabletop lamp to match, this offering from Chloe Lighting could be just the thing to bring a touch of faux-Victorian elegance into your bedroom.

One of the nice things about this lamp is how it manages to co-opt the Victorian spirit for the modern age. The bedroom was a unique space for Victorians, who felt it both an incredibly private space and yet couldn’t help showing off their opulence. This lamp functions in much the same way.

On the one hand, it doesn’t have any gaudy bells or whistles and fits right in with traditional, Victorian-codified notions of the bedroom, but on the other hand, it’s quite an elegant piece and conversation starter.

In short, it’s the perfect lamp to show off just a bit without looking like you’re trying to show off – just like the Victorians.

The lamp itself boasts beautiful multicolored pieces that do a great job of approximating stained glass. In addition, its elegant curves and tortoise shell-shaped lampshade do a great job of making it appear larger than it actually is.

This is yet another lamp that veers more towards the form over function side, as the lampshade is thick enough to keep the light from filling your room. However, with a lampshade that thick with such a distinctive light-controlling tortoise shell-shaped design, that’s definitely the intention. Whereas other lamps are concerned with giving off a warm glow and others a bright burst of light, this Victorian-inspired light simply emanates elegance and style.

Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Table Lamp for Your Bedroom

Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the best table lamps for bedside tables in bedrooms, let’s break down some of the factors that can help you decide which of these is best for you.

Size of the Table Lamp

For one thing, you’ll need to decide right from the start how much space you want to dedicate to your table lamp. The last thing you want is to go through the trouble of purchasing one just to find that it’s too big or too small.

The latter doesn’t get as much attention as the former, and indeed, we’ve mentioned above the risk of a table lamp being too big. That said, if a lamp is too small to make an impact in your décor, or else too tiny to adequately light your room, that’s a substantial problem as well.

As stated, a good general rule of thumb is for your table lamp to be between 30-60% of your bed size. That said, different proportions can make a lamp look bigger or smaller than its actual size. For example, lamps with long, thin bodies or wide lampshades can look bigger than they actually are.

Where to Place the Lamp

In addition, you want to make sure that your lamp is situated on your table in such a way as to make it convenient to access. This is especially important for lamps that feature touch technology. That technology won’t be very useful if you can’t reach over and actually touch the lamp, will it?

Make sure that your table lamp is close enough to always be within reach without straining yourself, without being so close as to practically be “in bed with you,” as it were.

How Much Light Do You Need

Then there’s the matter of how much light is the right amount. As alluded to in the selections above, there is a real split between form and function here, which in turn belies a difference in philosophy.

On the one hand, you could opt for a lamp that offers quite a bit of light. It is a lamp, after
all, and so its primary function should be to brighten up your room, right?

On the other hand, you need to remember that you aren’t just buying a lamp for just any
space, but for your bedroom in particular. You thus need to keep the space’s unique needs in consideration, one of which being the fact that this is the place where you unwind and fall asleep.

Will you really be able to do that with a lamp that’s blindingly bright? Even if you don’t need to set it at such a high setting, might it be better to instead opt for a lamp that specializes not so much in overall brightness as a soft, ambient, bedtime-ready glow?

The pros and cons of each of these table lamp philosophies are apparent. Which you prefer says something about how you view your bedroom and, indeed, how you approach the basic divide between form and function. It should be noted, however, that as postulated at the start, both are necessary for successful interior decorating.

As such, you are left with a choice. Either you opt for a lamp that veers more towards one side of the divide over the other, and commit to that choice, or you try to split the difference with a bedside lamp that offers a more all-around approach.

Extra Features

Another iteration of that form versus function debate presents itself in the contrast between the lamps that offer special features, set against those that instead focus on form.

The final two lamps are a good example of this divide at work. The Chloe Lighting lamp is a great example of where the table lamp market is headed, and offers a good deal of value in terms of USB and other forward-thinking innovations.

On the other hand, the Victorian lamp exemplifies where we’ve already been, and instead looks to bring an aesthetic and historic sense into the bedroom, along with the mood it conveys.

Which of these factors you ultimately prefer will determine the nature of your bedside table lamp, and the nature of your bedroom décor itself.

Hope you enjoyed this article! If you have any questions or tips of your own, leave a comment below. Check out these related articles for more helpful ideas:

• Practical Ways to Make Your Nightstand Taller
• Humidifier Placement in the Bedroom: Floor or Nightstand?

The post Best Small Table Lamps for Cozy Bedroom Lighting appeared first on HomelyVille.

That is where temporary beds come in. You can buy them for a reasonable price, take them out when you need them, and then fold them into a neat and small unit you can store somewhere until you need the bed again. 

But what are the best temporary beds you can choose out there? Does more expensive always equal better quality? And how do you use up the space you have in the best way possible? Read on, as you will find the answers to these and many other questions about temporary beds in the sections that follow.

Different Types of Temporary Beds for Guests

Pull Out Guest Beds

One way you can ensure you’ll always have a temporary bed is to get a trundle bed for yourself. A trundle bed is a single bed frame that has a secondary frame underneath. You can pull out this secondary frame whenever you need it and get a comfortable and spacious bed easily and quickly.

Some trundle bed frames are meant to be pulled out completely and put next to the bed, while others stay attached to the bed when you pull them out. Either way, trundle beds are extremely safe and comfortable temporary bed options. They are a great choice if your kids are having friends over, as they are much safer than bunk beds.

However, these beds are also more expensive. People only get them if they know for a fact that they’ll be having people over regularly. If that is the case, then you can think about getting one. But if you’ll only need a temporary bed solution for a few days or weeks, going with another, more affordable choice might be better.

Sofa Guest Beds

Sofa beds are another traditional solution for having guests over. The great thing about these beds is that they serve a double purpose. You can keep them in your living room, bedroom, or even office as excellent accessories for people to sit on. But at night, you get to transform them into comfortable temporary beds your guests can sleep in.

So, if you are debating whether to get a regular sofa or a sofa bed, the choice is pretty easy. A sofa bed is just as functional a piece of furniture as a regular sofa, but it can also serve as a temporary bed. That makes it a better choice.

Even though sofa beds are slightly more expensive, their double purpose more than makes up for it. With a sofa bed, you’ll always have a solution for your guests sleeping over, and you won’t have to spend any additional money on a temporary bed.

Pull Down Guest Beds

If you are looking for a subtle temporary bed option that won’t take up too much space during the day, this option is for you. These beds are also known as wall beds or fold-down beds, and their name tells you everything you need to know about them.

The bed is attached to a wall using special screws, and the mechanism inside the bed enables you to fold it against the wall whenever you want. That makes it perfect for small apartments or houses. You can put it in multi-purpose rooms and fold it up whenever you don’t need it.

It is important to mention that these beds are often quite pricey due to their nature and everything that is needed to set them up. In addition, since these beds have to be attached to a wall, they are not an option for those living in rented accommodation.

Folding Guest Beds

Folding beds are great space savers. However, they don’t look that great just sitting in your room when you’re not using them. So, you should only go for fold-up beds if you have somewhere else to store them once you don’t need them anymore. Such options include a garage or a spare room people won’t go in.

The great thing about these beds is their versatility. They come as both singles and doubles. In addition, they are portable, meaning that you can put them in the trunk of your car and carry them wherever you go. Finally, they are highly affordable and won’t drain your budget at all.

Zip and Link Guest Beds

A zip and link bed is an interesting temporary bed idea you can consider. Essentially, a zip and link bed consists of two separate mattresses that can be either separated or zipped together.

If you zip them together, you get a single or double bed you can sleep in yourself. But when you separate the mattresses, you basically get two beds: one for you and one for your guests. And when they are done using the mattress, you simply zip and link it back to your own.

This temporary bed option is amazing because you don’t need any extra space to hold the mattress. It’s just on your bed, and you can unzip it whenever you need to. These beds also take up less space, as the base of the bed does not have to be as big as the mattresses themselves.

Air Mattresses

There is no list of temporary guest beds that does not mention good old air mattresses. You get to keep these beds in your closet or anywhere you want and inflate them once guests come over. They are comfortable and don’t take up too much space.

However, it is important that the air mattress you buy is as high-quality as possible. No one wants to lie down on a comfortable air mattress at night and wake up on the hard floor because the mattress deflated in the meantime. So, make sure that the material is sturdy and the mattress durable. Also, consider raising your air mattress off the floor so it doesn’t get punctured or scratch the floor.

Air mattresses are affordable and great for small spaces. However, they aren’t a good solution for prolonged use as they do not offer the same level of support as regular beds and mattresses. So if your guests are staying for a long time, a different option might be better for you.

Day Beds

Day beds are a quite versatile option for a temporary bed. They can serve as comfy sofas, temporary beds, and even storage units if they come with drawers underneath.

You can easily customize day beds to fit in with your decor. They can be ready for a guest to sleep in mere minutes, and you can keep sheets, pillows, and comforters in the drawers underneath them. That way, everything you will need will be right there, and surprise guests will not cause you anxiety anymore.

Bed-In-a-Box

These beds are, perhaps, the most clever temporary bed solution that saves you tons of space. These beds are folded into a box (they look just like ottomans), and you can unfold them whenever the need arises.

When these beds are folded, they are incredibly subtle. It is hard to tell that there is a bed in the room at all. The box looks like an ordinary piece of furniture meant for sitting.

Once you unfold the box, you get a comfortable bed anyone could sleep in. Add some comfortable sheets, pillows, and a comforter and give your guests a true hotel experience.

Folding Mattresses

Aside from a folding bed, you can also get a folding mattress. The main difference between the two is the frame. Namely, the bed has one, while the mattress does not. Mattresses are also more comfortable, especially those made of memory foam.

The mattresses usually come with three pads in three corners that make them easy to fold and get ready for storing. These mattresses are perfect for last-minute guests because you can unfold them in seconds and offer your guests a comfortable place for sleeping.

These mattresses are quite affordable. What’s more, they are versatile, as you can keep them at home or take them with you on camping trips or any other trip you’re going on.

Best Temporary Bed Options Available

Now that you know all the temporary bed types, it is time to see which products on the market fit into the descriptions we provided as well as into your budget. Read on.

1. Milliard Diplomat Folding Bed

This model is one of the best folding beds you can find. The great thing about it is the fact that it is spacious to lie in but doesn’t take up much space when folded. That is all you really want from a folding bed in the first place.

Milliard Deluxe Diplomat Folding Bed with Mattress for Adults, Twin Size...

• Premium Comfort: The Diplomat Twin Size Folding Bed...
• Unmatched Strength & Durability: Our fold away bed has...
• Portable Bed with Space-Saving Design: Fold up the bed...
• Quick & Easy Assembly in Minutes: Our rollaway bed with...

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Apart from a single bed option, you can also go for their twin bed one. And the best thing is, both options look pretty much the same folded up. So, the twin one doesn’t take more space, making it a perfect purchase if you have more than one person coming over.

We will put things in perspective for you. Once you set up the bed, its dimensions are as follows: 75 inches in length, 38 inches in width, and a height of 17 inches. Thus, most anyone will be able to sleep comfortably in it.

Once you fold it up to put it away, you get a package of 38-inch width, 14-inch thickness, and 44 inches high. Compared to some other similar options on the market, this model is the smallest and most compact.

Apart from being portable and comfortable, this bed is also made of premium materials. The mattress consists of five layers, while the frame is made of high-grade steel. The wire lattice is also quite sturdy, ensuring the bed won’t sag with prolonged use.

The bed has two downsides. Firstly, it is a bit challenging to put together, and you’ll probably need more than one set of hands for the job. Secondly, it is rather expensive, which is off-putting for many people.

Milliard Diplomat Folding Bed – Available on Amazon

2. TATAGO Premium Ottoman Folding Bed

Most temporary and portable beds support the weight of up to 300 pounds. But that is not the case with this bed-in-a-box model. In fact, this TATAGO bed can sustain a weight of up to 500 pounds, making it the perfect choice if you have bulkier guests over.

TATAGO Premium Ottoman Folding Bed with Steel Mesh Wire Lattice Base 500lbs Max...

• 【500lbs Max Weight Capacity】–Heavy duty rust...
• 【3inch Comfort Foam Mattress】–Featuring a premium...
• 【Dual Use Ottoman+Bed】–You can simply remove the...
• 【Easy assembly】Assembly is simple and quick, no...

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The reason behind such sturdiness is the construction of the bed. The lattice base is wired, and there is an additional high-quality spring that both provides support and makes you comfortable. The tubes are made from rust-resistant steel, and the bed also has a locking brace to make everything extra safe.

The bed comes with a 3-inch mattress that gets rave reviews from everyone who uses it. It provides you with excellent support that is great for your back, which will help you have a restful sleep. However, some people say that the mattress is a bit too firm and that they would prefer something slightly softer. So, that is something you ought to keep in mind before purchasing this bed.

Once folded, this model resembles a beautiful black ottoman that can easily fit in with any decor. It can make a great addition to your living room, office, or bedroom. And the best thing is, no one will ever be able to tell it is actually a temporary bed.

TATAGO Premium Ottoman Folding Bed – Available on Amazon

3. Giantex Fold Down Sofa Bed

Sofa beds are an excellent choice if you want your temporary bed to serve a double purpose. This model can serve as a regular sofa in general and transform into a comfortable bed when guests come over.

Giantex is a brand that is famous for the extraordinary softness of all its furniture pieces. This sofa bed is no exception. The mattress on top of it is filled with high-quality sponges, and it also has a flocking surface. All of that ensures you will have a great time both sitting and lying on this bed.

Giantex Convertible Sofa Bed, Floor Couch Sleeper, Folding Futon Guest Bed...

• 【Flocking Surface & Sponge Filling】 This mattress...
• 【Fixed Magic Stick】 It features fixed magic sticks...
• 【Two Position Available】This sofa could be adjust...
• 【Versatility Usage】 This folding mattress can be...

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The mattress also has three zippers you can use to remove the top cover and wash it whenever you need to. This model is quite easy to clean in general, so that part won’t give you too much trouble.

The frame has a rather sturdy build and has two adjustable positions for you to pick. One is for lying down, and the other is for sitting. In addition, you won’t have to worry about the sofa bed not being firmly set in place once you pick the position. The magic sticks on the sides make sure to keep the bed stable at all times by locking it in place.

Of course, this bed is not a folding option, so you can’t just store it in your closet once you’re done with it. Thus, only buy a sofa bed if you have the need and space for a sofa in the first place.

One con that you definitely need to consider is the fact that taller people might find this bed too small to sleep in comfortably. If your guests are on the taller side, another option on the list might be a better fit.

Giantex Fold Down Sofa Bed – Available on Amazon

4. SoundAsleep Dream Inflatable Bed

As we have mentioned, an air mattress can be a good choice for a temporary bed if it is high-quality. Luckily, there are models out there that fit into that category, and the SoundAsleep Dream bed is one of them.

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When fully inflated, this model is the size of a standard queen-size bed. The great thing about this model is that it is almost twice as high as other inflatable beds. That will give your guests the impression that they are sleeping in and getting up from a regular bed, which is always a plus.

You can sleep directly on this mattress. However, a sheet will help protect it and add another layer of softness and comfort. On the inside, the mattress consists of 40 internal air coils. These coils ensure that the bed stays firm and flat all the way through the night.

The bed comes with a built-in pump that is responsible for both inflating and deflating. You will need a power outlet nearby for it to do the job, though. The pump does an impressive job, as it can both deflate and inflate the bed in mere minutes without any help from you.

Air mattresses are not made for daily use. They will inevitably wear down, no matter how sturdy or high-quality they are. Thus, only get this bed if your guests won’t be staying over for too long and if you’ll only inflate it from time to time. In such cases, this bed is a perfect choice and one we warmly recommend.

SoundAsleep Dream Inflatable Bed – Available on Amazon

5. LEISUIT Rollaway Guest Bed

This model is an excellent portable guest bed. You can set it up in just a few minutes, and it won’t take up too much space at all.

When you fully unfold it, this bed has the following dimensions: 31x75x14 inches. The dimensions of it folded are 31x37x6.7 inches. Most anyone could work with such compact measures, as this bed can fit into the corner of most closets.

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These dimensions also ensure that the bed is lightweight. You can carry it with you wherever you go and have a temporary bed at your disposal at all times. The bed also has small and sturdy wheels that make it easy to roll it out for your guest whenever they need it. You can also lock the wheels in place, so the bed does not move.

The mattress is made from high-density sponges and memory foam, ensuring the bed is soft and comfortable The frame is made of steel, meaning that it can sustain up to 300 pounds. As far as folding beds go, that is quite generous. The tube frame is also durable and sturdy.

Though this model is affordable, it is not made to be used every day. Prolonged use will make it sag, especially if the person sleeping on it is a bit bulkier. The cloth covering the mattress also tears easily, according to reviews.

LEISUIT Rollaway Guest Bed – Available on Amazon

6. Zermätte Roll Up Mattress

If you only need a portable mattress for your friend to sleep in for a night or two, this might be a good idea. You won’t have to spend too much money, and it won’t take up a lot of space once you fold it back up. What’s more, you’ll get a nice mattress you’ll be able to take on camping trips.

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This mattress is made of dense memory foam stuffed inside a moldable cover. This combination will ensure there is no backache after sleeping in it for a few days. You can get this bed in different sizes, from those made for kids to twin beds. Also, the mattress is durable, meaning that it can sustain a weight of up to 300 pounds.

The cover is easy to clean, and it won’t absorb dirt or dust nearly as much as other mattresses in the same price range. The material on the bottom can easily stick to any surface, so you don’t have to worry about the mattress moving around as you sleep in it.

If you are contemplating getting a folding mattress that can also serve as a bed on camping trips, this is the one for you. You will no longer need flimsy sleeping bags that make your back ache. With this option, you can enjoy outdoor trips as if you were in the comfort of your own home.

Zermätte Roll Up Mattress – Available on Amazon

7. Milliard Tri-Fold Foam Sofa Bed

This sofa bed comes in several sizes that you can choose depending on your guest’s size and build. It also comes in beautiful colors that can fit in with any decor you have in your home.

No products found.

When you need a temporary bed for a guest, you only have to unfold it, and it will only take a few minutes to do so. This sofa bed is incredibly light, so you will be able to move it between rooms if you need to. However, that also means it has a lower weight capacity, at about 230 pounds.

The outer material is incredibly easy to clean, so ensuring this sofa is always meticulous will not be a problem. The bed also comes with wheels, so you can move it and clean the space around it easily.

The first sofa bed we recommended was not fit for taller people. This one, on the other hand, is. So, if you need a bed for someone lean and tall, this is the model you should go for. They will sleep comfortably and get enough rest every night.

Milliard Tri-Fold Foam Sofa Bed – Available on Amazon

Final Thoughts

Temporary beds can make your life a lot easier. You can fold and put away most models or enjoy them as sofas, ottomans, and lounge chairs when you don’t need them.

With so many options to choose from, looking for a perfect temporary bed can get a bit overwhelming. Hopefully, the guide to temporary bed types at the beginning of the article helps you find the bed you need. Then, you can check out our recommendations and see if any of them match your budget and preferences.

If not, you can always explore even further and find what you desire. Remember to value quality over everything else, and you’ll find a bed that will last you a long time and that your guests will love sleeping in. Good luck!

The post Best Temporary Beds for Guests: Explore Types & Our Top Picks appeared first on HomelyVille.

How does a windowless bedroom fit in here? Well, it doesn’t. Sleeping in a room with no windows can have numerous negative effects on your sleep and health. Therefore, today, we are going to see what some of those effects are.

1. The Lack of Fresh Air Might Be Dangerous

A windowless room, no matter how spacious it might be, will always have stale air. Not being able to let some fresh air in is both unpleasant and potentially dangerous. Stale air is a perfect environment for bacteria and viruses. Considering the fact that you spend one-third of your life sleeping, a windowless bedroom definitely qualifies as a risky sleeping environment.

2. You Won’t Be Able to Cool Down the Room During Summer

Sleeping in a bedroom without any windows during summer might be a rather sweaty and unpleasant experience. You may ask yourself, why not simply install air conditioning? Well, sleeping with the A/C on can lead to a cold and similar health issues, even during the summer months. On the other hand, a natural breeze or draft during a hot summer night will do wonders for your sleep. Sadly, you can’t have that in a windowless bedroom.

Here’s an article on how to cool a room with no windows.

3. Carbon Dioxide Might Build Up in Your Bedroom

On average, people spend 6–8 hours sleeping every night. All that breathing in a small and closed-off room can cause carbon dioxide to build up, especially if there’s more than one person sleeping in the bedroom. This probably sounds way more dangerous than it actually is, but it can cause certain health issues.

Do you ever wake up feeling hungover, even when you didn’t drink anything the night before? Do you sometimes have headaches in the morning? Or maybe you simply can’t get out of bed even if you weren’t up late last night? If the answer is yes, you might have too much carbon dioxide in your air due to the lack of windows in your bedroom.

In some extreme cases, high levels of carbon dioxide can affect your ability to concentrate and think logically. They can also increase your heart rate and make you feel nauseous.

Having a window and keeping it open during the night can definitely help you feel better the next day. The fresh air will improve the quality of your sleep. You will feel less groggy and tired in the morning.

4. A Windowless Bedroom Is a Perfect Environment for Mold Growth

The absence of windows in your bedroom means there’s a lack of airflow filtering in and out of your room. This can cause humidity to build up and lead to other problems. More precisely, stale air, humidity, and warm temperatures create the perfect conditions for mold growth in your sleeping environment.

Naturally, this can be terrible for your health. As you probably know, mold spores are basically mold seeds that are released into the air by the mold growth. When you inhale them, these spores can cause various allergies that can leave you with itchy, watery, red eyes. Also, the spores can irritate your throat and cause you to have a runny nose.

Sleeping in a moldy environment for years and not being able to air out the spores can cause some serious health conditions. Some people can even develop asthma or bronchitis, so you should always pay attention to the humidity in your bedroom.

You might want to read: Mold On Mattresses: Symptoms, Causes, and Removal

5. A Room Without Windows Usually Contains a Lot of Odors

Odors and smells are definitely not as dangerous as carbon dioxide and mold. Nonetheless, they can make your stay in the bedroom unpleasant. Let’s be honest here, human bodies are living organisms that release various gases during sleep.

That is all perfectly natural. However, gases and poor ventilation are not a good combination, especially when it comes to the bedroom. The presence of unpleasant odors can have a negative effect on your sleep. Consequently, the lack of sleep can make you chronically tired and prone to other, more dangerous health conditions.

If possible, you should never sleep in a windowless bedroom. Sadly, some people have to settle for this kind of arrangement. If that is the case with you, remember; it’s not the end of the world. There are some things you can do to improve the air ventilation in your room. Let’s see how you can achieve this.

Fix: Improve Ventilation

Open the Bedroom Door and All Other Windows in Your Home

If you don’t have any windows in your bedroom, the only way to get some fresh air in is to keep your bedroom door open at all times. Also, make sure the other windows in your home are open as well. That way there will be some draft in your house, and you will be able to air out the bedroom.

This is one of the simplest home improvement tips, but it’s very effective in this scenario.

Use an Air Purifier or Dehumidifier

Air purifiers clean your home’s air, and that is their only purpose. They have fans that pull the air of your home through filters, and they collect pollen, dust, and other dangerous airborne contaminants. Once the air purifier cleans the air, it releases it back into your home.

Dehumidifiers, on the other hand, remove humidity from the air. These devices extract the moisture from the air through condensation. They collect it in a collecting bucket, and when this bucket is full, you can simply pour the water. Even though dehumidifiers don’t ventilate the air, they make it fresher and easier to breathe.

To Conclude

Sleeping in a windowless bedroom can have many negative effects on your overall health and should definitely be avoided. However, if you have to sleep in a poorly ventilated room, I hope the tips above will help you improve the air quality.

The post Negative Effects of Sleeping in a Windowless Room appeared first on HomelyVille.

If you’ve ever used one, you know: keeping sheets in place on an air mattress is a serious challenge. The slick, rounded edges make it way too easy for even the best-fitted sheets to slip off with the slightest movement.

But don’t worry — there are ways to fix it. Whether you want a simple at-home solution or are ready to invest in a reliable product, this guide walks you through the most effective ways to keep your sheets snug and secure.

1. Choose the Right Size Fitted Sheet

When it comes to keeping sheets in place on an air mattress, fit is everything. Too small, and the sheet will pop off the corners the moment you move. Too big, and it’ll bunch up or slide right off during the night.

Always use a fitted sheet rather than a flat one, as they are designed to hug the mattress and stay in place much better. A properly sized fitted sheet is your first and most important line of defense against slipping corners.

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Here’s how to make sure it fits:

• Measure the length, width, and most importantly, the height (or depth) of your mattress.
• Jot down these dimensions and take them with you when shopping for sheets.
• Choose a fitted sheet that matches your measurements as closely as possible.
• If you can’t find an exact match, opt for one that’s slightly larger — never smaller.

Important: Air mattresses are often deeper than standard mattresses, especially once fully inflated. Don’t overlook the depth — it’s the most common reason fitted sheets slip off or fail to stay tucked.

2. Use Grippier Materials Like Cotton Instead of Silk or Satin

Silk and satin sheets are luxurious, no doubt — they look amazing and feel even better. But on an air mattress? They’re basically a recipe for frustration. These ultra-smooth fabrics tend to slide right off the slick vinyl surface, especially if you move around in your sleep.

If you want your sheets to stay put, opt for materials that have more grip. Cotton, flannel, or bamboo sheets are all great choices. These fabrics naturally create more friction, which helps them cling to the mattress instead of slipping off every time you roll over.

Want to Keep Your Satin Sheets? Try This Workaround…

If you love the look and feel of silk or satin and don’t want to give them up, there’s a simple fix: add a friction layer underneath. For example, you first cover your air mattress with a rougher material like a cotton or bamboo sheet. Then you place your silk or satin sheet over that layer.

The bottom sheet creates enough grip to hold everything in place — giving you both the luxury and the function. Win-win.

3. Optional: Add a Mattress Topper

While not strictly necessary, a mattress topper can make a big difference in comfort and keeping your sheets in place. Air mattresses can feel a bit cold, flat, or bouncy on their own, and toppers help soften things up while also giving your sheets something to grip onto.

Mattress toppers (also called underpads or mattress pads) come in a variety of cozy materials like cotton, wool, latex, memory foam, or even down. They’re designed to improve comfort, add insulation, and extend the life of your mattress, which is all incredibly helpful if you’re using your air bed regularly.

Bonus? That extra layer of padding also reduces slippage, since it gives your fitted sheet a bit more to cling to.

Pro tip: If you add a topper, don’t forget to factor in the added height when choosing a fitted sheet. You’ll need one deep enough to stretch over both the topper and the mattress without popping off the corners.

4. Place and Secure Your Fitted Sheet Properly

Even with the right sheet size and the perfect fabric, how you put the sheet on makes a big difference. Fitted sheets can be surprisingly stubborn, particularly on air mattresses, so placing and securing them correctly is key to keeping them in place.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to getting that fitted sheet snug and smooth:

1. Find the tag: Most fitted sheets have a tag sewn into one corner which usually marks the bottom right corner. Use it to orient the sheet correctly.
2. Lay the sheet out: Spread the sheet over the mattress with the correct sides aligned.
3. Tuck the first corner: Start at one bottom corner of the mattress. Pull the corresponding sheet corner over and tuck it snugly underneath.
4. Tuck the second corner: Move to the other bottom corner and do the same.
5. Secure the top corners: One by one, pull and tuck the top two corners into place. Be careful not to yank too hard and undo the bottom corners.
6. Adjust the edges: Smooth out the sides and edges, tucking in any loose fabric.
7. Finish with a smooth surface: Run your hands across the top to flatten out wrinkles. It’ll look and feel better.

Important: This method only works if your sheet actually fits your mattress. If it’s too small, the corners will pop off as you move. Too big, and it’ll shift around underneath you.

5. Secure the Corners to Keep the Sheet in Place

Once your sheet is in place, it’s time to secure it, especially if you’re sleeping on a slick surface like vinyl. Fortunately, there are several effective ways to do this, whether you’re looking for a quick DIY fix or a more permanent solution.

Buy Fitted Sheet Straps (Most Reliable Option)

If you want a no-fuss, reliable solution that works every time, fitted sheet straps are your best bet. These elastic straps attach to the corners of your sheet and pull them tight underneath the mattress, keeping everything snug, secure, and in place.

They’re especially helpful for air mattresses since they prevent the sheet from riding up or popping off during the night.

If you’re looking for high-quality straps, I recommend the RayTour Bed Sheet Straps (available on Amazon). They come in a pack of four — one for each corner of your fitted sheet — and feature three clamps on each strap to grip the fabric securely and hold it in place. The best part? They’re fully adjustable, allowing you to easily customize the length to perfectly fit your mattress size.

Use Suspenders to Hold Sheets in Place

Believe it or not, your suspenders aren’t just for pants — they also make a clever DIY solution for keeping your fitted sheet secure on an air mattress.

If you don’t have official sheet straps, suspenders work in a similar way by gripping and tightening the sheet corners. Just clip them diagonally across the underside of the mattress to keep the fabric taut and in place.

For a more reliable and purpose-built option, try bed suspenders that are designed specifically for this. The Siaomo Suspenders from Amazon are perfect. They form an “X” shape under your mattress for extra hold, and the adjustable bands fit different mattress sizes easily.

Use Safety Pins for a Quick DIY Fix

Heavy-duty safety pins also work well as a quick and affordable DIY fix.

Now, don’t pin your sheets directly to an air mattress as you’ll risk popping it and waking up on the floor. Instead, use safety pins to tighten loose corners of the sheet by pinning the fabric to itself.

Here’s how to do it safely:

• Gather the excess fabric at the sheet’s corner.
• Pull it snug, then pin the folds together from the inside to create a tighter fit.
• Repeat on all four corners if needed.

This method won’t be as secure as straps, but it works well in a pinch, especially if your fitted sheet is just a bit too large.

For optimal results, use larger, heavy-duty pins, such as Beadnova 5-Inch Safety Pins. They’re strong enough to handle thick or quilted fabric without bending or popping open.

Use Elastic Bands or Bed Sheet Holders

If you prefer a no-clip, no-pin option, bed sheet holders — also known as elastic bands — are a great alternative. These wide bands wrap around the outside edge of the mattress and hold the sheets in place by adding gentle tension.

They’re compatible with both fitted and flat sheets and are super easy to use: just wrap the band around the mattress, tuck the sheet underneath, and you’re done.

For example, this Better Bedder Bed Headband fits around the mattress like a sleeve. Once in place, you can tuck your sheets into the band to prevent slipping or bunching.

This option is really helpful for air mattresses, as the added tension and friction help anchor your bedding. The only trade-off? These bands are visible, so you may want to add a comforter or blanket on top to conceal them if aesthetics are important to you.

Use Double-Sided Tape (Emergency-Only Hack)

If you’re in a pinch and need a quick, temporary fix, double-sided fabric or carpet tape can help. Simply stick one side of the tape to the underside of the air mattress corner, then press the sheet into the exposed adhesive. It should hold the sheet in place long enough to get you through the night.

That said, this isn’t a long-term solution. The adhesive can leave behind residue or even damage delicate fabrics, and it likely won’t hold up well if you tend to toss and turn.

Still, for emergencies, such as unexpected guests or last-minute camping setups, it’s a decent short-term workaround until you can find something more reliable.

Final Thoughts and Tips

Keeping sheets on an air mattress takes a little extra effort, but once you get it right, the difference is well worth it. With the right sheet size, grippy materials, and a few smart solutions like straps, pins, or elastic bands, you can finally put an end to slipping corners and nighttime disruptions.

If you’re still struggling, consider a few bonus tips:

• Add a non-slip rug pad or grippy shelf liner between the mattress and sheet for extra friction.
• Avoid overinflating the mattress. Too much air makes it overly rounded, which increases slippage.
• Keep the mattress surface clean and dry, since dirt or moisture can make it even more slippery. If needed, raise it off the floor.

Next time you’re setting up an air mattress, you’ll be ready. With these tips in place, your sheets will stay secure, your bed will feel more like a real one, and you’ll enjoy a much more restful, frustration-free sleep.

Related: Air Mattress Bubbles Explained: Causes, Fixes, and Prevention

The post DIY Tricks and Tools to Keep Sheets on an Air Mattress appeared first on HomelyVille.

If you have a very stiff memory foam pillow, read on to get some tips on making it soft. You will also learn what makes these pillows hard and the difference between memory foam and regular pillows.

What Makes Memory Foam Pillows Hard?

Before we delve into making your pillow soft, let’s first understand where the hardness comes from.

Memory foam pillows are often hard because manufacturers have to balance conformity and rigidity. And achieving the perfect balance highly depends on the type of material used to make the pillows.

Just like their name suggests, memory foam pillows are made of memory foam as the primary product. Memory foam itself is made with visco-elastic polymers, which are naturally stiff.

If you were to observe a memory foam pillow under a microscope, you’d see taught fibers that shrink in low temperatures and stretch when temperatures are high or when subjected to pressure.

Another thing that would make you feel like your memory foam pillow is hard is that you are used to sleeping on pillows made of other materials such as cotton or feather.

If that’s the case, your body might take time before adjusting to memory foam pillows, and they can be very uncomfortable for the first few days.

Do Memory Foam Pillows Get Softer Over Time?

Is your memory foam pillow very hard, and you keep wondering if one day it’ll turn out soft and comfortable?

Memory foam pillows become soft over time. The more you sleep on your pillow, the softer it becomes. Sleeping on it works the same way as applying pressure, only that it takes more time.

You will notice significant softening during the initial days of use. The only thing you’ll need is patience as you wait for it to get soft on its own.

If your memory foam pillow doesn’t get soft over time, then it’s probably a poor-quality type. You may, therefore, want to get a replacement.

So, should you wait for days on end for your good-quality memory foam pillow to soften so you can finally enjoy relaxed sleep at night? Not at all. There are ways to accelerate the process of breaking into your pillow. We’ll talk about this later on in this article.

How to Tell Your Pillow Is Too Stiff

It’s not that difficult to know if your memory foam pillow is very stiff and needs to be softened. If you don’t feel comfortable when resting your head, it should be the first indication that your pillow has some problems.

Feeling discomfort or tension in the head, neck, or shoulder areas is also one of the most obvious signs. Another sign is restlessness, which often leads to sleep disruption.

That said, very soft pillows are not good either since they make the head rest in a very unnatural position, causing discomfort or even injuries.

Have you ever slept and woke up to pain in the neck or shoulder and didn’t have any idea what caused the pain? It could be that you used a very soft or too stiff pillow.

Although they might feel hard the first time you use them, memory foam pillows are the best when it comes to quality. They ensure that both the neck and the head are aligned the right way since they offer full support.

Additionally, they are made to stand the test of time. These are not the kind of pillows you’ll need to replace after a short period of use.

6 Ways to Soften a Memory Foam Pillow

1. Apply Pressure on the Pillow Before Sleeping

Some people don’t believe that this technique works, but it surely does. When subjected to pressure, the fibers in the pillow loosen, making it softer. Applying pressure on a memory foam pillow softens it within minutes.

Here is a step by step guide on how to do it:

• Place the pillow on a flat surface such as the floor.
• Use a broom handle or other blunt object to whack the pillow a few times, like three or four. Don’t go beyond that, as it might make the pillow lose its shape. You can also use your hands to do this.
• Alternatively, you can let a child jump over it a few times. Make sure you turn the pillow on the other side as well to ensure uniformity.

When applying pressure on the pillow, focus more on the stiffest parts to make it soften uniformly. You can repeat the process if it has not gotten as soft as you’d prefer.

It will only take you a few minutes to make a memory foam pillow soft using this method. And the best part is that you don’t need to use any special tool.  

2. Stuff It

Stuffing the pillow with softer materials makes it comfortable to sleep on as you wait for it to gradually soften.

To do this, Put the pillow inside a pillowcase and add some soft materials such as cotton on one side. Other materials you can use for stuffing include feathers and polyester. If you can’t find them, use what is readily available at home, such as old towels or clothing. 

Make sure the material is properly distributed to avoid forming clumps, which makes it uncomfortable to sleep on.

Also, use clean materials. Old or dirty materials can trigger allergic reactions or make it difficult to breathe. Also, avoid heavy materials such as denim since they are hard and can cause discomfort.

Note that this method will work better if combined with other methods such as applying heat or pressure. It should just be a short-term solution.

3. Put the Pillow at Warm Temperatures

Applying heat to a memory foam pillow is one of the fastest and easiest ways of making it softer. These pillows are temperature-dependent, meaning they are stiff when cold and soft when warm.

Memory foam pillows tend to get very stiff in cold areas. For example, if you left home for a week and the thermostat was not working all that time, you’ll get back and find the pillow has gotten very hard. In such a case, turning the thermostat on for some time should do the trick.

You’ll also notice that these pillows tend to get stiff during winter due to low temperatures. Contact with cold water also makes them stiff.

Although increasing your room temperature is an effective way of softening these pillows, it doesn’t work fast, and you’ll have to wait a little longer before your pillow becomes softer.

The most effective method is using an electric blanket. The procedure is simple. Take the blanket and wrap it around the pillow. Let it be on for around 15 minutes.

If you don’t have an electric blanket, there are other methods you can use to warm the pillow. One is placing it near a heating system or a radiator. Another is to iron the pillow with a towel over it.

Other options include putting a bottle of hot water on the pillow for about 15 minutes or placing the pillow near a heat source. However, you need to be careful with the last approach as you may risk causing a fire.

Note that it’s not good to dry these pillows using a dryer since the high temperatures can damage them.

Avoid using a machine to wash them, too; otherwise, you risk damaging the stuffing inside. Use your hands and allow the pillow to air dry.

4. Leave It Outside for Some Time

Leaving the pillow exposed to the sun is another method of applying heat. It’s easy, and you don’t need any equipment. Just take the pillow outside and put it on a clean surface where it will get maximum sun exposure.

Flip it over on the other side after some time to ensure that both sides are exposed to the sun. Leaving the pillow outside also comes with other benefits besides softening it. For example, it allows air to flow through it and gets rid of odors that may have accumulated with time.

However, don’t let it stay in the sun for too long, as its color might start fading. Around three to four should be enough.

5. Increase Your Body Temperature

When you increase your body’s temperature and sleep on the pillow, it will absorb the heat and get loose.

You can move around before bedtime to increase the body’s temperature. For example, you can do a few jumping jacks or do any other physical activity you are comfortable with. Having hot soup or beverages is also an effective way of increasing the body’s temperature.

It might seem tiresome at first, trying to warm up every time you want to sleep. The best thing is that you don’t have to do it forever since the pillow will lose its firmness over time.

6. Use It Regularly

It may take several days for you to use a memory foam pillow and feel comfortable. However, the more you use it, the better it becomes. You can decide just to be patient and let the pillow get softer on its own by regularly sleeping on it.

The weight of your head is enough to make it softer, although that will take a lot of time. Sleeping on it regularly loosens the fibers, making it more flexible and comfortable, which you need to enjoy your sleep.

So, if the stiffness isn’t making you uncomfortable, you can wait for time to take its course. If you have dumped your pillow since it’s too hard, it’s time to take it back as it gets better with time.

You can also use it for other purposes rather than supporting your head when sleeping. These include placing your legs or supporting your back when seated. The goal here is to apply as much pressure as you can.

The best thing about these pillows is that they are made of high-quality materials. So, even if they soften, they still stay comfortable.

They don’t go beyond a certain level of firmness even after you sleep on them for a long time, meaning they don’t get overly soft and fail to perform their intended purposes. That means you’ll only have to replace it after several years of service. Getting overly soft is a common issue with pillows made of some low-quality materials.

What’s the Difference Between Memory Foam and Regular Pillows?

Memory foam pillows are usually very firm, and they tend to maintain their firmness over a long period. The firmness of regular pillows largely depends on the material they are made of. Most of them are not as firm, and they remain the same despite changes in temperatures or pressure.

Memory foam pillows are also more friendly to people who suffer from different allergies, such as respiratory allergies. One reason for this is that they don’t retain dust compared to traditional pillows. Additionally, memory foam pillows are easier to clean than regular ones since they are not usually enclosed.

Conclusion

Having a very stiff pillow can make you very uncomfortable and affect your quality of sleep. Luckily, you can make your pillow softer and more comfortable. You only need to apply pressure or heat on it, and within no time, it will achieve the softness you prefer.

Memory foam pillows have so many benefits and are available in different types, each having unique characteristics to suit your needs. So don’t shy away from these pillows just because of their initial stiffness.

Related: How to Flatten a Fluffy Pillow

The post How to Soften a Hard Memory Foam Pillow: 6 Best Techniques appeared first on HomelyVille.

You can squish a bedbug if it fed not long ago because its body will be relatively soft, much like a cooked pea. Bed bugs have rather stiff exoskeletons that provide their bodies with a rigid structure. However, when fed, their shells soften and become easy to squish.

I will discuss more on what happens when you squish a bed bug in the next segment of this article. I’ll also give you tips on how to prevent or control bedbugs.

Why It’s Difficult to Squish a Bed Bug

Bed bugs, like most insects, have an exoskeleton that functions as the human skeleton. This hard shell gives their bodies structure, and it’s tough enough to keep them in form even under pressure. You’ve probably experienced this if you’ve tried to squish a bed bug before.

The inflexible nature of an exoskeleton is what makes insects with exoskeletons shed their hard shells as they grow. However, the rear section of bed bug bodies isn’t as tough as the front. Instead, it’s more flexible.

When bed bugs feed, the back of their bodies expands to allow for more “food” storage.” It’s as if your belly can expand to 3 times its original size to let you eat more. Therefore, the rear of the insect’s body is flexible and soft to accommodate more food, making it easy to squish when full.

What Does It Look Like When You Squish a Bed Bug?

It goes without saying that controlling bed bugs can be annoying, and you can resort to unconventional ways if the conventional methods fail. One of these unconventional techniques involves squishing them. Seeing a bedbug lingering on your sheets might scare you, and you might think of squishing it immediately. So, what does squishing a bed bug look like?

Squishing a bedbug will burst its full belly, and its contents (the blood it has been feeding on) will stain your mattress or sheets. The blood spatter could also cause your skin to itch or feel irritated. A pungent smell also follows the burst. So, think twice before squishing a bed bug.

Squishing Bed Bugs Results in Blood Stains

Squishing bed bugs will burst open their bellies, spilling their content and stain the surface you squish them on. Bed bugs feed on blood, so you’re likely to stain your duvets, sheets, or mattress if you squish bed bugs on them.

If you have white sheets, these stains can pose an even bigger problem. Remember, the blood from a bed bug’s belly is still fresh, making it more likely to stain. You know how difficult it is to remove blood stains. So, you better think it through before squishing a bed bug.

If you have to squish a bed bug, ensure it’s not on your bed or on a surface that’s likely to stain. Still, why squish it while there are more effective ways to remove bed bugs from your home?

Squishing a Bed Bug Releases a Pungent Smell

If you’ve squished a bed bug before, you know what I’m talking about. It’s too gross. Ordinarily, bed bugs have a foul smell even when their bellies are intact — it’s just not very strong. It’s the same smell you experience when you flip an infested bed.

When you squish bed bugs, the smell is more potent. Surprisingly, the unpleasant odor is actually a way for the insect to communicate with the rest of the gang that something wrong has happened. Therefore, the remaining bugs also produce the pungent smell to pass on the “message.”

Just like you’d communicate with your neighbors in an emergency by blowing a whistle, bed bugs communicate through the pungent smell. So, squishing one might trigger the rest. Imagine how many insects there could be, then try to picture all of them releasing the signal. It won’t be delightful, so you’ll probably want to avoid it.

Itchy Skin

The bedbug’s body structure gives you shivers and itchy senses.

Bed bugs excrete small anesthetic amounts on your skin, so you won’t feel their bite. About half of bed bug bite victims develop noticeable reactions.

Symptoms of bed bug bites include the following:

• Itchy skin
• Fluid-filled blisters
• Red swollen spots on the skin
• Blood stains on bed sheets due to scratching your skin

The symptoms worsen when the blood from a squished bed bug touches your skin. The blood on your sheets and duvets might touch the rest of your body, increasing the unpleasant sensations that come with bed bug infestations.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

The first thing to do when you have unwelcome tiny guests in your home is to know why your home is infected in the first place. You might be fighting a losing battle.

Getting rid of bed bugs requires some serious diligence. You must stick to a removal plan until the last one is gone. Otherwise, a resurgence is possible.

Bed bugs are notorious for hitching rides on luggage. Sometimes you bring them into your house unintentionally through second-hand clothing and furniture.

Although there are claims of bed bug infestation in retail malls and movie theaters, you or someone else will rarely bring them into your house.

Therefore, bed bugs come from houses or places they have already infested. Be wary of them when buying second-hand household items and when you return from a holiday. They might be in your luggage.

Here’s how you get rid of bedbugs:

• Declutter your house. Bed bugs love to hide in cluttered places and crevices where it’s hard to locate. Use unique bed bug covers on infested mattresses to make it harder for them to reach you while you sleep.
• Regularly wash your sheets, bedspread, and anything that touches the floor. Cleaning your household items often will reduce the bed bug population. Also, remember to clean your laundry containers because they love hiding there.
• Try a heat treatment. Raising your thermostat’s target temperature won’t do the trick. There is special heat treatment equipment designed to get rid of bed bugs. This equipment operates at temperatures high enough to kill bed bugs. Usually, bed bugs die when their body temperature exceeds 45°C (113°F).
• Don’t always go for sprays. Getting rid of bed bugs from your house is a comprehensive approach. Integrated pest management methods might help reduce their population and limit the use of pesticides. Seek the advice of a professional if you need to use pesticides.
• Inspect second-hand or borrowed furniture units before bringing them into your house. Pack suspected items in a bag and freeze them for about a week.
• Install bed bug pitfall traps or receptors around your bed. This will prevent them from crawling from other places to your bed.

You can buy this ClimbUp Insect Receptor (Amazon) to monitor and trap bugs trying to climb up your bed. It has a dual-well design that helps you determine which direction the bugs are crawling from.

Final Thoughts

Sleeping on a bug-infested bed is one of the worst experiences you could imagine. The experience is made even worse by removal efforts that never seem to work. If you’re thinking of resorting to physical squishing, think again.

There are more effective ways of getting rid of bedbugs than squishing. The blood from squishing bed bugs stains your sheets and may cause you to have a skin reaction.

The post Can You Squish a Bed Bug? Let’s See What Happens appeared first on HomelyVille.

You fall asleep when reading or watching TV because these activities require regular eye movement and brain power. When your brain works, you naturally need to rest, hence you sleep. Moreover, most people read or watch TV before bed, and this programs the brain that these activities lead to sleep.

This article will examine why you fall asleep when reading or watching TV and how you can avoid falling asleep while reading. Is sleeping while watching TV a good idea? The reasons you fall asleep during the day.

Reasons Why People Fall Asleep When Reading or Watching TV

There are various reasons why people fall asleep when reading or watching TV. Typically, most people tend to watch TV or read after they have finished the day’s chores. You get into a comfortable position like lying in bed or on a couch when reading or watching TV. After a while, your body goes to rest, and you will fall asleep.

A 2019 American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey shows that 88 percent of American adults lose sleep while watching multiple TV show episodes. Many people tend to fall asleep before the end of the show.

People Use TV as a Sleeping Aid

Some people use TV as a sleep aid; the murmurs from the TV give comfort and act as white noise while sleeping. The glow of the TV gives some people comfort while they sleep, according to a 2016 study.

The brain associates these activities with sleep when you establish a routine of watching TV or reading before bed. Hence, every time you watch TV or read a book after a day’s work, you will fall asleep.

Reading Tires Out Your Brain

Another reason you may fall asleep while reading is that your brain is tired. Reading requires a lot of eye movements to read the words on the pages, and it also requires brain power to formulate words out of the letter and sentences from the words. Reading keeps your brain active and makes the brain tired. When the brain is tired, it is natural to require rest. You will find yourself drifting to sleep.

Your Book or TV Show Is Not Interesting Enough

Finally, you may fall asleep simply because what you’ve chosen to read or watch is not interesting enough. If the book you are reading or whatever you are watching does not interest you, your mind will wander and you will drift to sleep. Try going for something more exciting, like a thriller or a comedy.

Ways to Avoid Sleeping While Reading

If you’re tired of not being able to get through any book or TV show, then this section is for you. Here are some ways to avoid falling asleep while reading or watching TV.

Wear Glasses if You Need Them

If you require glasses when reading, it is crucial to use them as they will help you avoid straining your eyes so much. Wearing glasses will also give you more time to read as you will not get tired so quickly. Plus, this will help prevent further straining your vision.

Don’t Get Too Comfortable

While reading, make sure that you sit in a comfortable position, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep. It feels amazing to curl up in bed or on the couch with a pile of blankets, but this can often make us fall asleep inadvertently. Get a comfortable chair instead of lying on the bed or couch.

Read in a Bright Space

Creating an environment that is conducive to staying awake and alert is crucial. The first thing you should do is turn on the lights in your room. You should even consider getting a reading light if the regular lights aren’t bright enough. Making sure you’re in a well-lit environment will reduce the chances of falling asleep.

Wake Yourself up Before Reading

If you have a book you need to finish, you can try waking yourself up before you start reading. Do some light exercise to keep your body active or drink a cup of coffee to get caffeinated. When you start reading and are attentive, you are more likely to stay awake for your book’s ending.

Is Sleeping While Watching TV a Good Idea?

Many say that sleeping with the TV on helps them sleep. However, is that really such a good idea?

Experts agree that it is not a good idea to sleep while watching TV. Sleeping with the TV on negatively affects your health as it causes an increase in your blue light exposure, which increases your risk for obesity, diabetes, and other adverse health issues.

Nevertheless, it is not all bad news to sleep with the TV on. Some people may find it useful for a better night’s sleep. Various studies have been done to look at the effect of technology on sleep. The agreement seems similar: if you can refrain from using technology in bed, you should.

Reasons You Should Not Sleep With Your TV On

Sleeping with your TV on may not be the best idea; many studies have shown the effects of technology on your sleep.

Here are some reasons why you should not sleep with your TV on:

Increases Sleep Debt

Experts recommend adults get 8 hours of sleep every night. If you sleep less than eight hours, you have a sleep debt. For example, if you sleep 6 hours, you have a sleep debt of 2 hours. A 2016 study shows that it takes approximately four days to recover from one hour of sleep debt. 

You should avoid sleep debt whenever possible. Research shows that watching TV and using other technology devices before bed reduces your sleep hours, and sleep debt reduces your ability to think clearly.

Decrease in Melatonin Production

Melatonin is the hormone that helps us sleep. It signals your body when it’s time to rest. TVs and other devices produce blue light, which may reduce the body’s ability to produce melatonin. The brain may find it challenging to distinguish day and night.

When your brain thinks it is daytime in the middle of the night, it will be difficult for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Stimulates the Brain

When the TV is on, your brain is receiving stimuli. A stimulated brain is active, making it hard to fall asleep. When your brain is stimulated, you will not get the rest you need. Most people have a restless sleep when the TV is on.

Moreover, when your TV is on, there is too much going on: changes in sound, flashing lights, and more can jolt you awake. Your brain will still catch some of the dialogue on TV as you fall asleep before you get to the deepest part of your sleep cycle. Sleeping with the TV on can also lead to nightmares, which will decrease the quality and quantity of your sleep.

Negatively Affects Your Health

Sleeping with your TV on can increase your risk of obesity, even if there is no decrease in the quality of sleep received. Having the TV on while you sleep leads to less sleep. Without sufficient sleep, the chances of having health problems such as

• High blood pressure.
• Memory loss.
• Weakened immunity.
• Increased risk of heart problems.
• Decrease in sex drive.
• Increased risk of diabetes.
• Mood swings.

Reasons Why Sleeping With Your TV on May Not Be That Bad

Sleeping with your TV on can have some adverse effects, as discussed above. However, some experts think it may not be the worst idea.

Here are some reasons why sleeping with the TV on is not so bad:

• It acts as white noise. White noise is an effective sleep aid. Many people leave the TV on when sleeping as the hum of the TV acts as white noise that helps them sleep better, as the background noise comforts them.
• It has less blue light than other devices. A TV emits less blue light than other devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets. The less blue light a device emits, the less it harms your sleep.
• Familiar sounds can help reduce stress. Some studies show that falling asleep in familiar fictional worlds can reduce stress and help self-control. It is okay if you need to sleep with the TV on once in a while; however, have a show you are familiar with. Go for low-key shows and avoid too much noise or news alerts. Set a timer to shut off your TV after some time to prevent exposing yourself to blue light the whole night.

You might also want to read: Best TVs for Bedrooms

Proper Sleep Hygiene

Falling asleep watching TV or reading a book could signify bad sleep hygiene. Some of the tips for proper sleep hygiene include:

• Have an appropriate sleep schedule. You should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
• Avoid consuming caffeinated drinks. Caffeine can stay in your body for many hours, so consuming it before bed could prevent you from getting your much-needed rest.
• Do not eat too close to your bedtime. Large meals will engage your digestive system, and going to bed while actively digesting food will decrease your sleep quality.
• Avoid exercising at night. If you can, you should avoid exercising too close to your bedtime. Workouts can keep you active for long periods, so it’s best to do them first thing in the morning.

Bottom Line

Falling asleep while watching TV or reading a book can be an annoying habit. Not only can it prevent you from getting through any book or TV show, but many experts warn against the dangers of this habit. Sleeping with your TV on can reduce the amount and quality of sleep you get, reduce melatonin production, and disrupt your sleep schedule.

Related: Is It Good or Bad to Listen to Music While Sleeping?

The post Why Do I Fall Asleep When Reading or Watching TV? appeared first on HomelyVille.

If one room has bed bugs, all rooms in your home may have bed bugs. A bed bug infestation will generally start in a single room and is contained for a few weeks. Then, as the bed bugs start to reproduce and grow in number, they’ll eventually spread all over the house.

In this article, I’ll take you through a detailed overview of how bed bugs spread from room to room and how to tell if the infestation is growing. Below, I’ve also shared dedicated sections with guides on stopping bed bugs from spreading, ways to rid bed bugs from your home, and steps you can take to prevent an infestation from happening.

Will Bed Bugs Spread to Other Rooms?

Bed bugs will spread to other rooms with time, especially if you don’t bother taking quick action as soon as you find them in one of your rooms. If you take a lenient approach thinking only a few bed bugs will do no harm, they’ll quickly multiply and infest the whole house in a matter of weeks.

At first, bed bugs will only inhabit one of the rooms in your home, typically the bedroom. They’ll hide inside your bed mattress and come out at night to feed on your blood.

Now, if you’re extremely lucky and don’t have any female bed bugs in your home, the few male ones in your mattress will feast on your blood for a few months and then die.

That said, if you have even one female bed bug, it can lay 1-7 eggs daily, averaging around 200-250 in her lifetime. Each egg takes roughly a week to hatch, and the hatchlings will start to lay eggs within a week or two.

As you can imagine, if left unchecked, a single bed bug can grow into a colony of thousands within a couple of months. Moreover, every single one of them will need to feed on the blood of humans or other mammals to survive.

This hunger, and the bed bugs’ amazing ability to find warm-blooded hosts, will lead them to other rooms where your family members or pets sleep, thereby spreading the infestation throughout your home.

How Do Bed Bugs Spread Between Rooms?

Bed bugs can’t fly or jump, and we rarely see them walking across the floor. So, how do they spread from one room to another?

Bed bugs spread between rooms by latching onto your clothes or pet’s fur. They can also directly move from one room to another if they sense a food source.

Typically, bed bugs will hide inside your clothes, bedsheet, and other types of soft fabric. They can also inhabit old furniture, soft toys, and used books.

Now, when you unknowingly move one of these objects with bed bugs from one room to another, the critters also get free transport to a different part of your house.

For instance, bed bugs can get carried from your bedroom to the laundry room by latching onto your bedsheets and pillowcases. From there, they can again latch onto other clothes. And as you take your clothes to different areas of your home, the bed bugs get transported as well.

Now, while hitchhiking is the bed bugs’ preferred way of transport, they can also move between rooms very quickly, especially if they sense a food source. Typically, a bed bug can cover 100 ft in an hour, whereas they can reach top speeds up to 240ft/hour.

However, if bed bugs move from one room to another, won’t we be able to see them?

Well, yes, but not always.

It’s important to keep in mind that bed bugs are as small as an apple seed and as flat as a credit card. As a result, they can easily squeeze into cracks in the walls, doors, electrical sockets, or piping and then travel between rooms.

How to Know if Bed Bugs Have Spread to Other Rooms

You just noticed one or two bed bugs in one of your rooms.

How can you tell if these are the only bed bugs in your home? And more importantly, in case there are more, are they confined to that room alone, or have they already spread to other corners of your house?

The first thing you should do if you think you found bed bugs in one of your rooms is to ensure that they are indeed bed bugs and not some other type of insect.

If they are bed bugs, you need to act quickly.

Search every place around your home where bed bugs commonly hide out and look for signs of a bed bug infestation. If you notice bed bugs or signs of their presence in several rooms, it means they have spread throughout your home.

To help you out, I’ve prepared a guide on how to tell bed bugs from other critters, shared some of the most common places to search for them, and listed a few signs you should look out for.

Identifying Bed Bugs

There’s a wide variety of insects on the planet, and it’s easy to confuse them with each other. For instance, many people mistake fleas, carpet beetles, and cockroach nymphs for bed bugs.

Therefore, it’s important to ensure that you indeed have bed bugs in your home before you start worrying about whether they’ve spread and how to get rid of them.

A bed bug has an oval shape and is as flat as a credit card. In terms of color, they can have a reddish or brownish appearance, sometimes with black stripes.

If it’s fully grown, a bed bug is usually the size of an apple seed – around 0.3 inches in length, while hatchlings are much smaller. Anatomy-wise, bed bugs have 6 legs and short antennae that are segmented.

Fun fact: Dead bed bugs release a special odor that acts as a warning to other bed bugs about potential danger.

Places Where Bed Bugs Hide

Unlike most insects that build nests, bed bugs just crawl into places and live in groups. Their small flat body gives them a great advantage in finding residence inside small cracks and crevices around your home.

Initially, bed bugs will hide inside your mattress by burrowing a hole into the soft fabric. There they’ll stay hidden throughout the day and come out at night when you’re sleeping to feed on your blood.

Slowly, as the colony starts to grow, they’ll move on from the mattress and start taking refuge in your bedding. This can be inside your pillows, the pillowcase, bed covers, bed sheets, duvet, and so on.

As time goes by, they’ll travel beyond the bed and explore different nearby hiding spots. They especially love to hang around near old furniture, couches and sofa sets, carpets & rugs, cracks in the walls & floorboard, etc.

Overall, if something is soft enough to burrow into, or if it has cracks or ridges, a bed bug can hide or live inside it.

With this in mind, you want to thoroughly scan all the furniture around your home that’s soft like your mattress or has small cracks or indents.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

Now that you know where to look for bed bugs, let’s talk about what to look for – the signs of a bed bug infestation.

That said, the most obvious sign you have bed bugs is if you see one on your bed or bedding or roaming around near a furniture or wall crack.

Besides this, you must also keep an eye out for potential clues bed bugs generally leave behind, signaling their presence. This includes the following:

• You have blood stains on your bed sheet or mattress. This generally happens if you squash a feeding bed bug during your sleep.
• You notice dark black spots on your bed sheet or mattress. These are bed bug fecal matter that they leave behind while feasting on your blood.
• There are small flaky insect exoskeletons in the size and shape of bed bugs. As a bed bug matures to adulthood, they’ll shed their exoskeletons about five times.
• There are eggs and egg casings near the places where bed bugs like to hide. It’s hard to tell whether the eggs are that of a bed bug or some other insect. That said, finding small pinpoint-sized eggs around your home is never a good sign.

If you notice these signs in different rooms, your home is infested with bed bugs.

How to Stop Bed Bugs From Spreading

As discussed, noticing bed bugs in one room doesn’t automatically mean that the insects have spread throughout the whole house. You might still have time to stop the spread and contain the bed bug infestation to just that room.

But how to do so?

Here are a few ways to stop bed bugs from spreading:

• Don’t move anything out of the room. Since the main way bed bugs travel from one place to another is by latching onto things, restricting movement can help slow down the spread.
• Wash the clothes and bedding that’s in that room separately. This will prevent the bed bugs from latching onto other items of clothing.
• Wash your clothes in hot water and then dry them at the highest setting. Bed bugs will die within 20 mins if you expose them to 118°F. In case a particular fabric can’t be washed with hot water, see if you can dry them at a temperature higher than 118°F.
• Wrap the mattress with an encasement. Covering the mattress with a bed bug-proof encasement like the Degrees of Comfort Mattress Encasement (available on Amazon) will lock the bed bugs inside, cutting them out of a food source and eventually starving them to death.
• Use a steam cleaner to clean the floors of the infested room. A steam cleaner consistently releases hot steam and eradicates any bed bugs hiding inside the floorboard.
• Use a vacuum cleaner to suck out the bed bugs in the mattress, headboard, or other furniture. Make sure to use a standard electric-powered vacuum cleaner because they have a stronger pull. Additionally, use one with a plastic hose since bed bugs can latch onto the ones that have brushes or bristles.
• Cover up any cracks, dents, or seams you have on the walls. Bed bugs might be using these small spaces to hide or travel through your house. Covering them can limit their movement, reduce hide-out spots, and kill the ones already hiding in them.
• Sleep inside the infested room. This might seem counterintuitive, but bed bugs need to feed on blood to survive. If you move to another room, they’ll leave the original room and spread across your home in search of a food source.

As you can see, containing a bed bug infestation in one room is no easy task. Not only do you have to go through this long list of preventive steps, but you also need to do many of these regularly.

It’s also important to take these preventive measures early while the bed bug population is still low.

However, if you tried following these steps to the best of your abilities but still found signs of bed bugs dwelling in other rooms in your household, you have a serious bed bug infestation in your home.

At this point, I’d refrain from trying any new DIY fixes as it’s extremely difficult to get rid of bed bugs by yourself. Instead, I’d recommend calling in a professional to help you out.

Conclusion

If one room has bed bugs, the critters have likely spread to other rooms as well.

Bed bugs will typically spread by latching onto your clothes, laundry, or pets and getting carried across your home.

They can also move quickly and will crawl through the narrow seams and cracks in the walls, electrical sockets, and piping to travel between rooms.

The post If One Room Has Bed Bugs, Do They All? (Bed Bug Infestation) appeared first on HomelyVille.

You can put box springs on top of bed slats, but it’s unnecessary. The box spring will only add extra weight to the slats and also make the bed higher. However, if you are unconcerned by either of these, putting a box spring between the slats and the mattress will cause no problems.

Read on to learn more about box springs, why people might want to put them on top of slats, and learn some alternatives to box springs.

Why You Can Put a Box Spring on Top of Slats

Slats are usually strong enough to withstand the weight of a box spring, the mattress, and the sleepyhead under the duvet. The slats grip well, and the box spring won’t slide around on them.

The real question is, do you need both? Unless you have a specific reason for putting a box spring on top of the slats, you might be better off thinking of something else.

There are various types of mattresses to choose from, and selecting the right mattress and support combination is an important decision. Comfort is naturally very important, but making your bed look great is also something people often prioritize.

Let’s take a more in-depth look at box springs and the alternatives.

What Is a Box Spring?

A box spring is a frame that supports the mattress. It can be wooden or metal and often contain springs for extra mattress support. They are bulky and frequently don’t fold down to a smaller size.

The Purpose of a Box Spring

A box spring elevates the mattress, giving it a flat structure for support. It provides the user with a good elevation. It is also a shock absorber for when your toddler crashes his ride-on into your bed first thing in the morning!

Does a Box Spring Make a Difference?

A box spring gives support to your mattress. It, therefore, also supports you, and It can aid you in getting a night of good sleep. It also keeps the mattress in good condition.

If you have a box spring under your mattress, it may reinforce the bed frame so that your toddlers jumping all over your bed won’t hurt the frame.

Are Box Springs Necessary?

In bygone days, box springs were always a critical bed component. Back then, it was either a bed with a box spring or a mattress on the floor. However, as time goes by, things are changing in the world of mattress support.

Box springs are not entirely necessary anymore. With rapid advancements in mattress development in recent years, they are slowly becoming obsolete. There are now better alternatives for supporting your mattress.

Box Spring Alternatives

There are so many types of mattresses and beds available these days that the box spring is starting to become a thing of the past. Choosing any of these alternatives will depend on many factors.

You should consider your finances, your current sleep quality, and the aesthetics you are looking for. Here are a few alternatives to box springs for you to think about:

• Under-mattress slats – as discussed, they can be used without a box spring.
• Platform bed – a low-profile bed frame with a solid, metal or slatted base.
• Adjustable beds – a multi-hinged bed you can customize to support your preferred position.
• A memory foam mattress – a mattress made from material that responds to your body heat for better comfort.
• A hybrid mattress – a mattress that uses a foam and spring combination for comfort.
• The floor – simply putting your mattress on the floor acts as a flat supporting surface.

Using memory foam or hybrid mattresses with slats is possible. You must ensure that the slats are at least ½-inch thick and spaced no more than 2 ¾-inches apart.

What Are Slats?

Slats are wooden or metal planks that support a mattress. They offer similar support to a box spring, and many prefer this style. Slats should be spaced 2 to 3 inches apart.

However, keep in mind when buying slats that they are designed to withstand a certain weight. Most slats can withstand 600 pounds, but some others can only withstand 300 pounds.

Usually, this shouldn’t be a problem, but you should consider it if you share the bed with your partner, maybe a large pet pooch, and the box spring’s weight. Check with the manufacturer for the slats’ recommended maximum weight before purchasing.

You might also want to read: How to Make Bed Slats Stronger

Why Would You Put a Box Spring on Top of Slats?

You would put a box spring on top of slats to raise the height of the bed, for example. Some people like a high bed and the box spring on top of the slats will provide this. Some people simply sleep better at a higher height.

You can use this combination for aesthetic purposes, too. Everybody has their taste, and this can look good when done correctly.

Why You Shouldn’t Put a Box Spring on Top of Slats

Height will be the primary concern, especially for the elderly. Some older people may find getting down from a high bed challenging. Young children may also find the height difficult. A box spring will give unnecessary extra height if used with slats.

Using a box spring also negates the slats’ ability to circulate air. The mattress may become trapped with moisture and mold more quickly than without the box spring.

Box Spring or Slats: Which Should You Choose?

You may have a good reason for choosing both. However, if, by now, you have decided to pick just one, which should you select? Let’s look at the pros and cons of both:

Box Spring Pros and Cons

Pros

• The mattress won’t sag between the slats.

Cons

• Transportation is difficult due to weight and bulk.
• It provides less effective air circulation.
• It is pricier than slats.

Slats Pros and Cons

Pros

• They are more budget-friendly.
• Slats are lightweight and last a long time.
• Transporting them is easy.
• They provide good air circulation.

Cons

• Some types of mattresses might sag through the slats.
• They may not be able to withstand a heavier weight (check manufacturer guidelines).

Reviewers recommend these Wood to the World Solid Pine Wood Slats on Amazon, which sell at an economical price. They can be cut to size and are made from solid and dense South American yellow pine.

Alternative Ways to Use a Box Spring With Slats

If it is just the support of the flat box spring you need on top of the slats, then consider a piece of plywood as an alternative. It will be lighter and provide the same flat surface for your mattress. It will also keep the bed at a regular height.

A bunkie board will be a more aesthetically pleasing but more expensive alternative to a piece of plywood. It is essentially a piece of plywood, but it will be polished and covered in fabric. Using a bunkie board with mattresses unsuitable for slats could work out well.

Final Thoughts

There may be reasons for you wanting to have slats coupled with a box spring, and if this is so, then it is perfectly okay to have both.

Without a specific reason, it is unnecessary to have both. Choosing one or the other is the standard choice, and there are many benefits from doing it this way.

There are other alternatives out there, and selecting one that suits your needs is a relatively straightforward process. Envision your room before purchase, and consider the comfort and height you want before taking the plunge.

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Raising your nightstand, even by just a few inches, can help make it much more practical, allowing you to get better use out of it. If you are not satisfied with the height of your nightstand, you should consider adjusting it now rather than waiting. The general guideline is that your nightstand should be between 2-and 4 inches above the top of your mattress.

In this article, I will dive into some of the most practical ways to make your nightstand taller.

1. Put It on Top of Other Furniture

If your nightstand is too short for your bed, an excellent way to adjust it would be to put it on top of other furniture. This can help raise the height of your nightstand and also help you more efficiently use furniture in your room if you are tight on space. Here are a few pieces that might be well-suited for this purpose:

• Shoe organizer. If your shoe organizer is made of a strong material such as wood or metal, is flat, and is approximately the same size as your nightstand, then placing your nightstand on top of your shoe organizer will make the former taller and help create more space in your room. Your shoe organizer will now be nicely placed in a convenient area where it’s not taking up more space in your room.

• Bookshelf. Similarly, you may notice that your bookshelf is the appropriate size and material to place underneath your nightstand. This will also help clear up space in your room and complement the nightstand well, as the two pieces of furniture might look as an extension of each other, adding a nice touch to the aesthetic of your room.

• Drawers. Another piece of furniture that can go underneath your nightstand is your dresser drawer. Drawers tend to be built with sturdy materials such as wood or metal and can easily support the weight of a nightstand. If they’re the proper shape, they will also look great under your nightstand and will keep your room looking organized.

As you might’ve gathered by now, it’s essential that you first examine the material and shape of the furniture that will go underneath your nightstand. You want to choose something practical, and also something that is aesthetically pleasing. Ideally, it will be the same material, color, and general shape. This will ensure that the furniture you’ve chosen and your nightstand don’t clash with each other.

2. Add a Wooden Base to the Bottom

Perhaps the furniture that you have in your room doesn’t quite fit with your nightstand in terms of shape, material, or color. You may decide that you want to look for something that fits better with your nightstand. If this is the case, another option is to place a wooden base underneath your nightstand. Wood is a good choice because it is simple and also there are several color and style options with wood. There are many different advantages to using a wooden base.

First of all, when choosing this approach, the options are virtually endless. Here are a few ways to add a wooden base to your nightstand.

• Make it yourself. Suppose you want a sturdy wooden block as a base. In that case, you can make one yourself. As long as you are comfortable using basic tools and have the time to do so, making your own wooden base for your nightstand could be a good option. It requires a few simple materials and tools. By making your own wooden base, you can ensure that the dimensions and material used are tailored to your liking.

• Buy a wooden block. Another option to add a wooden base to your nightstand if you don’t want to make your own is to buy one that fits your required specifications.

• Many hardware stores will sell you a wooden block cut to your desired size. If you bring in the proper measurements, an assistant at the hardware store can help you find the appropriate wooden base for your nightstand. The advantage of doing so is that you’ll get to choose the type of wood to use. You can even choose to paint the base to match your nightstand if you wish.

• Use a wooden crate. You may find yourself in need of an even easier solution for a wooden base for your nightstand. Another great choice is a finished wooden crate. Place the crate upside down underneath your nightstand so that your nightstand rests on the flat surface of the crate. Look for a solid wooden crate in good shape, like second-hand wooden boxes at grocery stores. You could even get these for free.

Adding a wooden base underneath your nightstand may be one of the best ways to adjust the height of your nightstand. The advantage of adding a wooden base to your nightstand instead of using a piece of furniture is you can make your base according to your liking.

You can measure out the proper dimensions and take the time to find your preferred wood type and color. You may also choose to paint or add color to your wooden base, or even varnish it to make it look sleek and modern.

If you’re feeling like making your wooden base, but you’re unsure of how to go about building your own wooden base, here’s a great guide you could follow:

3. Place Something on Top of Your Nightstand

Some people prefer to keep the natural, original look of their nightstand. For this reason, they might be reluctant to put something underneath it for fear of it looking strange. Another option is to place something on top of your nightstand that will make it taller and more practical to use.

Placing items on top of your nightstand is a great option because it helps you also add a personal touch to your nightstand.

There are many options you can choose from when it comes to items to place on top of your nightstand to make it taller. Here are a few of them:

• Large, decorative books. You may have a few large, decorative books that you can place flat down on top of your nightstand. Decorative books can help add height and some style to your furniture. You can add a personal touch by adding books of interest to you, such as design, photos, or atlas books. This way people can get a sense of things that are important to you just by looking at your books. 

• Single drawer. You might want to add a significant amount of height to your nightstand. In this case, you can add a full drawer. One good option is this Primo Supply Wooden Single Drawer Unit on Amazon. Not only will it add height to your nightstand, but you will also be able to store additional items inside the drawer.

• Glass panes. If you don’t want to change the look of your nightstand drastically, consider adding glass panes on top of your nightstand. One option is the SimbaLux Acrylic Plexiglass Sheet. With this glass pane, you can add half an inch to your nightstand. You can even stack several if you want to make your nightstand significantly taller.

Adding material on the top of your nightstand is an excellent option for making it taller without drastically changing the way it looks. A bonus is that when you add something to the top of your nightstand, it can be something personal or decorative that adds your style to the piece of furniture instead of taking away from its looks.

4. Use a Furniture Riser on the Bottom

One of the more traditional ways to make your nightstand taller is to use a furniture riser. Furniture risers are a good option because they will often fit nicely with your furniture. There are different types and styles of furniture risers. For a nightstand, there are three options that might be best suited to your needs. These are castors, bun feet, or traditional furniture risers.

Casters

Casters are an excellent choice for adding height to your nightstand. A caster is a wheel with a bracket on it to attach to any piece of furniture with a flat surface. There are a few different types of casters, and you want to choose one that is right for your nightstand. You can choose between a rigid and swivel caster to connect to your nightstand.

The advantage of using a caster to add height to your nightstand is that it will also allow you to move your nightstand quickly. Instead of having to lift your nightstand if you want to move it, you’ll be able to roll it.

This feature can be useful if you want to move your nightstand from one side of the bed to the other. Not to mention how much it can facilitate the cleaning process, as your furniture will be easy to roll out of the way when you want to clean behind it.

Bun Feet

Bun feet are a particularly popular style of furniture riser. They are typically slightly rounded and have tiny legs attached to furniture to add height. You can find bun feet at most major hardware stores.

They are relatively easy to attach to the bottom of your nightstand. Many nightstands already have bun feet on the bottom, so all you have to do is unscrew the old bun feet and screw in your new, taller bun feet.

Bun feet are designed to complement many home furnishings. They are a great aesthetic option for adding height and style to your nightstand. You can also paint or decorate yours to match your nightstand’s color and style.

Furniture Risers

The last option is traditional furniture risers. While these are typically not as stylish, they can be very effective for raising the height of a piece of furniture. One specific advantage of using conventional furniture risers is that many are adjustable. You can make them taller or shorter depending on your needs.

The ability to adjust your furniture risers is a great advantage if you ever want to lower or raise your nightstand again. These Utopia Bedding Adjustable Bed Furniture Risers can be adjusted between 3, 5, or 8 inches and are perfect for placing underneath your nightstand to add height. The best part is they don’t require any tools or screws, and you simply place them beneath your nightstand.

5. Pay a Carpenter to Fix Your Nightstand

If you’re concerned about what different components underneath or on top of your nightstand may do to its aesthetic, you might want to consider hiring a carpenter to fix the height of your nightstand. A professional carpenter can add legs onto the bottom of your furniture to give it additional height.

The advantage of hiring a carpenter to make your nightstand taller is that you can ensure that it will look stylish and aesthetically pleasing. The carpenter can take exact measurements to raise the nightstand to the precise level that you would like. Additionally, the carpenter can help you choose the right material and color that would best complement the rest of your furniture.

This option will surely be the most expensive of them all, but it will likely yield the best results. The average cost of hiring a carpenter can range anywhere from $35 to $90 per hour. If cost is not an issue for you, paying a carpenter is an excellent way to ensure a high-quality fix to your nightstand. They will design legs or an apparatus to ensure your nightstand is exactly to your liking.

6. Lower Your Bed Stand

If you are uncomfortable making changes to your nightstand for fear of ruining the way it looks, the last option is to lower your bed. There are two main ways to do this; shorten the bed stand legs or take the mattress off the bed stand entirely.

Shorten the Bed Stand Legs

You can shorten the bed stand legs on your bed if they’re adjustable. Many bed stands come with adjustable, metal legs that you can shorten or make taller. If you want your nightstand to be higher next to your bed, simply shorten the legs to the desired height.

If your bed frame does not have adjustable legs, you can cut the bed legs to the appropriate height. This option will only work if you have a wooden bed frame or material to cut.

Cutting your bed stand legs may sound complicated, but it is relatively simple:

1. Measure your bed and nightstand height.
2. Decide how much shorter you want your bed to be.
3. Using a tape measure or ruler, mark where you need to cut the legs on your bed frame.
4. Cut off the excess bed legs using a saw.

Take the Bed off the Bed Stand

If shortening the bed stand legs seems too complicated, either because you cannot cut the material or the bed stand does not have adjustable legs, another option is to take your mattress off your bed frame.

Perhaps you notice that your bed frame is extremely high, and even raising your nightstand with any of the tricks mentioned above will not bring it to the appropriate level.

You can place your mattress directly on the floor. You can also place a wooden plank underneath it. This will allow your mattress to have something firm underneath to support it and ensure that it’s still close to the ground.

This way, your nightstand is guaranteed to be taller than your bed and at an appropriate height. Placing your mattress on the floor also helps if you have a small room in general, as it’s an approach that can open up some space and make the whole area look sizier.

To Sum Up

Here are some of the best approaches you can use to make your nightstand taller:

• Put your nightstand on top of other furniture, such as a shoe organizer or drawers.
• Add a wooden base or block underneath your nightstand.
• Place something on top of your nightstand, such as decorative books or a glass pane.
• Install a furniture riser, bun feet, or casters to the bottom of your nightstand.
• Pay a carpenter to add legs to your nightstand.
• Lower your bed.

Most of these choices are cost-efficient and fixes you can do yourself.

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