Twin Beds - Easiest Sheets to Use

[Jimgior]

Hello, we will be purchasing an airstream in the upcoming months and have been doing research on many topics. One that I have been unable to find a lot of input on is the easiest/best sheets to use on twin beds. The days of struggling to make the bed and remove/replace bedding to clean are long gone as I am in my 60's. I know that I could buy XL sheets and struggle but wondering if the beddy setup is worth it. We will be on the road for 5 to 6 months at a clip so need to be able to wash easily. (I had read that the top and bottom need to be washed separately but that sounds crazy to me.) Looking for any tips you have, mostly on changing the sheets each week to wash and not have to struggle to get them back on the beds. Thanks!!

[InsideOut]

We have both the twin bed sheets from Airstream (500 thread count) and AB Lifestyles (400 thread count). They are fitted to the curved twins perfectly. We don't mind sleeping in 'sack' for a weekend...but much prefer "real 100% cotton sheets" & our down comforter/duvets for longterm every night use....just like at home. We've never tried the Beddys - but I know folks that love them. I sleep hot & do not like any polyester in bedding. On really warm nights we just take the down comforter out and use only the duvet cover.

Shari

[gypsydad]

Several posts on AS Forum on that question; we get XL Twin sheets, "on line" from JC Penny, Target, Kohls and others...less expensive with great thread count and comfort. 3rd AS with twin beds over the years...also, wife has couple different weight "down comforters" for fall and for winter use.

[Jimgior]

I appreciate your responses and the info. Mostly, I don't want to wrestle to remove and replace sheets when I wash them which is why I am considering Beddy's. But I read that the pieces need to be washed separately which doesn't work well when you are on the road. What tricks can you share to make changing sheets an easy task rather than a dreaded chore?

[nryn]

I don’t understand the concern.

It’s no different than being at home. I use regular (rectangular) twin xl sheets and I have two sets (so four sheet sets total). I can strip the sheets and wash them with regular clothes whenever I’m doing laundry and put the second set on while that is being done.

Putting the sheets on is no more difficult than on any mattress.

[Forester2]

Same for us

[Piggy Bank]

Twin Extra Long XL sheets and comforters work the easiest.

Standard twin is 75 long.
Airstream twin is 80 long

These are the same as used on dorm room beds, so this time of year is a good time to shop.

[Tschupp]

I use beddy’s queen size in trailer. On this size the top and bottom wash separately unless the laundromat has the extra large washer. I like them so much I purchased for use on king sized bed at home. These I take to a laundromat and it’s $25 each time, I let them wash dry and fold. I would guess the twin size could be washed in a large machine. Recently the beddys website has had a new product that is a zip out bottom sheet . Only heard dont know how it works. I really like beddys. Have watched the sales and got the king size for $240. Haven’t ever shopped for the twins. When on the road I take 2 sets of beddy’s and a set of regular sheets to back up. We wash weekly normally so doesn’t make any more work.

[gypsydad]

Beddys are very expensive compared to nice cotton sheets. (example= Twin package: Includes 1 pillowcase and 1 sham;=$230 from Beddys) (XL Twin from Target around $20-30/set!) As I said earlier, this is our 3rd AS with Twin Beds...wife is "all about" KISS when it comes to travel, but she also is very particular about things, like quality bedding. The sheet selection on-line at Target, Kohls, JC Penny is pretty good...now is a great time to shop because these stores are stocking up due to college kids for their dorms...that is unless your hooked on the Beddys!

[banderabob]

Originally Posted by Jimgior

I appreciate your responses and the info. Mostly, I don't want to wrestle to remove and replace sheets when I wash them which is why I am considering Beddy's. But I read that the pieces need to be washed separately which doesn't work well when you are on the road. What tricks can you share to make changing sheets an easy task rather than a dreaded chore?

I’m 5’7, and the easiest way to get the fitted sheet on for me is to wrestle that mattress up onto its side, slip the sheet over the outside/ window side of the mattress, drop the mattress back in place, and finish fitting around the “inside”. We use the Airstream sheets. The upper sheet is only fitted at the bottom to slip over the bottom of the mattress….somewhat easier.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by banderabob

I’m 5’7, and the easiest way to get the fitted sheet on for me is to wrestle that mattress up onto its side, slip the sheet over the outside/ window side of the mattress, drop the mattress back in place, and finish fitting around the “inside”. We use the Airstream sheets. The upper sheet is only fitted at the bottom to slip over the bottom of the mattress….somewhat easier.

My wife is 5'7 also, but doesn't seem to have an issue changing the sheets...somehow she makes it look pretty easy and she is done in no time...(never asked me for help, so I am "assuming" it's easy for her!)

[Portage to Caravan]

Quickest and easiest; leave the sheets at home.
When we go camping - in our Airstream, we have given up on sheet sets. Just get a comfortable sleeping bag and put it away each morning.
We have nice quilts on our beds and comfortable pillows, so the beds become a nice seating area during the day.
It works for us as we spend most of our “away time” - outside.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Portage to Caravan

Quickest and easiest; leave the sheets at home.
When we go camping - in our Airstream, we have given up on sheet sets. Just get a comfortable sleeping bag and put it away each morning.
We have nice quilts on our beds and comfortable pillows, so the beds become a nice seating area during the day.
It works for us as we spend most of our “away time” - outside.

We camp quite a bit, sometimes 4 weeks on the road. A sleeping bag can work, but I like sleeping in "clean sheets", and can wash during our trips. Not a big deal for us; we also have the quilts. Sheets are not a big deal to us. By the way, do you have "twin beds" in your 2014 23'? Didn't think they were offered on earlier models pre 2021?

[abqdor]

We went with XL twins, but nobody has mentioned the problem with them not fitting the contour of the mattress (curved at the top). The extra material made it difficult to avoid the bottom sheet from bunching up. They sell elastic straps designed to pull the underside of the bottom sheet together, but one of the threads posted years ago gave a great suggestion.

Buy a pair of suspenders at Walmart and use them to pull the bottom sheet tighter. We've been using this method for years and it works pretty well.

[Toasterlife]

I love the suspender idea for turning any sheet into a bottom sheet. we have used the elastic/grippers but will be trying the suspenders next. To avoid the whole hassle of top sheets and blankets use a scandinavian Duvet and duvet cover. Ikea is a great and inexpensive place to buy them. in the day just fold the duvet in thirds or halves and lay flat on the bed. You can by duvets in different thicknesses or even double up if temps are really low. Much easier than messing with top sheets and blankets. Duvet coovers and shhets just launer normally.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by banderabob

I’m 5’7, and the easiest way to get the fitted sheet on for me is to wrestle that mattress up onto its side, slip the sheet over the outside/ window side of the mattress, drop the mattress back in place, and finish fitting around the “inside”.

Same technique here too...I'm 5'-6" & "in my 60's"...no problem.

Originally Posted by Toasterlife

To avoid the whole hassle of top sheets and blankets use a scandinavian Duvet and duvet cover.

Yep. This is what we do - both in the Airstream and at home. The only difference in the trailer it's the fitted twin Airstream or AB Lifestyles bottom sheet (with the contoured curve) and a duvet....and at home it's a standard queen.

We will be full-timing starting the end of September for at least two years. I don't foresee anything different - just doing laundry at a campground or laundromat instead of at home. Laundry may actually be "better" in that I'll be able to do multiple loads at the same time.

Shari

[Portage to Caravan]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

We camp quite a bit, sometimes 4 weeks on the road. A sleeping bag can work, but I like sleeping in "clean sheets", and can wash during our trips. Not a big deal for us; we also have the quilts. Sheets are not a big deal to us. By the way, do you have "twin beds" in your 2014 23'? Didn't think they were offered on earlier models pre 2021?

They did not offer twins in 2014 / 23' FC. We had that wonderful E-W configuration queen bed. it was a huge PIA (well headache really) as the bulkhead cabinet overhead was a major head knocker, and the queen bed is always a queen bed. Nothing more, never less. So we removed it and installed twin beds. I see airstream now offers the floor plan I created. Access to the bulkhead cabinet is much easier now and the twins make a more inviting seating area during daylight hours.

[Bearstream01]

Originally Posted by abqdor

We went with XL twins, but nobody has mentioned the problem with them not fitting the contour of the mattress

I have not found it to be a problem at all. I showed a picture of the regular Twin XL sheet on my bed. (Note there is a thick AB Lifestyles contoured mattress pad underneath it.) I dont think the bunching is that bad, but I understand some people are more sensitive. Now, I put a fiberbed on top of that and a flat sheet on top of that, so honestly I wouldnt even notice any bunching going on underneath.

Hubs’ bed is the mattress, the same AB pad, then a 2” memory foam, then fitted sheet. That memory foam takes up even more slack in the fitted sheet and his really doesnt bunch at all.

Come laundry day, I wrestle it the same way banderabob does. If I wanted to stretch time between changing fitted sheets, I could get away with just changing out the top sheet on my bed set up. His, Id tell him to throw down a flat sheet sleep on top of that.

Sorry, Ive never tried Beddys so I cant compare.

Hope this helps.

[ttrout]

We sewed top sheet to bottom fitted sheet at the bottom. Works great! Actually wasn't "we"

[jrwayne]

We have been using AB Lifestyle curved sheets since our 26 rbt was new. Made in the US and a great group of people. Fantastic product and caring customer service. We recently got new mattresses from them.

nuff said...