You're Not Truly Sleeping Unless You're Sleeping On White Sheets

White linens are probably my biggest trick for making people think I have my life together. They look like they'd take more work to maintain, but they actually take way less.

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White linens! The stuff of hospitals, fancy hotels, and yours truly's bedroom.

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Yep, it’s true — I use only white sheets and white duvet covers, and stick to all white bath towels, hand towels, and dish towels. Whenever people learn this about me, they typically say something to the effect of, “What are you, some kind of witch?”

Rachel Miller

And the answer to that is MAYBE!!! But if I were a witch with a hankering for laundry magic, I wouldn’t waste my magic on keeping white sheets clean! (I’d obviously use it to fold fitted sheets perfectly.) Because here’s the thing: white sheets are already easy to keep clean.

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Seriously! White linens are probably my biggest trick for making people think I have my shit together. They look like they’d take more work to maintain, but they actually take way less.

First, I’m not that worried about stains — because having all white linens means I can wash them in super hot water and bleach them.

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I eat in bed...more nights than I would like to admit. I’m careful — putting a cloth napkin under the bowl or plate goes a long way — but spills and stains do still happen, as do little doggie paw prints on the duvet cover. But I don’t really worry about it because I know that everything will get a good bleaching in the wash. (And even without bleach, they still clean up nicely.) But patterned or colored linens make stain removal considerably more difficult.

Second, having white sheets and a white duvet cover (along with white towels) means I’m actually more likely to wash my linens — because the entire process is considerably more efficient.

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Not having to sort them or do multiple loads, plus being able to dry everything on high heat, saves a ton of time.

Also, white linens are hardy as hell.

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They don’t fade or bleed; you aren't going to accidentally ruin them with bleach. And because white linens are truly the easiest thing to launder, I can comfortably send them out to be washed without worrying about them.

And white sheets and white duvet covers can be purchased on the cheap — and the cheap ones look just as nice as the more expensive ones.

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It’s actually a lot easier to spot a cheap duvet cover when it’s patterned or colored, IMHO. Also, because they are relatively inexpensive, you can have a couple extra duvet covers in your linen closet in case you, like, drop an entire pizza pepperoni-side down on your nicely-made bed.

Finally, white sheets are just nice.

Rachel Miller

Look, white linens are about as basic as it gets. Sure, you’ll see them in fancy hotels, but you’ll also find them in fleabag motels and pretty much every hospital. But that’s actually what I like about them — they appear mostly in places that promote rest and relaxation, hospitality and healing. I feel cooler just looking at airy white sheets in the summer. Meanwhile, white flannel sheets genuinely brighten up sad, short winter days and give my apartment the Scandinavian cozy minimalist Christmas vibes that I so desire. White linens say, “Hello. Come on in. You are safe here.”

If you’re ready to make the switch, here are some of my recommendations for stocking your linen closet:

1. Basic white sheets you can use year-round, and that cost less than $30.

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Get them on Amazon for $27.95-$30.95.

2. Or a slightly splurgier set.

brooklinen.com

These are the sheets I have on my bed most of the time. There's also a tag inside the fitted sheet that tells you which seams are the short ones and which seams are the long ones, which is genius.

Get them for $109-$149 on Brooklinen.

3. A classic white duvet cover.

amazon.com

Get it on Amazon for $24.99.

The Ikea one ($19.99-$39.99) is also good.

4. White flannel sheets that'll bring you comfort and joy in colder months.

goto.target.com

I also own these! Get them from Target for $19.99-$29.99.

And if you're willing to spend a little more, Amazon has some pretty cozy looking ones with good reviews for $70.00-$76.99.

5. A lightweight white blanket, if you’re the blanket type.

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This one is 100% cotton and looks soft as hell. Get it from Amazon for $21.99-$27.99.

BTW, mine is from Target ($28.49).

6. And/or a faux fur white blanket.

amazon.com, Rachel Miller

Do you need a faux-fur blanket? No. Does that mean you can't have one? Also no! Get this one from Amazon for $23.36.

I have a similar one; it cost $20 and makes me feel like a rich goddamn snow queen.

7. A pre-soak stain treatment if you’re still worried about spills.

amazon.com, Rachel Miller

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $12.07 or a single bottle from Jet for $3.69.

I actually keep a Tide stick on my nightstand for this reason. Get a pack of three from Amazon for $6.45 or one from Jet for $3.46.

8. And some bleach to keep everything in top shape.

amazon.com

Get a 30-ounce bottle from Amazon for $9.06 or a 116-ounce bottle from Jet for $5.19.

Slumber Party is a series of content about the products and rituals that help us get the rest we deserve. You can find more posts like this one here.

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