Flat sheets versus fitted sheets

I need some new sheets. The only kind I have ever bought for myself (until now) are flat cotton sheets.

OH and I have a double bed with a very heavy, deep mattress and changing the bedding is a nightmare for me because of the weight of that mattress, even with OH's help.

Does anyone here have experience of both flat sheets and fitted cotton sheets with a deep mattress? Which kind is easier to use for someone who struggles to change the bedding?

What I'm keen to avoid is what happened to my bedding as a child when my mother bought fitted sheets for the first time. (They were nylon - the wonder material of the 1970s - yuck.) The fitted sheets always ended up with lots of wrinkles going vertically down the centre of my bed and would eventually come off the mattress altogether if I tossed and turned a lot.

I'm wondering if fitted cotton sheets actually reduce the amount of effort required in changing the sheets? Opinions welcome.

 

Fitted sheets IME are vastly easier energywise. No lifting of the mattress at all.

the issue you described is with the fit, the wrinkles come when the fit isnt tight enough - too tight though and it will 'ping' off the corners.

so the key is to get a good fit. - measure the depth of your mattress in cm & then get a size to match - this isnt a guarantee because it also depends on the tightness of the elastic along the sides, but its a good place to start.

- M&S do a standard fitted, deep fitted, and extra deep, all with different depth sizes.

I found the Soak & Sleep 'extra deep' fitted the corners but along the sides was stupidly baggy. So best to order online, check the fit by trying it on (lol on the bed) before you commit to keeping it - like you would with an item of clothing. Order a few from different places/diff sizes. You'll tell right away if it fits well. Lay down on it once its on & you'll see whether its going to wrinkle up or not. If you get the right fit they are a total Godsend.

On a good day i can put one on, a flat sheet is impossible

 

Thanks, @JemPD .

It would never have occurred to me that I could return sheets if they were too deep or not deep enough.

 

OH and I went to a shop which sells home stuff including sheets and pillowcases. (I'm probably going to regret shopping on two consecutive days although today's trip was very short - I don't hang about when I know exactly what I want because I dislike shopping intensely.)

I bought one fitted sheet (I didn't want to buy more than one just in case I don't like them), and some pillowcases.

While we were in the shop we passed some sheets which were furry. I've never seen such a thing before. OH said as we looked at them "I wonder how many teddy bears were killed to make one of those."

 

I have a deeper fitted sheet on the bottom and a flat sheet on top to save changing duvet cover as often.
Re returning sheets after lying on them to try them out - did you have to fold and return them in original packaging @JemPD

 

LOL @Arnie Pye poor things

Not having been able to go shopping without it making me really ill for about 20yrs i tried to get everything online (or before the rise of online shopping i used to use catalogues like Freemans, Empire Stores & Littlewoods. Although it's a bit of a faff returning things i love being able to order as much as i want in as many choices as i like, and take the time to really inspect and investigate suitability at home where it's quiet & i can concentrate.

I think people generally think of a fitted sheet 'double' as just being one size, but they do vary enormously, not quite as big a difference as clothes sizes between brands, but not far off.

 

yes. The law states anything bought at distance can be properly inspected & then returned if not suitable, but it has to be in re-saleable condition. Its just if you dont like it/doesnt fit then return cost is yours, (whereas if it faulty seller pays return costs) so i mostly buy from places with free returns. There are exceptions like personalised goods & in some cases underwear.

So if i bought a shirt, i would try it on, if it were too small i would take it off, fold it up (as best as i could) put it back in its bag/box and return. In the same way i take a fitted sheet out of its bag (being careful not to rip or tear it), put it on the bed, lie on it (fully clothed!) & turn over a few times, if its good i take it off again & wash it before use, if not i carefully refold & rebag (it never looks quite the same but it would be impossible to fully inspect it without taking it out of the bag) & follow retailers return instructions. They usually ask for a reason for return i usually tick dont like/unsuitable/changed mind or whatever. Never had a problem, but i'd check with smaller firms what their return policy is. Have bought & returned from M&S several times, Soak & sleep, Next. Although to be fair i probably wouldn't advertise id checked it on the bed, but TBH i dont see the difference between trying on a bra or a pair of trousers and laying something on my mattress.

You do need to be aware that everyone else is likely doing the same though - like with clothes - you dont know where its been before it landed on your doormat!

 

Yep, ones that don't fit, ones that really don't fit, ones that wrench every muscle in my trunk and yet...don't fit, but too broken to even remove it, so..it'll have to do.

Many different sizes, all of which don't fit anything remotely resembling a modern mattress.

and then there is kingsized, which obviously, are far too big, by more than the difference between double and king, of the same brand.

But it does go on, without significant collateral damage to me.

I've never got into returning bedding simply because it doesn't fit, as I cannot measure bedding with any accuracy, and also can't get it back in the packaging.

What I really like is that on the very rare occasions I have found bedding that was only an incredible struggle to get on the bed, as opposed to impossible to believe that it hasn't ripped, they stops selling it. So I can't buy more.

 

@JemPD

I was a bit surprised that you were able to return sheets at all. We were told today that any packages we bought that had been opened could not be returned unless they were faulty.

 

Echoing the comments above. I find fitted sheets much easier to change than flat sheets and reduce the effort of daily ‘making the bed’.

 

yes, because you bought them in store.
you cant return things bought in store for any other reason than faulty.

online/distance purchasing rules are completely different, because you can fully examine/inspect items and try on clothes in store, but when you buy online you only have a picture to go on.

Just for interest in case it helps anyone... I am well up on the law on this as i've had to argue it many times (lol never about sheets!) over the years. It used to be called the Distance Selling Regulations but they were upgraded into the Consumer Rights Act in 2015.

you can get the exact wording if you look it up online, but you

-have the right to 'cancel a contract' within 14 days from receipt of goods - ie send it back. You can cancel a contract and return items for any reason as long as items returned in re saleable condition - ie not used or damaged. But you must pay the cost of return (hence my only using firms with free returns - where the returns label is included in the parcel).

You can open a packet and inspect the items - where it is 'reasonable' to do so. So a bag with an item of clothing in it has to be opened to try it on, a sheet packet has to be opened to feel the fabric of the sheet to check softness etc.

But for example a toy figurine in clear, sealed hard plastic case, cant be cut into & then retuned because you can see clearly what it is & the feel of it isn't an integral part of the item, so its not reasonable to 'inspect' the goods in that way because to do so would leave the item not re saleable.
There are exceptions to the returns regs for this like perishable goods & its good to check the individual store's specific rules, but those rules cannot contravene the law regardless of what they may say.

Obviously you coudlnt return a sheet if you'd slept on it, but just taking it out & looking & checking it big enough is not 'using' it, it is entirely reasonable.

but N.B. the rules for returns for items bought in store are much more limited the above only applies to items bought online/mail order.

This is a link explaining your rights. It geared more to problems such as faulty goods, but the online returns/contract cancellation law is on there too.

Consumer rights & protection: get money back - MSE (moneysavingexpert.com)

One small caveat is that i had a huge row with Curry's because i maintained it was essential and reasonable to turn on a TV to check the picture quality as that was the integral part of the TV, but they said that constituted 'using' it. I won in the end, but it was a battle, so just be a little circumspect in checking policies on electronics.

 

Curry's have always been like that, so was one if their competitors, who went out if business a few years ago.

Basically they operate a you bought it, it's yours, why would we buy it back policy.

 

Sheets are difficult to fit back into the packet though so i have been known to take mental note (or a photo) of how its folded & packed as i'm undoing it.
However i have also just rolled up a sheet & stuffed it unceremoniously back into its bag & returned to M&S, with no issue at all!

 

I only buy fitted sheets, usually from the same place that I like b/c I know they'll fit my mattress.

I have a cotton duvet cover so don't need flat sheets.

 

I've always used a bottom sheet but no top sheet. I wash the duvet cover instead.

 

It depends on the company. Amazon will usually take just about anything back - no questions asked.

 

Fitted sheets for me. They are so much easier to put on the bed than flat sheets. Just be sure to check the depth of the mattress and make sure you buy sheets with the right size of pocket so that they fit properly.

 

I also use fitted sheets from Amazon and sent them back when I accidentally bought the wrong depth.

I have somebody change them for me but if have to do it myself I just sit/kneel in the middle, lift every corner and put it on and then the same for the sides. So no need to lift the whole mattress at once.

 

Do you have to lift your mattress to get them on? I just slide it over & shove it under with my hands from either side - so standing with the corner facing me i just hold it by the bottom elasticated corner & pull it under then shove in under at the sides slightly. Just sort of help it where it wants to go, no lifting required

 

Never tried it like that but will next time!