Differences In How We Make The Bed || Americans In England

[@rachelpenny5165]

When I was a kid we used to call the duvet a continental quilt. As you can get different warmth levels from cool (2 tog) to very warm (15 tog).

[@EASYTIGER10]

Most Brits used the 'American method' till maybe 20 or 30 years ago, and many , especially the older generations - and hospitals - still do. It is seen as a bit old fashioned today by younger people.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

Really?! It seems that Brits are taking on so many thing that used to be European.

[@stiofano]

I remember when we made the change it was in the 90s. As a kid I hated the 'top sheet'. That system really prevented the one leg exposed technique. Far more freeing

[@TheClairesKnee]

I'm in my 50's and have used a duvet all my life. We've used them in the UK for much longer than 20 or 30 years. More like 50 years. The only time I experienced the sheets and blankets method would've been at friends houses once in a while. What is a comforter made from? Is it a blanket or something else?

[@tracybrowne7019]

Yes, that is true. For e.g., back in the 70s, majority of shops, stores cafes etc shut on a Sunday,- Sabbath day except small newsagent, and local stores.

[@tracybrowne7019]

Then we joined the EU, and things started to change.

[@glastonbury4304]

Duvets started to become popular during the 80's in UK, before that it was sheets and blankets or even a quilt ...however hotels never really started with Duvets till the late 90's early 00's on mass ...although some hotel chains still use a sheet , blanket and cover

[@bconn3652]

The duvet cover can be changed to match the curtains, seasons and decor christmas themed for example.

[@catherinerobilliard7662]

I'm a Brit brought up to use sheets and blankets, with an eiderdown on top, but since the 70's have used either a summer or winter duvet. If I get cold, I have a matching bed cover to put on top. I'll never return to sheets and blankets.

[@jeffgraham6387]

Most supermarkets in the UK sell duvets, we buy a Winter weight one which we throw away (or donate to dog rescue) in the Spring and buy a Summer weight one and so on...they only cost around the £10 mark so are not worth having them cleaned and kept. Incidently, we have used duvets since the early 70's...we would never go back to blankets.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

So you prefer duvets over blankets? Interesting that it seems you throw away/replace duvets. I didn't actually know that was common practice. Makes sense though.

[@jillhobson6128]

@@SchaeferFamilyAdventure I don't throw duvets (Continental quilts) away every year.

[@jeffgraham6387]

@@SchaeferFamilyAdventure ..we definitely prefer duvets to blankets and to be honest Matthew they are so cheap to buy and the cost of cleaning them is about the same as replacing them....most UK washing machines are a tad small and duvets take an age to dry in the Winter. That being said there are luxury, top quality duvets which are far too expensive to replace twice a year!

[@lorrainemoynehan6791]

Lots of people have been saying, and correctly, that we started using duvets in the 70s (and never went back, why would we?). But the interesting thing is the use of the word 'continental'. I remember both holidays in France, and staying with French families back in the 70s and they too were still using blankets. Britain, and also France, have historically farmed sheep. In fact wool production was vital to the English economy in medieval times, hence the use of blankets. Sweden is not known for lamb recipes. But they did have geese. Continental quilts were being used in Norway for at least 4 hundred years and Germany since the 1930s. Fair play to the French for giving us a word!

[@Dunkster23]

Glad it wasn’t just me. Canada is the same way. As a Brit I’d be met with a confused look when I asked for a duvet. They have the top sheet/comforter system and I don’t like how heavy it all feels.

[@MultiPurplemist]

Switch it up and adapt it to both styles.. Fitted sheet, flat sheet, duvet then add the laid down duvet cover on top and fold your flat sheet back over the duvet and duvet cover 👍

[@tracybrowne7019]

Hi.. In a hotel besides the fitted sheet, yes you will get another top sheet, but in all homes the majority don't. So when it comes to washing you just have the fitted sheet and duvet cover to wash. Duvet comes in different thickness. I watched your comments on doing laundry in UK. I am guessing that in the states, washer, and dryer are two appliances. A lot of washer/dryer in UK is one appliance, very common in UK.

[@0utcastAussie]

The Duvet is also called a "Continental Quilt" & "Doona" in Australia. We generally start under the duvet but as the heat builds we end up with a leg over the top of it and then get too cold .. yada yada yada lol

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

I hadn't heard it called those things! Thanks for the additional information.

[@nurjahanbegum8081]

Thank you for the cool video! This makes a lot more sense to me now, whenever we went to America to stay with my in-laws I always wondered why they had so many sheets, and I always got rid of the top sheet thinking it was an extra thing they do. Whoops!

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

HAHA! I love that! Honestly, I don't know if all American's know why they do a top sheet/blanket either.

[@8arcasticallyYours]

For me: I can't bear having my feet restricted in bed so a duvet is far better than the old traditional heavy sheets 'n' blankets. I use cotton fitted or flat bottom sheets. I don't heat the bedrooms at night even when it gets below freezing here in Southern England, so in Autumn & Winter I use either a New Zealand wool duvet or a goose down one depending on how I feel. Goose down duvets are incredibly lightweight, wool ones are a bit heavier and drape better. Both are very warm. My summer duvet is usually a cheap 7.5 TOG rated anti-allergy fibre filled one as the quality of those are usually better than the usual ones. I have a selection of duvet covers (with matching pillowcases) which are easy to put on - once you learn the technique - and to strip off for washing. I always air the duvets before putting them back on a bed, preferably outdoors in any sunlight available.

[@glastonbury4304]

Your system I liked when I was a kid as that's the old way, but then after leaving home I prefer the duvet now as it's much easier

[@joc6516]

Nice video. Yeah, duvets are the most common all around Europe. In Germany, they do it a bit differently though and a couple would have two separate single duvets. The advantage is that each can be a different thickness depending on their comfort around heat/cold and also no one can steal the sheets. The disadvantage is not a large double/king duvet like in the UK. Some hotels use the sheet and blanket versions like in the US or the UK last century as well

[@sharonkay8638]

Duvets have tog ratings to regulate the warmth, lower tog for summer and higher for winter. Surprised you don’t wash a comforter - surely you sweat during sleep and this would go onto the top sheet and therefore the comforter also? Won’t be buckets but I imagine it would tell after a while?🤔

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

Sure, eventually you do wash a comforter, but it isn't with the same regularity as the sheets. It gets washed....I dunno, every few months or something.

[@jillhobson6128]

@@SchaeferFamilyAdventure What is a comforter?

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

A thick blanket, like a duvet+cover.

[@VictoriasRoses]

You can find a lot of Duvets at Ikea if you have one near you in the US. They have different weights too. My daughter has a Duvet but we use the American sheet and a blanket, and the duvet. :) I like both. I have a comforter, sheet, and a blanket. We pull back the comforter at night so we do not really used it because we like just the blanket and the sheet. So the comforter basically stays in like new condition but I do wash it. Haha!

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

Good to know! Ikea would have them. I may have exaggerated the "un-washability" of the comforter. Of course we do occasionally wash ours as well....just not as frequently as the sheets.

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

I think duvet covers are a pain to wash and assemble. But they are wonderful to use and sleep in.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

They are quite nice, aren't they?

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

@@SchaeferFamilyAdventure yes I just prefer them at a hotel where I don’t have to do the laundry, LOL!

[@Suotipidneres]

When I was a little girl, our bed was made the American way. My parents still do. I don't now - I just have the fitted sheet and duvet (and numerous blankets on top of that when it gets really cold)

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

It does seem to be a younger/older generation divide in the UK, I am now finding out.

[@stephennicholson2833]

When we used to visit my grandparents in England when I was young, they had top sheets. In the 1980-2000, we visited and we stayed at my dad's cousin's house. Still top sheets. When we have visited in the last 10 to 15 years and stayed in Airbnbs and self catering, it seems to be duvets. I have the hardest time regulating my temperature with duvets. I cover a portion of my body to go to sleep and then pull it up further when it gets colder during the night. Also referring to a previous video, the greeting "you all right" has been something I've only noticed recently in the last 10 years. Again I'm a visitor but when they first said this to me on walks in the countryside recently, I was like "what did they just say?". It had been usually been something like Good morning or Hello.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

That's interesting about the way culture changes over time. I wish I knew more about how culture had changed over time (British and American, truthfully). Thanks for the comment!

[@andrewbutler7681]

@@SchaeferFamilyAdventure I grew up with two sheets and an eiderdown - duvets only became a thing while I was at university in the 1980s and were quite new-fangled for a while... (I seem to remember they featured in comedy sketches in the 1990s still as something a bit odd.)

[@alanlittle4589]

So, which system are you using now?

[@tracybrowne7019]

I have watched majority of your videos. I am glad you found a church during your stay in England , also able to enjoy a Christmas here. Christmas mince pies, great with hot custard

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

I'm glad we did too! Thanks for commenting!

[@stephenpitt6363]

I presume as an American you have ac in the bedroom and heat it to high temperature, In uk no ac , possibly no radiator colder bedroom, but with duvet compensation.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

That definitely can be true (depending on where you are in the US) - but in the US we can compensate with lots of blankets as well!

[@geminil2415]

I use flat sheets as mattresses vary in thickness, and fitted sheets don't fit so good.I always use a top sheet as extra protection to keep the duvet clean. Many down or feather duvets cant be washed.I don't understand why no one makes duvet protectors.I know they have a cover but so do pillows and mattresses.Without the protective cover under the pillow slip the pillow would stain from sweat etc.So I just wonder what's with no protective covering for a duvet under its slip which then would cut out the need for a top sheet.Anybody know?

[@genrose7040]

thankyou for explaining the american system. the other day i saw a thing that said "wait??? British people have duvets????" and i was like does that mean americans dont?

[@manchestertart5614]

Make the bed. 1 use a mattress protector, it covers the whole of the mattress, like a fitted sheet and is washed at every change of bedding. 2 then comes a fitted sheet, cotton or polycotton, never nylon. Personally, I use a non fitted sheet because it's easier to get on the bed. For a double bed I use a King sized flat sheet, it helps having the extra material for tucking in. Flat sheet, means that there is no elastic around each corner of the sheet. 3 Some people like to use pillow protectors, they are like pillow cases and absorbs... enough said. A double bed usually has four pillows, a single bed has two. The pillow cases usually match the duvet cover, though a complimentary colour can be used too. Clashing patterns is a bit 😒 The duvet, or continental quilt, comes in various filling materials and often they are for seasonal use. The higher the Tog number the warmer they will be,or you can buy a a Summer or winter duvet. Some smaller duvets can be washed at home, larger ones in a launderette's larger washing machine and some of the more expensive duvets need to be taken to the dry cleaners. Not sure if they will be 'dry cleaned' or if they will be washed in a larger machine at a lower temperature. Basically, most domestic washing machines are too small for a large duvet. A duvet will cost a lot, if you want duck down filling. Along with the cost, you'd be willing to pay for expert cleaning costs. A Supermarket own brand, is good enough for most people and is value for money. They are cheap enough to replace frequently. It's not great for landfill but it's something that gets donated to and used by animal shelters for dogs and cats bedding, hopefully it will be cleaned first. I love my duvet. If it's cold I can cocoon myself up in it, like I'm in a sleeping bag, to keep out the draughts. Too hot? , use a summer weight duvet or just cover yourself with a sheet. The duvet should always have a duvet cover, again it's cotton or a mixture of polyester and cotton. Avoid 100 % polyester or you will be a sweaty, sticky, stinky mess. Change the bedding frequently. Wash the bedding on a hot wash to kill bacteria. There's nothing better than a fresh sweet smelling bed,for a good night's sleep. There's nothing worse than a bed mate who hogs the duvet. The solution is for there to be two duvets. Believe me, it's worth it. Way back in the 70's, my sister introduced the family to the continental quilt. She was in the army, based in Germany. That's what was used there,and it was common practice for the whole family to air their quilts by hanging them out of the bedroom windows to air them. That's a good idea to kill the bacteria,especially in a cold winter. Having written all this, it reminds me that I need to replace my duvet. I'll get one from the Supermarket, probably Morrisons and pay less than £20 for one. Btw, I keep a woollen blanket, just incase I need an extra layer on the bed in a very cold winter.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

Lots of good information about duvets here! Tog info, bed sharing, cleaning, pricing, etc. Thanks!

[@catherinerobilliard7662]

Agreed. It was my posting to Germany in the 70's that introduced me to the duvet.

[@gsotoaz]

I love the top sheet

[@fionagregory9147]

Duvets have covers on. Just wash those.

[@chelseagirl278]

Funny as Canadians will use a mix of British and American. Have a fitted sheet, top sheet then a duvet!

[@suzannenichol6077]

Only very old people in uk use a top sheet with a duvet.

[@manchestertart5614]

Forget the top sheet, it stops the duvet from fitting closely around your body.

[@chelseagirl278]

@@suzannenichol6077 well I guess Canadians are “old” LOL

[@A14Rors]

Simply buy a summer duvet (low tog) and a winter duvet (high tog) and bigger than the bed size. Spruce up room by changing the duvet covers & pillow cases. One week an English Garden Pattern, next week total mood change with scandalous sexy red. Duvet wins every time

[@ames92]

These type of videos are why I love your channel. Such a random topic and one that I never would work as a video but also something that I’ve wondered about for a while (watching scenes with beds in american tv shows made me wonder how the bedding system worked) now I know! Haha thanks!

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

I'm glad you enjoy them! We do try to do things that haven't necessarily been hashed to death already!

[@squiff1958]

Never keen on the American system. The comforters do get dirty and are awkward to wash. Duvets are quicker, more comfortable and easier to wash.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

Yes, comforters due need a wash every now and again, and Duvets are very quick! >>>Getting it back in the duvet cover though....

[@glastonbury4304]

You have a winter Duvet and a Summer Duvet with different togs levels 👍

[@patriciaangeles4816]

I’m old fashioned and think duvets suck. I use a flat sheet on the bottom (because fitted sheets never fit) with properly folded corners. Then another flat sheet to sleep under. On top of that we use wool blankets, a top cover (bedspread) and lastly a traditional eiderdown. Layers like this are harder to make every morning but you can add or subtract the number of blankets used according to the weather. I hate heating in bedrooms and think you get a better nights sleep in cooler rooms. Duvets were introduced here from the continent and I never really liked them 🇬🇧

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

You are definitely right about sleeping in a cooler room! I've seen lots of studies on that. There is also something nice about the weight of a bunch of blankets on a really chilly night!

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

Here’s what I’m confused about... Europeans who have 2 skinny duvets on double beds, one for each sleeper! I really don’t understand that setup.

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

@TheRenaissanceman65 i do have a duvet hogger husband ... but those skinny duvets don’t look big enough 😂

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

Haha! Blanket hogs! Danielle does this unintentionally in the night. The next morning, she says "why are you so salty?"

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

@@SchaeferFamilyAdventure 😂

[@HaiLsKuNkY]

I think this is the European system and Britain just recently started copying them, traditional British people just use layers of sheets, really thin blankets and just layer them.

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

More ideas from Europe, that's interesting.

[@jillhobson6128]

@@SchaeferFamilyAdventure We've used Continental quilts for at least 45 years

[@jacketrussell]

We first started using duvets sometime in the 1970s. They were called Continental quilts back then. Basically they were popular n Europe and made their wsy over here.

[@vanburger]

Its not a matter of American/British systems. The American way is our old fashioned way. Duvets did away with top sheets blankets eiderdowns (comforter) & bedspreads.

[@seandonohue6793]

I personally hate when you stay at hotels and there are layers of sheets/ blankets on a bed and they all get tangled and uncomfortable when you move during the night. It’s a similar things if your duvet cover is too big and the fabric bunches up, I can’t stand it 😅. For that reason alone the American way of sheets and blankets would drive me insane

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

It definitely depends on what you're used to as well! It is so frustrating when that happens. Normally when it happens to me it's because the bed wasn't made correctly/tight enough to begin with.

[@clairejackson4540]

Duvet every time!

[@fionagregory9147]

Duvets are best.

[@geofflumley9183]

I hate duvets, sheets and blankets for me. Duvets were known as continental quilts when introduced in 70s and I’ve never been able to sleep under them. So not all Britons like duvets!

[@martinferguson3004]

Why not just put a top sheet under the duvet and have best of both worlds, you, therefore, don't have to wash the duvet cover as often either

[@mikedakin2016]

FFS , pronounce DUVET properly !!!

[@liverpool694]

first

[@SchaeferFamilyAdventure]

Haha! Gratz!