Bedding

If you are planning to buy a rental home, or you're thinking about what to do with one you have just acquired, this is the place for any questions about starting out in the rentals business.
Charlie97
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Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 6:26 am
Location: Pevensey Bay

Bedding

Post by Charlie97 »

I have a king size, double and bunks to deal with. What quilts do I choose?

Synthetic or Natural?

What tog? Do I have summer and winter or choose those multi quilts that start off 10.5 then you add the second lighter quilt?

Where is best to buy all the bedding from?

Is three sets enough?

Thank you
Am I mad to be doing this???
kathiejs
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Location: Devon

Post by kathiejs »

Having ascertained that the cost of laundering duvets (they won't fit in domestic machines) was actually more than the cost of a cheap new duvet, I've opted for the latter. Natural fillings are more likely to trigger allergies anyway. I've got a 10.5 tog which has been fine for winter (a well insulated modern bungalow, fleece blankets also available if they want them), and I've got a 7.5 for summer. I've not done a hot summer yet - might need a 4.5. I bought the 10.5 one at Tesco, inherited the 7.5 one from previous owner. I've bought duvets for the house from places like the Range and B&M. I inherited 2 sets of bedding from the previous owner and bought a third after reading on here that I needed 3. But really I haven't as I do the laundry myself. I guess it means I have spares in case of damage. I also have 2 sets of pillow protectors & 2 mattress protectors, plus a waterproof mattress cover (the bed bug proof sort). I only have 1 king bed but all the spare stuff takes up loads of room :cry:
Joanna
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Post by Joanna »

We have synthetic because of allergies in our own family and use it as a selling point.

I also started off planning to wash the duvets until I discovered that they didn't wash well at home and it was cheaper to buy new than take them to the laundry. Now I plan on replacing them roughly once a year.

We used to have spare 13.5 tog duvets but they hardly got used as the houses are quite warm and not rented much during Winter anyway. Plus they take up a lot of space. So now we have 10.5 tog in plain white covers with a coloured quilted bed spread folded across the end of the bed. If guests get cold they can pull up the bedspread. In the summer we leave 4.5 tog duvets for guests to swap to if they get too hot.

At the moment I get our duvets from Dunelm Mill.
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
kg1
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Post by kg1 »

I too regard them as disposable items. I replace them about once a year. All synthetic as many people have allergies and I have had guests check before booking.
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

I also buy cheap synthetics and dispose of them annually. It costs as much to wash them now as it does to buy new.

The old duvets still have plenty of use left of course and I give them to the local dog rescue as animal bedding.
Sherry
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Location: Torbay

Post by Sherry »

We decided to go with fibre duvets after doing a little poll. Feather and down definitely came out as a no no due to both allergies and the difficulty of keeping them clean. After trying various suppliers we found that Marks and Spencer do some brilliant duvets, made from micro fibre and exceptionally good in quality and price ( sold as Microfible duvets). They come in 4.5 tog, 10.5 tog and 13.5 tog, and I swap between the 4.5 togin summer and 10.5 in winter. The single 10.5 tog is only £9.99 and is just thin enough for me to wash in my washing machine, yet still gorgeous on the bed with a lovely feel to them. They are so good, warm and cosy that we’ve bought them for home as well. Not every store has them, so I usually order online.

Changing the subject slightly, I use commercial duvet covers as know they have to be washed at least at 60 degrees to ensure they are properly clean, and the covers for the domestic market can’t take that high temperature. I also like that the commercial ones are such great quality, have coloured stitching on the edge to easily identify the sizes (single is blue, red is double, gold is king, green is superking.) I also like that they are bag style, so you just tuck the long end under the mattress bottom, and that there are hand holds (a small gap in the stitching at each side of the top end) to make it easier to put them on the bed. My first sets were from Richard Haworth and beautiful, but since then have bought Hilden from Vision Services which are cheaper but still good. I hear Mitre, in Wales, do good bedding too.

I sleep 8, in 2 x zip link Superkings, one double, and 2 singles.
The duvets have been easy and I do replace them each year, but the duvet covers/sheets /pillow cases have been a major expense as I thought allowing two duvet covers/ sheets per bed would be fine. I was way out! It takes over a week to turn a set round from the laundry, so 3 sets per bed is absolutely the minimum needed. I now allow for 5 sets per bed and that’s about right, allowing for damage and delays ( also leave a spare set of each in the house in case of accidents). Add those 2 sets of zip link Superking (which can therefore also be 4 single beds) then the amount of bedding needed is insane, and takes a lot of storage space.

Am now realising it’s easier to just provide Superking duvets for the double as well, and just have single and Superking duvet covers. It’s a bit more expensive on set up costs but easier long term.
farley
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Post by farley »

My preference is for Richard Howarth, Soak and Sleep and Dunelm.
The amount of linen and bedding is indeed insane ! I now have a linen room but in the past had many plastic storage boxes in our barn. It was a real pain managing this system as everything had to be brought indoors at the end of season and returned to the barn in the following spring! It was amazing how efficient this storage system was and we never experienced any mould, dust or insect issues.
I still walk many miles collecting linen from my bespoke Linen Room every ‘change over’ but I suppose it keeps me fit🙂
loveka
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Post by loveka »

I have used Out if Eden, who are brilliant and very good value. Their poly cotton feels like high thread count cotton.

I also have a lot from Soak and Sleep. The quality is excellent, and the stuff is beautiful.

King of Cotton is also really good, but more expensive. I started off with 200 thread count from there and it is stunning quality but hard to iron according to my cleaner!

My Visit England report praised my bed linen and I was very proud indeed!.

I don't swap duvets between winter and summer. I use a medium tog and provide eiderdowns.

That is such a good idea about only using the super king duvet. I am going to steal that.

I think using things aimed at the hotel market makes sense, as they are designed to get a lot of hammer!
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

I feel rather sad reading all the comments about chucking away synthetic duvets once a year because it costs more to launder them than replace them. The fillings are not exactly biodegradable :cry: Sheets and blankets resolve the problem of seasonal changes because you just layer according to overnight temperatures, plus it allows guests to determine what suits them - one man's requirement for 13tog is another man's sauna. I know I'm in Spain, but it does get damn cold here in winter. A lovely crisp sheet topped by cellular blankets (John Lewis do lovely cotton ones) and a bedspread, all of which can be laundered in a domestic machine and will last many years and not just one. I offered a choice of synthetic and natural pillows, both of which are machine washable at 60C, but no duvets. Most hotels I stay in when in the UK still have sheets and blankets too.
kg1
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Post by kg1 »

I don't throw mine away - I donate them to animal charities as bedding, & they are much appreciated.
Joanna
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Post by Joanna »

I put mine on Freecycle and people collect them for pet bedding. We also have a local animal rescue centre so I might ask them next time
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
Joanna
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Post by Joanna »

Also, I cut one duvet up and used it to add an extra layer of padding to some old sofa cushions. I try to find uses for that sort of thing if possible.
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
Ecosse
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Post by Ecosse »

Casscat wrote:I feel rather sad reading all the comments about chucking away synthetic duvets once a year because it costs more to launder them than replace them. The fillings are not exactly biodegradable :cry: Sheets and blankets resolve the problem of seasonal changes because you just layer according to overnight temperatures, plus it allows guests to determine what suits them - one man's requirement for 13tog is another man's sauna. I know I'm in Spain, but it does get damn cold here in winter. A lovely crisp sheet topped by cellular blankets (John Lewis do lovely cotton ones) and a bedspread, all of which can be laundered in a domestic machine and will last many years and not just one. I offered a choice of synthetic and natural pillows, both of which are machine washable at 60C, but no duvets. Most hotels I stay in when in the UK still have sheets and blankets too.
While I agree with you in principle (we launder rather than throw duvets away) I'm afraid I can't stand sheets and blankets. Even when it's 30+ degrees here, I'll still sleep under a duvet, albeit with one leg in and one leg out... I just prefer the bulk combined with the lightness of a duvet to fighting with a sheet or the heaviness of a pile of blankets. It just goes to show, we're all different... :)
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