MAKE. YOUR. BED.

My days typically begin and end the same way: fielding texts and emails from clients navigating through the minefield (or football field…choose your own analogy) of a real estate transaction. The communications continue to roll in steadily from the time I open my eyes until I close them for a final time at night. With each ding I’m sure to be facing a new challenge or question or sometimes even celebration. It’s what keep things interesting. But I’ll admit, it also keeps things somewhat chaotic.

In between the real estate chatter, I have a group of girlfriends (shout out, ladies!) who serve as a sounding board throughout the day. This… “panel”, if you will, commences pretty much every morning. And at the end of each day there is a…recap meeting? Sure. That sounds good. ANYWAY- last night I was sharing my only non-real estate related excitement of the day: my new duvet cover. And this morning when I shared the photo above of the finished product, the first question I got was, “Do you make your bed every day??” The answer is a surprising yes. Because here’s the thing: the condition of the rest of my house doesn’t suggest you’d find a made bed in the master bedroom. In fact, this is what my laundry room looks like on a good day:

No, seriously. On a really good day.

So when Lauren asked about the bed making, it made me think about how I really do make it a priority. And how it really does improve my day. She said she remembered reading somewhere that it was a good idea because “your day may be crazy but you have a tranquil landing spot at the end of the day.” And it’s SO TRUE. Google “make your bed every day.” You will find pages and pages of articles and lists of reasons why. I’d like to throw my hat in the ring and add my reasons to the masses:

1. It starts off the day with a routine. I may have control over nothing else that happens, but that bed I can handle like a boss.
2. The very act itself almost feels like a ritual.
3. It looks pretty. There may be rogue socks and half packed (or unpacked, depending how you look at it) suitcases strewn about the rest of the room, but I can look at that bed and feel like SOMETHING is organized.
4. It prevents me from getting back in it!
5. I spend my days telling people to de-clutter and be show-ready. When it comes to my bed (and only my bed), I am practicing what I preach ; )
6. When the day is done and I’m ready to turn in, typically disgusted that the house is not in the order I’d like it to be, I see that bed and I feel like at that one thing, I am WINNING.
7. I don’t know why, but peeling back the covers of a made bed and climbing in just feels way cozier.

Lots of the articles and lists on the topic suggest that making your bed every day encourages order and neatness throughout the rest of your house (and even your life). For all my sellers worrying about how to get your homes ready to market, start with the bed. Maybe the rest will come naturally. I’m still waiting for that benefit to kick in for me. Although maybe just maybe things would be that much more chaotic if it weren’t for my king sized sanctuary.