How to Store Extra Beds

Are you the kind of person who loves to have company over -- then finds there isn't enough room for all of them to sleep? There are a lot of ways to hide beds and improvise places for adults and kids to settle down for the night. Read on for some effective solutions to the sleeping-over dilemma.

Things You'll Need

• Extra mattresses
• Blow-up mattresses
• Extra bedding supplies
• Outdoor furniture cushions
• Pillows

Instructions

Room you didn't know you had

1. There's a wonderfully handy place to store extra mattresses that you may have never thought of: How about under the beds throughout the house? Mattresses usually fit quite nicely under there. Normally, you'll have to put a twin mattress under a full-, queen- or king-sized bed, so that you have enough room to pull it out.

2. First put down a blanket a little bigger than the mattress and place the mattress on top of it. This will help it slide better. If you have enough sheets, make up the bed and cover it with a plastic sheet or an old fabric sheet tp keep it clean. Now slide it under the bed. You may have to get mattresses that aren't very thick, but they're only for people to sleep on for a day or two.

3. Blow-up mattresses are great, too. Just plug in to inflate--very handy. These can fold up fairly small to fit in closets or attics, but if there's no extra room, think outside the box. Fold the mattress long and flat and put it inside a garbage bag, and it will slide under the skirt of many couches. Fold it differently and you can put it under a large chair. If you have any beds left without mattresses under them, you can fit several of these blow-up versions under a regular bed. Just cover them to keep them clean.

4. Take the cushions off your lawn furniture and cover them with twin sheets and blankets for a small makeshift bed. A child or very adult can fit nicely on a thick chaise lounge pad. Short chair pads will be good for little children, too.

5. You can always make palettes anywhere on the floor for kids. These are just big piles of assorted blankets, quilts, sheets and/or comforters, stacked high enough on top of each other on the floor to be comfortable. Kids can also bunk on recliners and chairs that have ottomans. Small babies can even sleep in deep drawers or laundry baskets (moms have done this for years).

6. Using these and other ideas, you can host more overnight guests than you ever thought possible. It may not make for the most comfortable accommodations--but you don't want them to move in for good, do you?

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your extra bedding covered. Anything on the floor gets dirty really fast!

• Pick up extra odd sheets really cheap at thrift sores.