How to Make the Easiest Bedskirt Ever

Keep your bed's support structure underwraps with an easy bedskirt.

The purpose of a bedskirt is to hide the underpinnings of a bed and keep all your dirty secrets and dust bunnies out of sight. A purchased bedskirt is expensive and who wants to get out the sewing machine. There is an option, for a bedskirt with clean lines that coordinates with your bedding and doesn't require you to sew a stitch.

Things You'll Need

• Flat sheet, generally one size bigger than the mattress being covered

Instructions

1. Place one queen size flat sheet, usually 90 by 102 inches, crosswise over a full-size mattress. The header of the flat sheet should hang on the most visible side of the bed because it is generally the more attractive edge. With the 102 inch of flat sheet placed over the 54-inch mattress, there are 48 inches remaining to hang as the bed skirt over the sides of the bed -- 24 inches per side. If desired, the bottom edge of the flat sheet could be hemmed so none of the flat sheet touches the floor.

2. Tuck in the 15-inch excess at the top or bottom of the mattress, whichever end is against the wall. Although not a lot, it manages to be enough for the flat sheet to remain secure for an entire week with no bunching at night and only an occasional tug needed to make the bed. I always tuck all the excess under the head of the mattress. No tucking seems to be needed at the foot of the bed, but this probably depends on how much people move around at night. Heavier cottons or blends work best.

3. Place a full flat sheet either crosswise or in the usual direction over a twin-size mattress, and tuck in the excess. For a queen mattress, use either a queen flat sheet placed crosswise or a king flat sheet placed in the usual direction or crosswise. A king flat sheet may not provide enough overhang for a king mattress unless more overhang is pulled to one side than the other. Alternatively, a strip of fabric can be added to the off-side to provide extra length.

4. Finish off this simple bedding by throwing a covered duvet and pillows over the bed skirt/flat sheet. With a duvet cover, you don't even need to replace the flat sheet that your used for your bedskirt.

Tips & Warnings

• Used linens are easy to sanitize with a hot-water wash and dry and, are therefore, safe to buy secondhand.