Making a Bunk Bed: Is There an Easy Way?

Spoiler alert: this has been debunked. But let’s not lose hope.

Bunk beds are great for rooms where you need more functionality. For a multi kid family, bunk beds help to squeeze kids into one space. Loft beds are perfect for adding more room with a desk/play area that is under the bed. 

In theory, these beds are an optimal way to make use of a space. But let’s be real here. They are a royal pain in the butt to make and keep clean. Climbing up on the top bunk as a full grown adult to change the sheets is a daunting task. There is no room to maneuver and you are surrounded by all of the things your child brought up there. Stuffies, food wrappers, action figures, etc. The struggle is real! 

So what can you do? Honestly, grin and bear it. Let’s see if we can help to make your life easier with a few helpful tips.

1. Have your child help you.

This could be the most helpful tip for you. If your child can get the sheets, blankets and pillow cases on and off for you then, hallelujah. It’s much easier for their little bodies to maneuver around up there. They may still need a little help from you with fitted sheets (more on that later), but making their bed is an important life skill, so start them young. 

2. Use a step ladder. It could save your sanity.

Rather than climbing up the ladder to get on the top bunk, see if using a step ladder or step stool around the bed will get you better access to the top. Being able to safely stand, reach and remove items from the bed as easily as possible is the goal here. 

3. Location of the bunk bed in the room

Is your bunk bed tucked in a corner of the room? If you are able, move your bunk bed away from the corner of the room. This will help you access all sides of the bed with ease.

4. Consider the make and size

Safety is always #1 when looking at bunk beds. You don’t want your child falling out during the night. When you are shopping for your bunk bed frame, envision yourself making the bed. Will you have to climb up to the top to pull the fitted sheet on, or can you reach between the slats in certain places to pull it tight? Consider whether wooden slats or a metal frame will be best in your situation.

Mattress sizes are also important. While smaller single sizes are easier to make the bed with, you may want to consider double beds for space as your children grow so you’re not upsizing later.

5. Now for the hard part, actually making the bunk bed

Making the bottom bunk isn’t so bad, but the top bunk is no fun. If the mattress is light and you can lift it in and out of the bunk, then by all means do that for switching sheets. Just be careful not to injure yourself.

• Using your step stool or climbing in if you need to, toss everything off of the bed including bedding, stuffies, toys, etc.
• Throw anything washable (including stuffies) into your washing machine with some powdered Tide® then machine dry. If you have bedding settings on your machines use those. 
• Using fresh bedding, start with the mattress protector and fitted sheet. You can save yourself a step if you do them together; find the same corner on both, place the sheet over the mattress protector and work from top to bottom. Pull up the corner of the mattress and tuck the mattress protector and sheet around that corner, then the other top corner, and then stretch them to the foot of the bed and repeat. 
• Skip the flat sheet if you want, kids just kick them to the bottom anyway. 
• Keep the rest of the bedding simple. Fewer pillows or blankets will save you steps on making the rest of the bed.
• Layer on your blankets or duvets, and tuck them in along the foot and sides of the bed. I like to tuck the blanket along the wall side extra tight so that the edge stays tucked longer.
• You, or your child, can organize their favorite stuffies and pillows back in place.

6. Cleaning the bunk

At least twice a year you should give the bunk bed a good wipe down. Ask your child to help you clean up the area (or do it while they’re out of the house if you prefer to work alone) by removing all the toys and garbage that might have been collected. Clean and vacuum under the bunk. If the bunk has a desk space below, clean and organize that as well. Grab a bucket with 1 gallon of HOT water, and 1 tsp of powdered Tide® with a cloth and wipe down the entire frame and ladder.

Check out our bedroom category on our blog for more dirt on bedrooms. Especially helpful for all the bedroom weeks in our House Work Cleaning Calendar. 

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