Scientific Homemaking: Save Time Making your Bed.

When I am changing the sheets I usually use the Side/Side/Foot Method (SSFM) to put the new sheets back on.  I put on one side of the sheet or blanket and straighten it, then I walk over to the other side and straighten it, then I go to the foot of the bed and straighten and tuck it in.

I wondered if all that back and forth walking around was wasting time so I developed the Clockwise Corner by Corner Method (CCCM).  This involves starting at the right head of the bed and tucking in that corner.  Then, straightening as I walk to the right foot of the bed, I tuck in that corner.  This is repeated in a clockwise fashion around the bed until all sides and corners of the bed are straight and tucked under ending with the left head corner.

I also tested two methods of putting on a pillow case.  The Pillow Stuffing Method (PSM) entails holding the pillow case with one hand and stuffing the pillow into it with the other.  The Pillow Under the Chin Method (PUCM) is when you hold one end of the pillow under your chin and use two hands to slide the pillow case up and over the pillow.

Here are the results of my study:

                            SSFM                            CCC

Fitted Sheet           30 sec.                                      20 sec.

Flat Sheet               42 sec.                                      32 sec.

Comforter              35 sec.                                       27 sec.

                                    PSM                                     PUCM

Pillow Case           17 sec                                       11 sec.

Second Case       17 sec                                       11 sec.

Totals:                       141sec.                                    101 sec.

As you can see the Clockwise Corner by Corner Method (CCC) in conjunction with the Pillow Under the Chin method (PUCM) was faster by 40 seconds!  That's over 28% faster than the SSFM/PSM Method!  What I didn't realize was that it really doesn't take that long to put new sheets on my bed.  I always envisioned it at a 5-10 minute chore, when it really takes less than 2 minutes!

This study took me 5 minutes and 28 seconds to complete which includes the operation of the timer, recording the results, transitions, and taking pictures.  That means I will start saving time after making the bed 8.2 more times.  If I change my sheets once a month for the next fifty years I could save 24,000 seconds.  That's over 6 1/2 hours!  Now the question is:   "What am I going to do with all that time?"

Note:  Scientific Homemaking was inspired by the motion studies of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth.  To read more about them check out this article:  Happiness Minutes: Technology and Psychology in the Home by Mary Ann Buschka