I hope I’m not the only one who hasn’t completely figured out this whole homemaking thing. A couple of weeks ago, I realized a big gap in my pillow knowledge and went on to learn five tips for taking care of our bedroom pillows.

See, I had just put fresh crisp white pillowcases on my comfy pillows. (I have almost always had white sheets, and the one time I didn’t, well, I regretted it. But that’s another story.) I don’t know what I expected to happen, but those brand new pillowcases didn’t feel right. The pillows did not stand at attention. The cases seemed too big.

I asked my daughter who had just bought the same pillowcases. Too big? No, she said, just right. Hm. That’s when this not-so-bright gal — me — realized how completely shot my pillows had become. I mean completely mushy and floppy and squeeze-up-into-a-little-ball-shot.

I consulted Home Comforts (A wonderful wedding shower gift, by the way) and a couple websites where I learned that if you fold your pillow in half and it stays that way, well, it’s time to do something. That’s when I researched and learned a few pillow lessons from people who have much more homemaking wisdom than I can ever hope to have. Many of you will no doubt already be in the pillow-awareness camp. If you are, then please add to this wisdom. If not, oh, please tell me so I can feel not so alone out here.

So here’s five tips I learned for taking care of bedroom pillows.

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Tips for Taking Care of Bedroom Pillows

1. Buy new pillows. Well, this is one way to tackle the problem, but it’s certainly not the most economical or environmental. Read on for what I decided to do.
2. Use pillow protectors. One pat on the back for me. I actually learned this from Mom and I’ve been doing it for years. But see below before you think I’m a Martha.
3. Wash pillow protectors every few weeks. Failed. I really can’t remember when I last washed the protectors before embarking on this pillow makeover. Wise homemakers suggest using zippered pillow protectors to keep allergens and all those other critters tucked inside. My local bedding store sells all sorts of pillow covers from one-hundred percent cotton (my choice) to vinyl ones that seem like they would be a little noisy, but if you really need allergy barriers, then it’s probably a very good idea.
4. Wash pillows every year. Seriously. Mites and other critters lurk inside our pillows. Makes me shudder. I’m going to add this to my annual to-do list once I make one. Or maybe I’ll just tackle it next time I rearrange our bedroom on a whim.
5. Plump your pillows every morning. It’s not just for looks. According to experts, this keeps your pillows filled with air, fluffy, healthy. I like to think that it shakes up the sleeping critters and maybe they won’t want to live there anymore.

And you know what? I spent a lot of years in pillow ignorance, but it’s okay. I’m learning. I’m going to share it with my kids. Maybe they’ll start better habits as they set up their homes. Or maybe I’ll just buy them new pillows every Christmas.

What pillow practices do you have? Please share your pillow wisdom because I know you know more than I do.

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