Make Your Bed Day

What the day is

Make Your Bed Day is observed on September 11. It encourages people to make the bed first thing in the morning, which takes a couple of minutes. The origin of the day is not documented, and it is an informal observance that is easy to join: a made bed is all the evidence you need.

The chore is a divisive one. Some people make their bed every morning without thinking, and others have never seen the point. September 11 is also the anniversary of the 2001 attacks in the United States, which many people mark quietly, and this day is a light one that sits alongside that remembrance.

Origin and background

The case for it was put memorably in 2014 by Admiral William McRaven, a retired Navy officer, in a commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin. He argued that starting the day by completing a small task sets a tone, and that if you cannot do the little things right, you will not do the big ones either. The speech, and a book that followed, brought the idea of the made bed into wide discussion.

Research on the habit is modest. Surveys have found that people who make their beds tend to report that they are happier and sleep a little better, although those studies cannot show that the bed is the cause. A small number of studies on household habits suggest that an unmade bed leaves warmth and moisture that dust mites like, while a bed made with the covers pulled up is less hospitable to them, though the findings are limited.

What many people find is simpler. A made bed makes a room look tidier, and it gives you a small win at the start of the day. For some, an unmade bed is a perfectly fine choice, and the main thing is to air out the sheets and wash them regularly.

How to take part

• Make your bed this morning, pulling up the sheet, blanket and pillows in under three minutes.
• Change the sheets while you are at it, since fresh linens are the best part of a made bed.
• Try it for a week and see whether you notice a difference in your mood.
• Teach a child to make a bed, and make it a short game.
• Do one more small task right away, such as opening the curtains and putting out a cup for coffee.