How to do away with fitted sheet?

TinyTink · 03-05-2019, 05:43 PM

Hello everyone,

This isn’t really a mod, but I wasn’t sure where else to post the question. Please direct me to the appropriate forum if I’m in the wrong spot. AnyWho, I’m a few months away from getting my first class B RV and I am thinking that the twin bed set up is the most appropriate because I would like to have two sofas to lounge on. Sometimes I will be traveling alone with my two dogs so it will be nice for them to have their own bed that is separate from mine. And if I travel with a female friend I certainly don’t wanna have to share a bed with them. However, most of my traveling will be with my significant other and we will be converting the twin beds into a queen the majority of the time.

The biggest problem that I see will be trying to put a fitted sheet over eight separate cushions that connect whenever I expand the bed out. This seems like a huge hassle when you’re tired and you’re finally ready to end your day. I’m also a little bit concerned about how comfortable the bed is going to be, so I’ve been thinking that it might be worthwhile to get a memory foam pad that I can roll up and store under the bed. Instead of having to put the fitted sheet on a mattress, I’m thinking I can sew two flat sheets together on three sides and make a duvet of sorts for the memory foam mattress topper. I even thought about doing two different color sheets, so after a few days of using one side I can flip it and have a clean sheet on the other side. I know that it’s going to be a pain trying to put a memory foam pad into a duvet, but I’d rather do that once a week when I do laundry than have to do a fitted sheet every night in such close quarters.

Has anyone ever tried a set up like this, or do you have alternative suggestions?

InterBlog · 03-05-2019, 07:03 PM

Hi, Louisiana. There's probably no other topic in the B world that is as subject to divergent opinions as bedding. What works for one person is often a total disaster for the next. That being noted, here's my take.

I got sheets when we bought our van 4 years ago, but I quickly gave up entirely on the idea of conventional bedding. It's too much hassle and it's the wrong environment for it, at least for me. I boondock almost exclusively (no hook-ups), and so I have limited climate control. What works best for me is a combination of a man's Nemo Disco 15 sleeping bag, which is extra-wide (NOT a mummy bag - I *hate* those torture-chamber things!!) plus between the two of us, my husband and I have 3 Rumpl trekking blankets (two synthetic and one goose down). I will usually start out on top of the sleeping bag covered by the Rumpl, then crawl into the bag as the temperature plummets during the night.

We don't mess with sheets at all. We just machine-wash the Rumpl synthetic blankets (and launder the bags regularly). I made nylon storage sleeves for both sleeping bags (my husband has a different brand) and we store them under the couches. The Rumpls all store in a soft gear loft I installed in the cab headliner.

A few pics.

The Nemo is WIDE, and I will sometimes sit in it and "wear" it like this when I'm working in the van on my computer during cold weather:

It is as wide as one of the couches:

Storage of the sleeping bags:

Storage of the Rumpls (and other light-weight bulky items like jackets):

GeorgeRa · 03-05-2019, 07:27 PM

I don’t know if this method would be applicable for you but for us it is a quick bed deployment and folding. It is not a permanent bed but it is close.

To erect the bed:
1. Remove sleeping bags and pillows from the sofa bed storage compartments
2. Unfold the bed, seconds.
3. Unrolled mattress cover
4. Spread the sleeping beds and reverse the sequence for bed to sofa folding

During our recent trip Oregon < > Florida we did it every night, I didn’t use a timer but it less than a minute to deploy the bed or fold it back to seat.

dicktill · 03-05-2019, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinyTink

Hello everyone,

This isn’t really a mod, but I wasn’t sure where else to post the question. Please direct me to the appropriate forum if I’m in the wrong spot. AnyWho, I’m a few months away from getting my first class B RV and I am thinking that the twin bed set up is the most appropriate because I would like to have two sofas to lounge on. Sometimes I will be traveling alone with my two dogs so it will be nice for them to have their own bed that is separate from mine. And if I travel with a female friend I certainly don’t wanna have to share a bed with them. However, most of my traveling will be with my significant other and we will be converting the twin beds into a queen the majority of the time.

The biggest problem that I see will be trying to put a fitted sheet over eight separate cushions that connect whenever I expand the bed out. This seems like a huge hassle when you’re tired and you’re finally ready to end your day. I’m also a little bit concerned about how comfortable the bed is going to be, so I’ve been thinking that it might be worthwhile to get a memory foam pad that I can roll up and store under the bed. Instead of having to put the fitted sheet on a mattress, I’m thinking I can sew two flat sheets together on three sides and make a duvet of sorts for the memory foam mattress topper. I even thought about doing two different color sheets, so after a few days of using one side I can flip it and have a clean sheet on the other side. I know that it’s going to be a pain trying to put a memory foam pad into a duvet, but I’d rather do that once a week when I do laundry than have to do a fitted sheet every night in such close quarters.

Has anyone ever tried a set up like this, or do you have alternative suggestions?

We have an RT 09/10C190P (2010 Roadtrek 190 Popular on a 2009 Chevy chassis if you're not familiar with the terminology). Originally built with a folding sofa, we converted it to twin beds, each with a custom mattress. My wife made custom fitted sheets for them (because of the slightly odd shape), and we leave them "made up" all the time. Works for us, and might for you.

Good luck, Dick

Paul the Gardens · 03-05-2019, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinyTink

Hello everyone,

This isn’t really a mod, but I wasn’t sure where else to post the question. Please direct me to the appropriate forum if I’m in the wrong spot. AnyWho, I’m a few months away from getting my first class B RV and I am thinking that the twin bed set up is the most appropriate because I would like to have two sofas to lounge on. Sometimes I will be traveling alone with my two dogs so it will be nice for them to have their own bed that is separate from mine. And if I travel with a female friend I certainly don’t wanna have to share a bed with them. However, most of my traveling will be with my significant other and we will be converting the twin beds into a queen the majority of the time.

The biggest problem that I see will be trying to put a fitted sheet over eight separate cushions that connect whenever I expand the bed out. This seems like a huge hassle when you’re tired and you’re finally ready to end your day. I’m also a little bit concerned about how comfortable the bed is going to be, so I’ve been thinking that it might be worthwhile to get a memory foam pad that I can roll up and store under the bed. Instead of having to put the fitted sheet on a mattress, I’m thinking I can sew two flat sheets together on three sides and make a duvet of sorts for the memory foam mattress topper. I even thought about doing two different color sheets, so after a few days of using one side I can flip it and have a clean sheet on the other side. I know that it’s going to be a pain trying to put a memory foam pad into a duvet, but I’d rather do that once a week when I do laundry than have to do a fitted sheet every night in such close quarters.

Has anyone ever tried a set up like this, or do you have alternative suggestions?

We use the Superbag along with an extra sheet in case of one being too hot and the other too cold. https://www.rvsuperbag.com
Good night

@Michael · 03-06-2019, 02:29 AM

We've done a few things similar to the above posters, either in our new B or the old camper, which also has a dinette/bed combo that must be set up every night.

Option 1: Custom sewn sheets made up of a bottom queen with triangles sewn on the corners that tuck under the cushions, a top sheet sewn to the bottom sheet at the feet so it doesn't need to be tucked, combined with a blanket or two. Took an hour to sew, and I'm really bad at sewing. This combo can either be folder up every morning or rolled up into a bedroll. Works best in summer.

Option 2: Throw a blanket down on the bed, and cover up with unzipped synthetic or down tapered or mummy sleeping bags. The bags are acting as blankets except unlike blankets, they have nice places to tuck in your feet.

Either way, folding, stuffing and tossing the sheets/blankets into storage is only a couple minutes work for two people working together. Way faster than setting up and taking down a tent (or backing, jacking and leveling a big old camper).

Or - one of us folds and stuffs while the other makes coffee.

booster · 03-06-2019, 02:49 AM

We are in between some of the other posters, I think.

We have converter our C190P Roadtrek to a permanent bed, from the power sofa, but we don't leave bedding on it during the day. The mattress is upholstered, so we use the bed as longer with arm pillows like a big lounge couch. At night we just put the arm pillows on the front seats and roll out Travasaks. Whole prep takes about a minute or two. Morning we just roll up the Travasaks and move the arm pillows back and are ready to go, or stay.

GallenH · 03-06-2019, 03:01 AM

We have an old 97PW with the option to combine the 2 twins into a single queen by putting the back cushions in between. Did this for a while. Found it a PITA to remove the raised nightstand to accomplish it and stretch sheets and topper out. Now we leave it as 2 twins. Wife made fitted sheets for each and a top sheet that has the lower, inner (towards wall) part fitted so it doesn't pull out. We cover that with quilts sized for the twins. Love it. Time for bed? You don't have to do anything. Oh, I also made a replacement for the nightstand part. The original was about 4" higher than the beds. My replacement has a hinged formica top and has the same storage capacity as the 2 original drawers. It sits about 2" below the beds. No more bumping elbows.

SteveWolf · 03-06-2019, 10:40 AM

Nothing like climbing in between sheets and a good comforter after a long drive. A sleeping bag just doesn't make it. I'm not in a tent. Give me my high-thread-count sheets and comfy comforter any day. It is worth the work although since I leave mine as a bed there is no work.

MsNomer · 03-06-2019, 02:35 PM

I’m in the “real bed” camp. Sleeping bags are for backpacking. My bed is permanent, but I think OP is on the right track for her situation.

I would cover the foam in a really slick silky permanent cover so that sliding the “duvet” sheet will be easier. I would want a tighter fit than the usual duvet. I would also attach the top sheet to the bottom. If you’re OK with the top sheet going unwashed through two cycles of bottom sheet, attach it permanently. If you want two top sheets, use Velcro.

I made a reversible quilt for the van with Climashield, which has a high R-value and does not need to be tacked. The quilted part ends as it reaches the bottom of the end of the mattress, so that only a strip of fabric gets tucked under. This fabric gets attached through the top sheet to the bottom sheet, so everything stays tucked even when the end of the bed is raised to access storage.

avanti · 03-07-2019, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsNomer

I’m in the “real bed” camp. Sleeping bags are for backpacking.

Same with us. Our GWV trim-fold bed works fine with a standard queen-sized fitted sheet. Well worth the 3 minutes/night.

VanGoGirl · 03-14-2019, 08:35 PM

We've been using our old sleeping bags from our tenting days (not the mummy type). We turn them inside out and let them air well, and we take a really good shower when we get back home. After all, we're CAMPING.

Belzar · 03-14-2019, 08:59 PM

That's the set-up we use and it works great. We purchased a cotton duvet cover that fits around a 2-inch foam pad. My wife enlarged the opening to make it easier to slip the pad in and out. To make the bed, simply unroll the pad and the bottom sheet is already there and secure.

Boondocker · 03-14-2019, 11:43 PM

We tried sheets every which way and ultimately bought a Sierra Designs Front Country queen sleeping bag. It doesn't feel like a sleeping bag at all. No zippers. There is elastic on the bottom so you could put it over a blow up mattress. We put the top over the cushions and just leave the bottom part. Our bodies hold it in place.

https://www.sunnysports.com/p-sdsbfb...CABEgLwjPD_BwE

TinyTink · 03-15-2019, 12:33 AM

You guys have given me a lot to think about and I really appreciate all of your suggestions. I think it’s noteworthy that so many people that don’t care about having a fitted sheet also sleep in sleeping bags. My biggest problem with the sleeping bag is that I live in Louisiana where it is HOT AND HUMID! About nine months out of the year I just sleep in my normal bed with a fitted sheet, a top sheet, and a throw over my feet in case they get cold. I’m planning on using this to go to southern Florida during the winter, but even during the summers I’ll probably be on the gulf coast at the beach quite a bit. So, a sleeping bag is definitely not going to work for me at all but I imagine it‘s super comfy if you live in a place that actually has these “winters” that I’ve heard so much about. I did get about an inch or two of snow 3 to 4 years ago so that was nice lol. FYI, the high today was 82 degrees in mid March.

I know some people sleep without a fitted sheet or even without a top sheet, but I’m assuming you live in a more temperate climate. Anyone who lives in the deep South hast to have both. I’m glad to know that someone else had the same idea as me and it is working for them. I also like some of the other suggestions about keeping twin fitted sheets on each of the couches and pushing them together. That would give me a usable double sized mattress instead of the king, but it seems like the simplest option. I think I will be trying out a few different options to see which one works best for me and thank you everyone for all of your advice!

I do have another idea that I wanted to run past you guys for suggestions. If I am moving about town traveling through a city and Boondocking in a metropolitan area, it seems like a pain to have to open and close shades for the front windows when I probably won’t be using the captains chairs too often. I also need a place to hang my towels and the occasional piece of laundry that I may need to hand wash. I thought about stringing up a clothesline or a rod right behind the captains chairs and I could make some curtains so I can easily wall off the whole front area of the RV for privacy plus it would be a nice way to add some color and make it homier. I can also pull the curtains back and use that to hang towels or wet bathing suits. I’m not interested in an outdoor clothesline because I could just hang a towel or a wet bathing suit on the awning but that doesn’t help when it’s raining. My main concern is figuring out the best way to attach to the RV. I’m hesitant to drill into the sides when I don’t know where electrical wiring is placed. Do most manuals have schematics in them or is that generally obtainable through the manufacturer?

So what do you guys do when you need to hang something on the interior walls? And with a tiny class B with a wet bath, where do you hang your towels after a shower or a dip in the pool?

Boondocker · 03-15-2019, 01:17 AM

Here is an example of a tension curtain rod. I don't know your width or how much weight they will hold, but we are also thinking of a privacy rod when we don't want to use the snap in covers in the front windows.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Home-Dec...470P/203676587

TinyTink · 03-15-2019, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boondocker

Here is an example of a tension curtain rod. I don't know your width or how much weight they will hold, but we are also thinking of a privacy rod when we don't want to use the snap in covers in the front windows.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Home-Dec...470P/203676587

Oh that’s perfect! Thabk you so much. I’ve used tension rods before for kitchen windows and they don’t hold much but worked well for thin curtains (but not thick drapes). Not sure about a wet towel. But, they also make tension rods that don’t use a spring. You turn them instead-it’s basically two pipes screwed together in the middle. When they untwist, it creates tension. Better hold, but you have to be careful about too much tension that may bend the metal. Still much better than having to drill into the walls which could affect the resale value or worrying about electrocuting yourself.

I’m thinking I will get some sheet sets for my two twin beds as I mentioned earlier and just keep the fitted sheets on there. It will be nice to add a bright pattern to the decor, but then I’m left with two useless twin top sheets since I’ll need a flat king sheet when I join them together. Just a little Stitch Witchery tape and a hot iron. Presto. Matching curtains. And they have the added bonus of looking cute even when pulled to the sides of the captains chairs. : )

Chelle · 03-16-2019, 12:14 AM

I am in the process of creating a covering for a foam mattress topper to put on top of our Aktiv 2.0 fold down couch. I have used two sheets and created a large pillowcase with long zippers down both sides for easy changes. I tried using a purchased duvet but haven't found one that is the right size or easy to take on and off for washing. We plan to use this along with a duvet on top for a covering. We can then roll up the mattress topper to store it when the couch is up. Wish me luck with the finished product.

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