all things bedding

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mattress

So, I wanted to write about my new bed scenario. My husband and I recently upgraded to a King size bed. GAME CHANGER. Unless you like to cuddle and feel each other move in the middle of the night...don’t upsize. However, even though we are relatively small people- we LOVE our King! Crazy that it took us this long to upgrade. I suppose we were waiting to find the right mattress before buying the most expensive size. 

So after we sold our home last year, we decided to buy new mattresses for us and our daughter. However, 1 year later and we only made the room to purchase our daughter a twin Avocado Green Mattress. However, we intentionally did this so that on nights when she was away at Grandparents’ houses- we each tried out her bed. Test drives as you will. 

So...I will start with the most important upgrade to improving your sleep routine. The mattress. I am a research maniac- especially with large purchases. My husband is the same but mostly for techy type stuff. (Actually, I know so little about tech stuff, I literally gave him the task of picking out my laptop/chromebook for my blogging. He did some research, went to Best Buy...and then told me which one he thought was the best price for what I needed. Aaaand here I am writing on my Chromebook C3330 that I love! Nice work Jer!). OK..back to the mattress. 

So chemical free was a priority for us. I think after you watch a few documentaries, and read a few articles about how many chemicals we have in tons of everyday things...you start to see you have options. Now, I can’t pick which type of paint or carpet the apartment we live in has...but I take advantage where I can on other things. Like where I lay my head. We decided to purchase the Avocado since it didn’t contain common chemicals found in mattresses. (Just google it and you’ll be amazed- one article said that even after 6 months of airing out a mattress to help get rid of the chemicals- the mattress still saw appreciable levels of off-gassing!) The Avocado is made with 100% certified organic wool, 100% organic cotton, 100% natural organic latex, has a 1 year trial (yes, 1 YEAR!), and a 25 year warranty. 

But of course, you don’t just want a mattress that is healthy for you- it has to be comfortable. The Avocado came in as the top rated in this Consumer Report . Now it is good to know that this is a conventional type mattress- meaning it uses springs vs memory foam or adjustable air. For us, we have purchased memory foam mattresses and even the popular Purple mattress in the past. None have been as great as the Avocado. If you are interested in checking them out; they currently have a $200 off sale! This is the cheapest I have seen. We recently purchased and received $150 0ff- this is their typical special…(all the time...so if you see $150 off no need to rush...but the current $200 is a better deal than usual).

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sheets

So now that I bought this chemical free mattress...I didn’t feel right putting regular sheets on my bed. I never minded my non-organic sheets before….but if I paid extra money for this health conscious mattress….why waste it by buying sheets that weren’t organic? So….that started another research endeavor! There is not a shortage of organic sheet companies out there! Wow! Since there are so many, I am only going to talk about the one I chose since I love them!

I decided to try Sol Organics Classic Organic Sateen Sheet Set. It comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet and 2 pillowcases. I will say I was on the website for quite some time figuring out what I wanted to order. There were options for percale, sateen and linen. I still can’t tell you 100% the difference…(But from what I gathered, percale is best for summer months, sateen for winter months...and linen boasted to be great year round).  Ultimately, I decided to buy 2 different kinds and planned on returning 1. However, it turns out, I ordered 2 of the exact same kind! Good thing I love it! I did however return the 1 as for now, it is no problem for me to remove the sheets; wash/dry them and reapply immediately. We will see if the sateen is too warm in the summer!

I decided to purchase the white color. Ever since I watched Instant Hotel and the host on there said, you must always buy white sheets for your guests...something about this always allows them to see that they are clean and have no stains. Not sure how that is in my favor when it is my own bed...but it seemed more luxurious to have a bed that is as good as a vacation;)

So...the verdict… Initially, since we were used to jersey and flannel sheet we thought that they were cold. However, this quickly dissipates once you get in and start to warm them up. I will say they keep the heat very well. We only have 2 blankets on top of the sheet (those I will mention in a minute) and it is the perfect temperature all night long. I will also support their claim that they get softer with each wash. Boy is that true! Seriously….best investment. And since I only bought 1 and it will be something we literally use every night- I believe it was worth it. Cost? I bough them on sale right before New Year’s. But I do see that when I go online now, they have another sale for 25% off. So… normal cost for a king set is $169, my sale offered it to me for $126 with free shipping. It came super fast (both sets;). They offer a 30 night sleep guarantee and free shipping. I am currently in the  middle of the return for the second set. They contacted me right away and I returned them immediately- I am still checking back and resolving the return but at this point I am not overly concerned since they did keep in communication with me up to this time. But I will say, it isn’t the same as Amazon- hand the item to UPS and within hours I have a refund...but that’s Amazon for you- changing our expectations to unrealistic ones for the rest of the companies out there.

** UPDATE: After I emailed the company to check on my refund status, I was refunded immediately. SO all is well with my first return.**

Anyways… I love them. I know the price might seem steep, but like I said; 1 set that you use e every night- makes more sense. I also compared other organic sheet brands and some run up to $300+ for King sets! I am sure some other blogger out there would tell me those are worth it too:) To each their own! 

And just because I wanted to double check; it looks like Amazon does sell these for more than 1/2 off the original price. The link says that it is sold by SOL Organics but I haven't ordered these yet but because they are such a deal- I might! See above for the direct links to the SOL Organics website. 

**AMAZON UPDATE: The sheets are not the same! I ordered them, compared and determined they were fake! Not the real deal-yo. So..I am removing the previous Amazon link that was below. Order here instead.

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comforter

My new comforter/blanket. It is technically a blanket. However, a king sized blanket to me is like a comforter. But it definitely has the softness and ease of mobility of a blanket. It is called the “Cotton Cloud Jersey Blanket”. I told you before that I was a fan of Jersey. I just have never seen it in a blanket before! This blanket is bomb! OH man, the perfect weight, the perfect warmth and the perfect softness- PLUS I actually saw this in the store (vs. online like everything else) and I was immediately drawn to the way it looked. It is white with grey streaks so that it would blend well with any bedroom. And since we are in a transition with living in our apartment until we start building our home- I tend to be pickier when buying things now as I don’t know if they will “fit” in the new home. But this, is a winner for sure. I LOVE the way it looks! Cost? Regular price for a king is $199. Steep...like my sheets. So to be sure I really liked it...I gave it the good ol’ go home and see if you really-still-want-it-in-a-week- trick. 2 weeks later, I still thought that it would be perfect- and regardless we needed something that was a king size to go over the mattress. So...obviously, I purchased it during a sale and got it for $159. When in comparison to other comforters, duvets, etc- this was actually in line or cheaper than others...that darn King size is so expensive! One thing to note that went against my first 2 purchases in this blog is that it is not organic. As bummed as that makes me, I figured it wasn’t immediately touching my skin like the sheets which were immediately touching the chemical free mattress. This probably describes my goals and attitude toward clean and green living. Where I can, and where it makes the most impact, and if it is reasonably affordable- I choose green and clean/chemical free. I do bend for things I really love (like this blanket). I will not be the person to buy the organic couches but I may consider chemical free carpet in the few rooms we decide to use it. Compromises. I also read a quote recently that has brought me much comfort when my mind goes into- “You must buy everything organic! Never use Clorox or light that candle!” - mode. It is from Stuart and JIll Briscoe as they discussed her fear of flying. Jill was reminded that she arrived on this Earth exactly when she was supposed to and she will not leave this Earth one minute sooner than she is supposed to. This has allowed me to loosen up my fears since God never wants us to be hyper focused on any one issue besides him. So, I accommodate where I can, and give God the rest!

I hope I said enough about the blanket...because I am ready to move on!

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pillows

The cherry on top; My pillow! The last few years I was having all kinds of back issues. (Perhaps my mattress situation was a contributing factor)..who knows but it is a likely possibility. A good friend of mine suggested investing in a good pillow. So out I went searching for something different. Well I found it! And I think it is GENIUS! 

The Coop Home Goods Adjustable Pillow. Yes, you read that right- adjustable! So how it works is you order a Queen or a King size. Obviously, I chose the King (even though it was before we had the mattress, I really hoped we would stick to our plan of ordering a King size mattress eventually). So how it works: They send you a pillow already stuffed with their super soft memory foam pieces. They also send you extra memory foam in the event you want it more stuffed. And by extra….I mean EXTRA! I have so much extra from the one I ordered, I am seriously considering just buying the zippered case to stuff one for Jerry! It took me about 2 weeks of stuffing and unstuffing to find my perfect fill. A friend of mine asked if it was at all lumpy. Not at all! You would think that it might be, but all of the little pieces blend together for the perfect pillow. They claim that the pillows undergo strict, third-party testing and are CertiPUR- US and GREENGUARD Gold certified.  They have a 100 night guarantee and also come with a 5 year warranty. Cost? Queen is $59.99 on both Amazon and their website and King is $64.99 on both Amazon and their website. This is also probably why I went with a King… They boast that they work for every kind of sleeper, back, side, stomach. And since you literally fill it yourself- I can see how it really would work for anyone!​

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keep 'em clean! my soap nuts!

I know, I know...these sound CRAZY! But this last year, I calculated how much I was spending on laundry detergent and I was determined to find a better solution! I scoured the internet for chemical free laundry that didn't cost a small fortune and also didn't involve me having to buy the even MORE expensive green/plant based kind. SO...I tried soap nuts! 
I just looked back at my original purchase that was on January 2, 2019. My most recent 2nd purchase was on December 31, 2019! WHAAAAAT?! Those puppies lasted me an entire year?! Let me break it down for you and what transpired in the last year. 
So...my first brand of soap nuts was this one. Eco Nuts, at the time I purchased, this exact box of 100 loads cost me $12.90! 

Let me break it down how it works and what it is. These  powerful little soap balls are actually dried berries from a tree that grows in the Himalayas. When they are put in water, they produce surfactant and saponin. Not only can this be used as a detergent, but you can also make other things such as household cleaners, dish soap, shampoo and even bug repellent! 
The Nitty Gritty of using it for laundry:
Add 4-6 soap nuts in the mesh bag they provide. Place it in the washer (safe for all kinds by the way, front loaders, top loaders, energy efficient), use with any temperature of water. After washing, remove the bag and allow to dry. If you forget to remove the bag before putting your clothes in the dryer- no problem. It won't ruin them but my theory is that they will "Dry out" and lose their efficacy sooner. The packaging says you can reuse the same set of soap nuts up to 10 times but I have found I can get more out of them. I only replace once they become dry looking. At first I didn't know what I was looking for...but after 10-12 washes you will see they definitely see the difference and know when to switch them out. 
I haven't tried making any of the other products out of them, but I'm excited to try! If you do, post a comment below and let me know how it turned out! 

I just looked in my first box of Eco Nuts and I still had some left! However, the remaining looked like it was broken into more pieces and dried out. So, if you don't use them all before they are dried out...(which took me an entire year), just buy another box or brand of soap nuts! For $13-$20 for the entire year, you hardly feel like you didn't get your money's worth. 
Now a few other thoughts I had. In the beginning I just didn't think that these soap nuts actually took care of dog smells. Like blankets and the bed the dog used. For some reason I thought I needed liquid detergent. So...I did buy some liquid detergent for the dog, thinking it had to be necessary. Then one day, I decided to put the soap nuts to the test because the plant based liquid detergent was not getting out the dog smell.
AND GUESS WHAT!?!
The nuts actually worked better. They leave all clothes smelling clean but not scented. Just what I like. 
My only other recommendation is for tough stains, I still use a "shout-like" product. I don't mind spot treating with a quick chemical to get certain stains out. But for my everyday cleaning, these nuts are my new favorite! 
Here is the direct link for the most recent brand I bought.

I think this one is going to last me 2 years based on how much larger of a supply this one is compared to my first one. 
Oh, and for reference. I am a small family of 3..and up until recently 1 dog. So, if you have a larger family then they won't last you quite as long. But give them a try, I know you will be surprised!

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my last soap box on throw pillows

As you can tell in my first photo of our complete bed situation, I have no throw pillows. You might think; "Well, she has a mattress on the floor and she is in transition because they are building a house...so she hasn't purchased these yet".
Not the case. 
Ever since I had a rummage and adopted a more minimalist lifestyle I found that throw pillows are completely useless. At least in our house. And I had them. I had them with couches and on beds, different ones for different seasons. And then I realized...since it made extra work to make the bed with these...all they did was sit on the floor or in a chair in our bedroom. Now, I may add 1 or 2 throw pillows at our new house in the living room. I get you might want to rest your head while watching TV every once in a while. But in our bedroom...we use our regular pillows for that... It has made making my bed SO much easier...even though it doesn't seem like it would make a difference. 

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* The Amazon links in this blog do allow me to generate a percentage of revenue based on any purchases you decide to make directly from the links. However, these reviews are entirely my own and I was not paid directly for the review. Thanks for helping support the blog costs by purchasing directly from the links if you decide to try some of these Amazon products!