For those who have blankets on their beds instead of a duvet...

[shelivesthedream]

We're thinking of transitioning to traditional blankets instead of a duvet.

1. What layers do you have? Seems the minimum is a flat sheet (frequently washed), a wool blanket (infrequently washed) and a decorative top blanket/quilt (infrequently washed). (And where do you keep them when not in use?)
2. How often do you wash the various layers? We currently never wash our actual duvet and wash the duvet cover when it seems gross. (every two months?)
3. How easy is it to make the bed, especially if you have short arms? I wouldn't go all hospital corners crazy, but blankets seem like more layers to rearrange.
4. Is it actually easier to vary/regulate the temperature?
5. Are you a thrasher? If so, how does that work with more layers to rotate, push away and tangle up?
6. Where did you get your blankets? I'm looking at military surplus at the moment as it's not something most department stores seem to stock.
7. Why do you have blankets instead of a duvet? Is it a hangover from childhood? Is it a choice you made in adulthood?

[KCM5]

I don't have much help for you, but I do want to note that this is really a British and European issue. While I do use a duvet (a light one in the spring/fall, heavy down one in winter, just a sheet in summer), as an American this is unusual.

And you're overthinking it! Wash the flat sheet when you wash the fitted sheet/pillowcases. Wash the other blankets whenever. Sleep.

[KCM5]

Also, do you sew? Some people really enjoy quilting, so that may be a way for you to create some warm blankets for your bedding (not always cheap, though, depending on what you pay for supplies).

[Cassie]

I wash sheets once a week & comforter once a month.

[Meowkins]

I much prefer duvets to blankets for ease of use, but I do use an extra blanket over our duvet when it gets especially cold.

[AllieVaulter]

I LOVE blankets!  I have so many of them.  :D  In the summer, most of the blankets are up on the high shelves in closets.  I also have a trunk at the foot of my bed where I store my favorite blankets. 

I use layered blankets on our bed because it helps regulate temperatures better for my husband and I.  My husband gets too hot, and I get cold.  I actually have quite a few half blankets (afghans) that I use in the winter, just on my side of the bed.  I also use the afghans around the house (on the couch or chairs) for snuggling up in while I read. 

If the blankets are on the bed, they don't get washed very often.  Maybe once a year, unless I notice they're getting gross.  The blankets that are out on the chairs get washed more often because they get direct skin contact.  But even then, it's probably only once a month (again, unless they get gross). 

As far as where to get them...  That's never been a problem for me.  :)  My big queen size quilt came from my grandma's house after she died.  My mom knit one of them.  I'm about to start knitting my first blanket.  My MIL sews flannel rag quilts and taught me.  These are possibly the easiest quilts ever to make.  Here's a tutorial:  http://www.lifekidsandthepursuitofsanity.com/2012/03/30/flannel-rag-quilt-tutorial/  (but this looks even more intimidating than it is.  You just sew squares together & leave all the seams exposed.  Then cut the seams to 1/2" strips & let it fray in the wash)

There's definitely places you can buy them.  If you like homemade, fairs almost always have quilts for sale.  My church has a sewing group that sews blankets, some to donate, but some to sell to buy more supplies.  I'd also keep an eye out for yard sales.  I got an awesome wool blanket for $5 at a yard sale.  It's got a small hole, but you could darn or patch holes. 

[pbkmaine]

We live in Florida and have been experimenting with covers. This is what is currently working for us: fitted sheet, flat sheet, empty duvet cover, and thin microfiber blanket at end of bed to pull up if we get cold. In what passes for winter here, we add a fleece throw.

[Sailor Sam]

I've got blankets, and I'm a dedicated bed maker. First thing when I wake up in the morning.

1. They system - fitted sheet, thin blanket, then quilt. I also use a heavy blanket on top of the quilt in the winter. I don't have a flat sheet because they seem unnecessary and make bed making slower

2. I don't have a dedicated schedule. I wash when things get yick

3. Still pretty easy to make the bed. The blanket and quilt tend to move together, so most mornings are just pulling them up and smoothing. Sometimes I take the quilt off, straighten the blanket, then replace the quilt. But I will admit the duvet took even less time.

4. I've used both blankets and duvets, but I don't have much trouble regulating the temp with either

5. I don't thrash much

6. Blankets seem to be fairly easy to find - my current crop came from Target. True wool blankets might be more difficult to source, but I'd advise avoiding due to the itching. Unless you already know you like them.

7. Grew up with sheet, blanket, and spread. Used a duvet after I found one for cheep. When back to blankets when the duvet died. I like both systems.

[sser]

1. Layers: Fitted sheet, flat sheet, cotton blanket (I avoid polyester - feel like it just doesn't breath as well), down throw at foot in case it is needed. In the winter, I might add a down comforter in between the flat sheet and the blanket.
2. Washing: Fitted and flat sheets every week or two, pretty easy, and the quilt/ blanket whenever it is needed.
3. Ease of bed-making: Not to bad, unless one long side of your bed is up against a wall. Also, I do the hospital corners, haha - learned from my mom, who's mom was a nurse.
4. Temperature regulation: I like my sheets, blanket, down throw combo a ton because it's easy to adjust as needed.
5. Thrasher?: Not really, sorry! : \ There can be some tangling, but not too bad with the flat sheet anchored at the bottom.
6. Sources: Sheets (sateen-type and flannel) and down blankets have come from random stores, but my current top blanket came from www.coyuchi.com on sale. They also have wool blanks go on sale occasionally.
7. Blanket vs Duvet: I used a duvet to cover the down comforter for a short time after collage, but hated messing with the duvet - never again! So I got a nice cotton quilt / blanket instead. Growing up, we had fitted and flat sheets, a microfiber blanket, and then a quilt. Though in collage I just used the fitted/ flat sheets and an exposed down comforter, which I fount that I loved the most (in colder climate). Usually too warm for that where I live now, hence the cotton blanket instead.

[AllieVaulter]

Sorry I didn't answer all your questions.  Let me try and get the ones I missed.

It might be a little harder to make the bed, depending on how many layers you have and how heavy they are.  I've found that my blankets tend to move as one.  So, if one needs to be rearranged, they all do.  I stand on the side of the bed and hold the edges of all the blankets and flick them up.  They all fall down together and it's usually pretty close to how I want them.  This becomes harder the heavier the stack of blankets are, but it's never been too bad for me, even in winter.  I don't tuck anything in.  The fitted sheet is around the mattress, but the flat sheet, quilt, and all extra blankets just drape over the edges of the bed.  That means the blankets are easier to move & get crooked, but DH HATES having his feet restricted. 

I think the layers are super easy to regulate temperatures.  Since my extra layers are on top (and only on my half of the bed), if I got hot, I'll just take a blanket off and drop it on the floor.  Or fold it down so it's only on my legs/feet.  The main benefit for us is that it makes dual temperatures in the bed super easy. 

I'm not a thrasher, but I'm a roller.  I have no trouble rolling from one my left side over to my right side without messing up the blankets.  There may have been a little bit of a learning curve though.  Because when we first got married, I distinctly remember some tug-o-wars over the blankets.  But they've since stopped. 

Growing up I had sheets and a quilt, with additional blankets as needed.  When we got married I registered for a duvet because it seemed more grown up and sophisticated.  But neither DH nor I really cared for it.  It was much too hot for DH.  I was fine with it, but I didn't like it better (and maybe a little less) than a pile of blankets. 

Does the UK have a craigslist (or equivalent)?  I would also check there.  I just searched "blanket" and I got a bunch of posts.  Also try quilt, and afghan. 

[Sloeginfizz]

I get really warm when sleeping with too heavy bedding like a duvet or even with top sheet plus blanket. I just use a quilt. The thin, cotton kind. You can find them pretty cheap at places like TJ Maxx or IKEA. It goes in the washer when I do the fitted sheet plus pillow cases so it doesn't get gross even with no top sheet. It doesn't dry as fast as the rest of the bedding but I hang it over something for a while before making the bed and it's fine.

I like wool blankets, have a couple of Pendleton's that are really pretty but way too warm for me even in winter. The mere thought of top sheet plus wool blanket plus quilt turns me into a sweaty mess.

[geekette]

Duvets are too heavy for me.  Whenever we go to a hotel, we end up taking the innards out and sleeping under just the cover. 

At home, it's just a fitted sheet and top sheet in the summer (my DH has a fleece blanket for his half, if needed).  In the winter we add an electric blanket.  Wash the sheets every week or two, and the blankets whenever they need it (not often at all).

[alsoknownasDean]

I'm so used to having a doona on the bed it'd feel weird to have blankets only. Usually I'll chuck a blanket on top in the winter.

Probably should replace the doona though.

[SisterX]

We use a quilt, which a cousin made and gifted to us as a wedding present.  Then we also have various other blankets which can go over the quilt depending on time of year, fleece and some sort of super-soft fabric, but no top sheet (husband hates them).  We prefer this system because, as someone else mentioned, thermal regulation seems to be easier for us.  I'm usually cold and husband is hot when he sleeps, but he also gives off a lot of heat.  Since he comes to bed later than I do, I'm cold until he gets there and much warmer after, so I can kick off a layer or two without actually needing to wake up.

We're not bed-makers, as we have an old dog who climbs onto the bed and "nests" in the blankets, plus a toddler who lurves to bounce on the bed.  So we push the quilt to one side to keep it nice-ish and leave the other blankets to be played with.

They get washed when I think, "Hmm, it's been a while.  Those should probably get washed."  Or if something is spilled, or said dog or toddler creates a nasty mess of some sort.  (I'm thinking mostly snot-related or food-related here--don't be gross!)  If at all possible, I air-dry the quilt so that it doesn't get tortured in the dryer.

[Frankies Girl]

I live in SE Texas, so we don't get really harsh winters (sometimes gets to freezing, but usually it's just chilly temps for a few months, and we might see snow every 3-5 years).

I grew up with regular blankets (and lived in a more northern area that had more realistic winters) so I had to look up what a duvet was. I think it might be a regional thing. I'd never heard of them until the last decade or so due to traveling. By quilts I mean a pieced top sewn together, with batting filler and a cotton backing.

That being said, we do use layers of quilts/blankets on our bed. We're weird however - we have individual blankets for each of us (I cocoon the blanket - wrapped up under my feet and body - so there is no way it's possible to share a blanket), and neither one of us likes top sheets (flat sheets) so those usually end up hanging out in our linen closet and never used.

We sleep year round with a regular cotton quilt - one each. In winter, we get extra quilts, up to 3 of them each (I have a ton of them anyway). I have collected many different types of pieced quilts over the years both store bought and made by family, and have many to spare (which is good as they do eventually wear out). They are all pretty, but nothing fancy. Extras are stored in our linen closet, and I have a few others in a spare room closet. They are pretty enough to display in most cases, however, especially the handmade family ones, so I could see using the extra ones as wall hangings or folded neatly atop a wardrobe if space was a premium.

When the bed gets made, we use one quilt on the bed, and the other is folded neatly across the bottom (in winter, we just layer them with the nicest looking one on top). We are not fancy bed-makers; the main quilt is flipped up into the air over the bed to spread it out, then pulled to adjust the edges to hang evenly, and then smooth out any wrinkles, but no fancy tucking or anything. Takes all of 5 minutes if that. We don't actually make the bed often tho, just fold the blankets down at the foot of the bed (holdover from when we had alternating shifts). And I do have short arms.

Quilts are washed about once a month (sheets washed once a week). I always line dry them as they are HUGE and would take forever in a dryer anyway.

[Cressida]

I refuse to use any bedding that I can't fit in my washer/dryer, so, no duvets here. (Only one cat-urine incident was needed to solidify that position.) We use top sheet and quilted bedspread, with additional cotton blankets between depending on the weather (anywhere from zero to three). Sheets are washed every 1-2 weeks, blankets and bedspread every 1-2 months. Admittedly, we don't make the bed regularly - just rearrange all of the bedding every night to account for thrashing, sweaty-middle-of-night-discarding, etc.

[Trifle]

We do a blanket system for spring, summer, and fall, and switch to a down comforter with a flannel duvet cover for the winter.  (Very harsh winters here, and we turn our furnace temp down to ~60 in the winter).

For the three-season blanket system we do a flat sheet/thin cotton quilt, and add a fleece blanket in between when temps are cooler. (Wool would be too warm). Sometimes we use a flannel flat sheet. No flannel elsewhere -- just the flat sheet. That is really nice.  Highly recommend it.   

The blanket system is easy to maintain -- we wash the flat sheet most often, when we wash the fitted sheet and the pillow cases, and the fleece blanket and cotton bedspread get washed rarely -- just if something unusual happens.  The blankets don't separate at night, but we don't thrash much. For temperature control, we fold down the top cotton quilt so it's just on our feet/legs and just use the flat sheet.  Bed is very easy to make -- it takes twenty seconds at most.

I love sleep. Good luck with your blankets!
   

[Bracken_Joy]

1. What layers do you have? Seems the minimum is a flat sheet (frequently washed), a wool blanket (infrequently washed) and a decorative top blanket/quilt (infrequently washed). (And where do you keep them when not in use?)
Summer:
I do fitted sheet (basic cotton), then flat sheet(basic cotton), then a quilt
Winter:
I do fitted sheet (flannel), then flat sheet (flannel), then a bamboo woven blanket, then a thin down comforter, then the quilt. If it's very cold, I'll add an electric blanket just above the flat sheet. (We don't use heat generally, but there are always a couple weeks it's between 10-20F here.
When not in use, I store them in my closet. There's a shelf at the top I pack them on. There are cool big bags you can suck the air out of to make them store small, but I've never had them. Fantasize about them though haha.

2. How often do you wash the various layers? We currently never wash our actual duvet and wash the duvet cover when it seems gross. (every two months?)
I wash everything that touches my skin weekly (fitted, flat, and pillow cases). I wash the quilt twice a year generally. The other blankets tend not to get direct contact, so it's just if they seem musty.

3. How easy is it to make the bed, especially if you have short arms? I wouldn't go all hospital corners crazy, but blankets seem like more layers to rearrange.
I find it easy to make the bed, but I've made it every day of my whole life since I was 6 or 7. And I do hospital corners ;)

4. Is it actually easier to vary/regulate the temperature?
I find it easier. When I've stayed with people in the past who have a duvet (and my very brief attempt to do my own duvet system...) it was all or nothing. Too hot or too cold. Ugh.

5. Are you a thrasher? If so, how does that work with more layers to rotate, push away and tangle up?
I am not a trasher, but my ex was a thrasher. I will admit, it was MUCH harder to make the bed and straighten the sheets. I tried to do duvets for us, but that failed miserably for both of us. What ended up working was to have him sleep on top of all sheets, and have his own thin blanket.

6. Where did you get your blankets? I'm looking at military surplus at the moment as it's not something most department stores seem to stock.
I tend to buy at TJ Maxx, but you may not have those in the UK. Overstock.com has a great selection, and every january they do a "whites sale" for their linens. Great time to buy. Ikea also carries a variety of the sheets, although not so much the quilts- they carry duvets from what I've seen. My quilts all have been given by family members. Well taken care of, they last forever. If you have a local quilter, it could be worth putting that money into the local economy.

7. Why do you have blankets instead of a duvet? Is it a hangover from childhood? Is it a choice you made in adulthood?
Well, I did grow up with this system, so that's undoubtedly playing a role. But as mentioned, I tried duvets, and that just did not work for me. It also felt far too unclean- they're difficult to wash as often, and I hate the smell and greasy feel linens quickly get. Also, sheets are easy to hang out to dry, so you get that nice sun dried feel and smell.

[galliver]

Gonna blow minds here...you can put a duvet cover on a blanket. Then you don't risk losing the flat sheet (or have to mess with straightening it) and your blanket gets shielded from dirt and oils.

As a toss-and-turner, I find when I have to use multiple layers they do come apart abd make a mess.

If vastly, irreconcilably different temperature preferences (or blanket-stealing!) are causing serious strife, maybe you'd be better off with separate blankets? Though if you just need one extra blanket, you bam can probably figure it out.

Oh! Also. Texture matters! Some blankets are slippery, while others are more "grabby". Wool felt actually slips pretty bad, even if it feels rough. Anyway, something to consider.

[Rosy]

Living in Florida we rarely get cold enough for a down comforter/quilt, maybe two to 4 weeks out of the year.

My solution, since I am sensitive to the slightest temperature change up and down - we have three covers - one super light quilted cotton (no filling) for summer, one thick cotton quilt (no filling) for the rest of the year and a feather down quilt for those times when it actually gets cold.
I think throwing a quilt over a bed is the most efficient and best looking method.

I would prefer separate duvets like what we had in Europe, but the ones I saw around here were poor quality and overpriced.

We use flannel sheets or cotton-satin sheets, fitted and cover sheet - washed once a week. Covers are washed as needed - we have indoor outdoor cats, so that is at a minimum once a month.

We have several blankets and throws in all sizes and materials which we only use for hanging out in the recliners or the couch - and couch cover, don't really need them on the bed. They get washed every two to three weeks.

Storage: Linencloset

[choppingwood]

I've got blankets, and I'm a dedicated bed maker. First thing when I wake up in the morning.

1. They system - fitted sheet, thin blanket, then quilt. I also use a heavy blanket on top of the quilt in the winter. I don't have a flat sheet because they seem unnecessary and make bed making slower

2. I don't have a dedicated schedule. I wash when things get yick

3. Still pretty easy to make the bed. The blanket and quilt tend to move together, so most mornings are just pulling them up and smoothing. Sometimes I take the quilt off, straighten the blanket, then replace the quilt. But I will admit the duvet took even less time.

4. I've used both blankets and duvets, but I don't have much trouble regulating the temp with either

5. I don't thrash much

6. Blankets seem to be fairly easy to find - my current crop came from Target. True wool blankets might be more difficult to source, but I'd advise avoiding due to the itching. Unless you already know you like them.

7. Grew up with sheet, blanket, and spread. Used a duvet after I found one for cheep. When back to blankets when the duvet died. I like both systems.

+1 on all 7 points.

I find older style blankets too heavy. However, there are lots of lightweight blankets now. I see them in department stores, from Walmart to high end stores. It may be a seasonal item in warmer climates, but the place I rented in Maui last March had one of the best blankets ever.

I grew up using blankets, mostly. I gave up on duvets as an adult because I had a dog who like to unstuff them.

[worms]

We're thinking of transitioning to traditional blankets instead of a duvet.

My question would be why?

For winter, we have a 13 tog rating duvet and two blankets and remove blankets when it gets warmer.   It's been such a poor summer this year that we only were able to dispense with both blankets for a single week!

[shelivesthedream]

Thanks for all the advice - I had no idea there would be so many of you!

We're thinking of transitioning to traditional blankets instead of a duvet.

My question would be why?

We're not decided yet, but three reasons we're considering it...

1. Easier temperature control through the night. I am a cold person generally, so am invariably freezing when I get into bed. However, for some reason I overheat massively when I'm asleep. However, I can't sleep without something covering me, so I can't just kick the whole duvet off. DH being able to throw off single blankets as required when my heat gets too much would be ideal. Also, when we do have a few really hot weeks (or days!) we currently have no good option for a light covering that's easily available.
2. Warmer? We want to use less central heating. Blankets seem warmer if you layer up. I know you can get super-warm duvets but deciding when to officially change would be so difficult in England's temperate-but-varying climate.
3. Tiny arms make putting duvets into covers solo hard work!

ETA: also, I've become a major natural fibres snob. Wool blankets sound way better to me than poly-filled duvets in that regard.

[worms]

I've become a major natural fibres snob. Wool blankets sound way better to me than poly-filled duvets in that regard.

If you want natural, it is fairly easy to get a down-filled duvet and cotton or linen cover.

[shelivesthedream]

I've become a major natural fibres snob. Wool blankets sound way better to me than poly-filled duvets in that regard.

If you want natural, it is fairly easy to get a down-filled duvet and cotton or linen cover.

Good point, but if we're going to be buying something new I'd like to consider all the options.

[kimmarg]

For us it's a seasonal thing. Duvet in winter. it's  a very thick warm one, down filled I believe, and we add a heated Matress pad and extra fleece blanket if needed on very cold nights. 'very cold' is below -10F here, although house is always trying to be at 60F when the wind kicks up hard it's colder in the bedroom. (That's -23C and 15C respectively for the Europeans)

In summer we have a fitted sheet, flat sheet, quilt. The sheets I wash around once a week, the quilt I only wash once a year, usually before putting it away. The quilt is a handmade gift so washing It is a careful long process. I also have a thin blanket we could use instead of the quilt but that goes in the machine. 

I'm a thrasher and think the duvet works better, it's just waaaay to hot in summer. I typically move from 'summer' to 'winter' when I've had a few nights in a row I'm too cold. Sometimes I'll add an extra blanket to the quilt for a few weeks before getting ou t the duvet. Or go to a duvet but no heated Matress pad for a few weeks. The heated Matress pad is the best thing ever in my opinion! Pre heats the bed for you, so nice!