Families with 4 or more kids... talk to me about Sheets!!!

[ladybirdflies]

A year into having four children and I am finding it tricky to stay on top of changing of sheets... there is so much to do to stay afloat, I used to change their sheets once a week and now I go alot longer than that now *hides face*.... I just can't seem to get on top of this job... the house is clean and tidy, I make nearly all of our food from scratch, I work at night from home, I do all the extra activities tied to four children, I spend alone time with each one of them nearly every day, the washing isn't piled up, the floors are always mopped...

How long is it between sheet changing at your house... do I just have to relax and stop feeling bad about this?? I have changed so deeply with the birth of my fourth, I have let go of so much and our family is so full of joy and connection...but when I wash the sheets I feel guilt!!!!

Wise words appreciated of mama's of four or more!!! At this stage getting the kids to do it is not possible... but that will happen eventually!

[Olive]

I only have two kids but I only change sheets fortnightly!

[AnyDream]

I only have 2 kids as well but I think fortnightly is fine, I'm sure some families wash them only every 3 or 4 weeks. I wash the quilt covers & mattress protectors less frequently than that because we have top sheets and so that's the part of the bed that you're touching. If I had 2 more kids I would stagger the washes so that you're only doing 2 at a time - makes it a smaller (& less daunting) job. I also put clean sheets on straight after taking the others off, so it's not critical if I don't get the dirty ones washed & dried immediately. It means you need to have a few more sets of sheets but worth it IMO.

[Rouge]

Have extra sets. Then you can do it and it not feel a chore. So that way you can wash them later.

My granny always told me I needed to change the sheets/doona covers more frequently in summer than in winter because of sweat (ew). So that's what happens. Fortnightly in winter. Weekly in summer. Doonas are fortnightly in summer. Monthly in winter because they don't touch your body lol. But aired when sheets changed.

[OceanPrincess]

I used to change sheets when they needed it - that sounds bad but you will get what I mean - we would change then when baby chucked in the cot, then in the bed when they wet the bed or were sick or something. But now they are not doing any of those things regularly and I don't have a schedule set up... Maybe I should...!

And I only have three kids!

[inlove]

I only have two kids and I change them when they need it, sometimes as long as a month-6 weeks maybe, they have not developed any hideous rashes and don't appear to be suffering. Don't worry about it!! Do it when you can.

[dinky]

I only have 3 kids, well, 2 of them are adults now, but I change the sheets usually fortnightly or close to it, depending on the weather, if we happen to get a good drying day then I will quickly whip all the sheets off all the beds, but I don't really have a set schedule for it. Seriously, in the grand scheme of things, what are your kids going to remember about their childhood, that you changed the sheets every week on time or that you spent quality time with them and that you did your best? I used to let these things worry me all the time, about not getting things done, but honestly my kids don't even notice half the time if it hasn't been done! So now I just enjoy what I can and get whatever I can done, there is always tomorrow!

[peanutter]

When I was growing up, my parents did their sheets on Saturdays, then of the 4 of us kids, we were each allocated a day Monday to Thursdays ...

We were each in charge of stripping and making our bed (initially just doing the pillowcase, then the whole bed) from a pretty early age.

When we ran a foster home though, I just did ALL of them on Saturday. It was unrealistic that I would get a load done a day ... several loads on the weekend was much more doable.

[~*familyof3*~]

I do them f/nly 2 one week 2 the next

[RainbowRiver]

Bubba's sheets are changed every week (more if she's sick/snotty like atm, every few days).
Older kids are changed fortnightly
Our sheets are weekly + doona cover as we don't use top sheets (just bottom sheet + doona)

Mattress protectors are changed everytime sheets are changed

I have 4 cot sets, and 2 sets per kids beds and 4 sets for our bed. I have a sheet addiction and love buying new ones all the time

[danita]

I have 7 children and I was in rooms so each room has a basket once a week I strip that room (3 to a room and baby with us) I was clothes and sheets at once. When dry re make and fold clothes I do this over the 3 days once a fortnight. Towels get washed weekly. While sheets are washing/ drying doonas are airing and so are mattress ( I leave mattress bare windows open. I live in a high set so doonas go over the balcony. Kids help where they can and my ages are 4 to 13

[~clover~]

Mine are changed when I think of it. Sometimes daily, if someone wets. The older girls can often go a month before I think to make them strip their beds. Mine is weekly/fortnightly. More often than not because mine has been wet too :/

[ladybirdflies]

Thanks for all of the great replies and ideas everyone!! I think my issue is I am still trying to look at it like when I had two kids... plus hubby sleeps in another room a few nights a week so I just have to get a rhythm for 6 beds. I see that my downfall is that when I change the sheets I have to vac under the bed and make it a much bigger job then just stripping and putting on new sheets... so I think I need to let go of the whole routine around changing sheets that I have and find something that works. The big girls could certainly strip their own beds, they are certainly able to, I just feel bad about all the tasks they have around the house already plus their music practice and homework etc I feel like that downtime is getting less and less, but maybe that is just part of being in a big family... we could have a huge strip and change on Sundays or alternating Sunday's that may work... thank-you again, I am feeling like a change is happening!!

[RainbowRiver]

I was about to suggest that, on a Saturday, everyone gets in and changes sheets and help each other to remake them.

My older 3 strip their beds on the 2nd Sunday they are here and we make them together, gets it done pretty quickly. As each room is made, I vac under the beds too

[~clover~]

My older ones remake their beds too. They're 9 & 12. DS is 6 & will attempt to remake his. I usually just do the fitted sheet for him.
Both younger ones also have a fitted plastic sheet on their beds, so I don't vac & don't need to clean their mattresses. I hate having to wash doona's though!
Through winter mine have sport commitments 3 days a week. But they still manage homework & chores. With down time. Sundays are big clean/washing days, but they're our only down days, so I try keep their stuff to a minimum. Get what we can done in the morning & the rest of the day is theirs.

[ladybirdflies]

My older ones remake their beds too. They're 9 & 12. DS is 6 & will attempt to remake his. I usually just do the fitted sheet for him.
Both younger ones also have a fitted plastic sheet on their beds, so I don't vac & don't need to clean their mattresses. I hate having to wash doona's though!
Through winter mine have sport commitments 3 days a week. But they still manage homework & chores. With down time. Sundays are big clean/washing days, but they're our only down days, so I try keep their stuff to a minimum. Get what we can done in the morning & the rest of the day is theirs.

It is tricky trying to keep the downtime just that!! THe girls have 3 nights a week for extra activities plus the 12 year old is doing her grade exams for flute and violin so needs to do at least an hour of music per day as well. I am trying to find a good balance for all of us, but am thinking sheets on Sundays will be a good place to start, they can do the sheets while I make pancakes!!

[AnyDream]

Great idea to incentivise sheet-changing with pancakes! Who could argue with that?