Back to School Blues

I just finished writing an article for my website on back to school shopping for bunk type beds. Is it just me or is "back to school" starting sooner than ever? This year, I saw back to school sales around the 4th of July and that really gives me the blues. School had hardly been out for two weeks. I really believe that soon, school will be a year round thing. Wouldn't that suit most working parents better? I guess I'm from the old school. I think kids need that summer break.

Anyway, back to school for most of us means new school supplies, new clothes, and new backpacks or lunch boxes. However, some of us may be in the market for dorm or apartment furnishings. These can often include a bed. Bunk beds or loft beds are a great choice for dorms or small apartments. Colleges usually provide the beds but if your son or daughter chooses to live in an apartment, they may need to find their own bed.

The metal loft study beds work well for students because they provide sleeping area in the top and a study area below. Some even have storage drawers built in. The Z bedroom is a great example of a study loft bed for students. It has a built in desk area to accomodate a computer and still provides plenty of desk space.

If you are moving into a small apartment and you have limited funds, a futon bunk bed would serve a dual purpose. Sleep in the top and have a small couch area underneath. You can purchase all kinds of futon covers, many of which look just like upholstry on couches. It doesn't have to look just like a bed. Here is an example of a great futon bunk bed - the Sunset Futon Bunk by Walker Edison.

So, if you're like me and you have the back to school blues, why not go shopping for a new piece of furniture. Something that will work well in a dorm or small apartment. The cool new designs just might lift those back to school blues.

Why Does My Bunk Bed Look A Mess

While shopping for a bunk bed, I noticed how gorgeous the pictures look of the beds. The bedding is beautiful, neatly tucked under the mattress with colorful throw pillows all around. Perfectly staged for the photos. Only one thing is missing - the kids. How do you get the same look in the real world? You may never get it looking quite as good as those pictures but it can look good. The answer is simple, you use bedding that was designed for bunk beds.

Sheets designed for bunk beds are much easier to use when making the bed or sleeping in it. They are called attached sheets and they are sewn together at the foot or the side. They stay on the bed at night and they are much easier to pull across the bed when making it. Comforters called Bunk Bed Caps have a fitted bottom so they stay on the bed much better too. These are sometimes called huggers, snugglers, or bunkies. The nice thing about these sheets and comforters is that they work on other beds too. I will be adding some of these to my website at http://www.bunkbedsbunker.com/ soon. Check back often.

Setting Up Your New Bunk Bed Safely

It would be nice if everything that comes to us would be ready to use. Not so with some bunk beds. If you buy a higher end bed and select white glove delivery, you may be so lucky as to have everything done. Most of us choose a more economical route.

It is important when assembling a bunk bed to follow the manufacturers directions completely. Bunk beds are a safe option as long as they are assembled correctly, positioned properly and the kids use them as directed. So, all that said, if there is assembling to be done by you, do it carefully.

Here are some other tips that encourage safety. The bed should be placed in a corner of the room so two sides of the bed are against a wall. The bed should be up against the wall so no one can fall through between the wall and bed. Mattresses should fit properly so no one can fall between the mattress and the frame. Entrapment is often one of the causes of accidents related to bunk beds. Ladders need to be securely attached. Here's my favorite tip - Make sure the kids use the bed properly. Isn't the new bunk bed like having the playground in your bedroom? With the tent and slide options on some bunk beds like the Good Trading Twin Loft Bed with Slide and Castle, it just looks like you moved the playground into the bedroom. Teach kids how to have fun but be safe.

I have more safety tips on my website at http://www.bunkbedsbunker.com/. Setting up your new bunk bed properly can make a huge difference in the safety of the bed but also, keep checking it to make sure it doesn't become loose or wobbly. Bunk beds can be a great option for the kids to enjoy for years to come.

The following video is cute but it is a perfect example of what not to do on a bunk bed. It makes me nervous just watching that little girl. These kids look too young for the top bunk and to be standing, bouncing, and singing. They look like they could fall any time. It's good the parents are in the room but what will happen when the parents leave the room? Will the kids do this when the parents aren't in the room? It's a scary thought.

Bunk Beds Give You Some Space

Who couldn't use some more space in the house. It seems like the more house I have, the more house I need. It is filled and overflowing. I can remember when I lived in a one room apartment with only a bed, a chair and a refrigerator. It was a simple life. Twenty five years later, I live in a much larger place but I still don't have enough space. Bunk Beds are just one way you can get a little more of that space back.

One of my favorite bunk beds on my website http://www.bunkbedsbunker.com/ is the iRoom Twin/Twin Bunk Bed by Lea Industries. The contrast of the rich Merlot color with the contrasting silver makes for an attractive bed. Lea Industries, a division of Lazy Boy, has been in the furniture business for more than 50 years and is a well known manufacturer of moderately priced youth furniture. This iRoom bed can be converted to a Twin/Full bunk bed if needed to accommodate even more sleepers. There is plenty of under bed storage to stow away items.

So, if you are like me and can never get enough space in your house, consider a bunk bed. Kids love them and they make sense. If your house is getting smaller and smaller all the time, choose a bunk bed to give you a little of that space back.