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Don't Fall for It: 5 Things You Really DON'T Need At Home
Stores want to sell you lots and lots of stuff, that's their job. Your job is to figure out which things you can't live without and which ones you should leave on the shelf. That's where we come in.
- Top sheet — Are you hip to this trend? I'm on board (Teresa is too). Forgoing a top sheet has made zero difference in my sleeping comfort, but a major difference in my laundry load and morning bed-making time. I'm a convert.
- Place settings for 12 — Every registry will encourage you to stock up, but don't do it. Chances are, if you're ever expecting 12 people at once, there will be ample notice to arrange to borrow or rent enough china and silver. And in the (probably long) interim between your epic dinner parties, you won't have to devote storage space to your huge collection of dishware.
- Specialized cleaning products —Every cleaning line wants to convince you that you need to buy many different lotions and potions to get each specific part of your home clean. An extra-strength disposal bomb to get it lemony fresh? Why not just try a lemon? Or...VINEGAR.
- Matching nightstands or lamps — Of course retailers will try to convince you to shell out for two instead of one, but don't blindly buy what you might not need. Ask yourself, do both sides of your bed need the same storage? The same lighting situation? Do you even like the look of a matching set? If the answer is no then you're probably a candidate for an unusual nightstand.
- ALL the knives — Why buy a set and let the store choose which knives you get? Pare down your collection to the ones you know you'll use and love. (Hint: you probably just need a chef's knife, paring knife and bread knife, says the Kitchn)
C'mon, chime in. What do you happily do without at home?
(Image credits: Veronica Roth)
250 Comments
I disagree with #1...if you forgo a top sheet, doesn't it just mean you have you wash your duvet cover more often?
I fell for number 5. Maybe 2 knives out of the block I got have been used maybe in the last couple of months. Not including the kitchen sheers.
I am a fan of the top sheet though. I'm of the opinion it keeps me from washing the duvet cover as often.
I feel the same way about the top sheet as the above posters - it saves me from having to wash my duvet cover as often.
No top sheet? Then you need to wash the blanket just as often as the bottom sheet. The top sheet protects the blanket from having to be washed as often. I don't get it.
What!? I love my top sheet. What I don't then need is a blanket.
We wash our duvet cover every time we wash all of our bedding, but this is mainly because we have a dog who sneaks into bed in the middle of the night so everything gets covered in fur. Because of him we also put the top sheet on sleep on top of it, and then pull it off halfway through the week.
Disagree with the 12 place setting and the knives. When we were just living together, before getting married, we used to toggle between two different knives (pairing and chef) and it drove me up the wall that there could only be one cook in the kitchen at the time, or that I had to constantly wash the knives between different items. We now have a 7 piece set (courtesy of our wedding registry) and I can honestly say that all of those knives get used very regularly (like at least two meals a day). Regarding the 12 piece table setting-when you don't live in a city environment or have a lot of friends conveniently near you, it's not that easy to borrow cutlery and dishes. We host large dinner parties *very* often but don't live anywhere near our friends - having china at the ready is actually super convenient for us.
An excess of Tupperware and totes! These are the sorts of things that people acquire tons and tons of and are convinced will come in handy. But truth is that you only need a few of each since they are reusable (isn't that the whole point?).
I'd rather launder my top sheet than strip off the duvet cover every week. Sleeping without a top sheet---to me---would be like sleeping without pillow cases.
P.S. to Teresa: there's no law that says you have to tuck in the top sheet. I freed my toes years ago :)
I just created an AT account to post about the importance of a top sheet! I agree with others. The top sheet is very important! 90% of the time is sold with the fitted sheet anyways so it's hard to save money and not buy it. The top sheet keeps dirt and oils from clinging to blankets and comforters just the the fitted sheet keeps dirt and oils from accumulating on the mattress/mattress pad. It's a matter of *hygiene* and keeps more expensive and hard to wash blankets and comforters cleaner longer.
Yes, it means more laundry for me. My kids won't use a top sheet, but it means that their comforters need to be washed every time I wash the bottom sheet and pillow case. I would much prefer washing a top sheet.
I'm another that insists on a top sheet. Maybe if you have a duvet cover you wash frequently that will work, but I use a blanket in winter that I don't want to wash weekly and in summer I need at least a sheet over me or I can't sleep.
I don't see the need of a tea kettle, either stove-top or electric. I heat water for tea in the microwave or in a cooking pan on the stove. I don't want the extra clutter when I can get the job done with things I already own. My mother-in-law will *never* understand this.
I find in the kitchen that I am most often reaching for a steak knife-- funny, because there is a shocking lack of steak in this house-- but a lot of the time they pare and chop (and even slice up bread) for dinner prep. I guess they just feel best in my hands.
Gotta have the top sheet. Sorry. Making the bed is really not that hard and the top sheet does not affect the time.
I'm all for skipping the top sheet. I always end up wrestling with it in my sleep and have to untangle myself in the morning... that is, if I haven't kicked it off the bed while sleeping.
I don't need a rice cooker or a mixer, but I have gone through MULTIPLE cheese domes. There is ALWAYS cheese at room temp on my counter. I don't need a coffee pot or coffee grinder, but I use my mandoline quite often. Lifestyle & personal preferences make all the difference in this kind of list.
Sheets are underwear for the bed.
Sheets are underwear for the bed.
I'm with you there. "At home" wash load isn't changed much by one sheet... and have you priced dry cleaning a duvet or bed cover lately?.. No thanks. I'll stick to my out of date thinking and keep my top sheet, than you.
Does that make them essential or superfluous?
Sorry, everyone. I didn't mean to be so emphatic by posting twice. Though I really do believe that sheets are underwear for your bed. ;)
I guess the article didn't specify that you are supposed to use a duvet cover which you regularly wash, if you don't use a top sheet. I just thought that was implied. Yes, I hate top sheets and I use a duvet cover. I just hate having to deal with multiple layers in bed, one of which does not even provide warmth.
I'm sure the authors meant to specify a duvet cover in lieu of a sheet. It just someone didn't get printed.
Furniture in matching sets! I actually hate things that are super "matchy-matchy," and prefer to find pieces that "go" with each other. Plus, it gives me the freedom and flexibility to add, remove, or replace things as needed without the fear of not being able to find something that matches exactly.
MUST have a top sheet - I am not fighting with the duvet every time I need to wash sheets.
MUST have a good quality and selection of knives. We have a beautiful set of Henckels, and we use every single one of them, and two pair of shears. The right tool for the job does not only apply in the woodworking shop.
Recently we purged our kitchen for a remodel. I got rid of a TON of stuff that I don't even miss. You really do not need five spatulas and multiple different pasta lifters. Keep the good knives, but purge all the gadgets.
We also got rid of our blender. With a food processor and stick blender, I had not used the traditional blender in years - so out it went to the a charity sale.
My microwave oven. When I moved into my first apartment by myself (spent my first nine years in L.A. with roommates), my bestie got the communal microwave. I think I missed it only once and that was because I wanted to heat up a corn pillow for a sore muscle. I cooked everything on the stove and was perfectly content. Also, I received a lovely panini press for Christmas from my boss a few years ago and I'm almost embarrassed to admit I've used it only once.
Isn't the phenomenon of a top sheet a uniquely American thing? ;)
Looks like the main thing people really don't need at home is the first suggestion.
Tangent that was inspired by the comments: How often do most people wash their sheets/comforters? Once a week strikes me as a little excessive, but I'm TOTALLY ignorant to what is recommended. I figure that unless it's summer and we're sweating profusely, the sheets can probably last about two weeks. So in the meantime I just beat the blankets to knock out dust and swipe a brush over for hairs.
European here. No top sheet, thanks. Too claustrophobic once tucked in. I've never understood the concept, or why they feel the need to have them in hotels, where, hopefully, they should wash all linen for each guest anyway.
British friends have told me that tea doesnt taste as good when it is made from microwaved water. I can't taste the difference, but apparently some people can.
I go about 2 weeks between washing but I guess it depends on how many kids/ pets are in the home, eating in bed, etc.
Must have a top sheet, use all the knives in the knife block-don't need a microwave oven or toaster oven.
Disagree. I'd say most people need pretty much all these things, or, well, maybe "need" is the wrong word because you can certainly survive without them, but I'd say they're all good-value practical purchases.
Top sheets make sleeping MUCH more comfortable, especially in the summer when it's too hot for blankets or duvets. They also make laundry easier, because, as others pointed out, it's way simpler to wash top sheets. My pet peeve, though, is that most companies making sheet sets for modern deep-pocket mattresses have enlarged the fitted sheet but kept the flat sheet as-is. So, buying a queen sized sheet set means having a sheet that is far too narrow to tuck in, which drives me nuts. (Are you listening, sheet companies?)
Place settings for 12 are useful to cut down on how often you have to do dishes or run the dishwasher. Sure, you probably only need settings for 8 or even 4, but it means you're washing things basically every day. It's far more efficient to run the dishwasher only when full, which, for a single person or a couple, could be once a week or less.
Specializing cleaning products -- you don't need a huge assortment, but most people should have at least 3-4 different products: A window cleaner, an all-purpose cleaner for surfaces, a wood cleaner like Pledge or similar for wooden surfaces, and a heavy-duty kitchen and bathroom cleaner. Oh, and some toilet bowl cleaner. By all means go with more environmentally-friendly versions. But trying to use vinegar or lemon juice everywhere is ineffective at best and can damage your furniture and surfaces.
Matching nightstands or lamps - you don't NEED these but it might make for more pleasing visual balance depending on your taste and decorating style. Besides, if you're buying them anyway, how does it save money to buy mismatched ones?
All the knives -- you don't realize how good it is to have the proper knife for the proper task until you have them. Every kitchen should have at least 4: A chef's knife, a serrated edge / bread knife, a flexible knife for meat and fish, and a paring knife. Having a couple of others or some spares can help when you have more than one cook. Go for quality and sharpen them from time to time. And wash them by hand -- not in the dishwasher!
There are LOTS of things you don't actually need for your home. IMHO you can avoid fancy designer furniture, single-use kitchenware, expensive TVs and electronics, and a lot of knicknacaks that will just gather dust. But this list makes no sense to me.
A top sheet is the perfect cover for summer sleeping, and for the rest of the year, I agree with hmr about sheets being "underwear". And it is much easier to wash a top sheet than a duvet cover.
I have neither a top sheet nor a duvet cover, because it's usually too hot here to bother with the duvet in the first place and a top sheet just annoys me. Duvet gets washed about once a week when it does get used, though, and after two years of no ill effects or visible wear from putting a supposedly "dry clean only" duvet in the wash, I don't feel a burning need to get a proper cover (though I will eventually, it's just not a priority). It's not like it's a nice-quality duvet that's extra-durable, either, it's from one of the college bedroom sets at Target. But it's held up just fine to standard washing.
"I freed my toes years ago :)"
Top sheet is a must. Sometimes it gets so hot that's all I want in terms of covers.
Single-use appliances (e.g. quesadilla or cake pop maker, or any other 'maker' for that matter) are a waste of space and money. The exception might be a waffle maker or a rice cooker, since those transition to other foods pretty nicely. Seriously though. Who can't put a quesadilla in a frickin' pan? That's something you learn in grade school!
Knife sets that come with steak knives. UGH. The steak knives are always so cheap! YOU DON'T WANT OR NEED THEM.
Erm, I'm a bit confused by the top sheet thing. Because in the Southern U.S. (I live in Texas), using anything other than a thin sheet to cover you at night is not gonna work, unless you're a big fan of cranking the A/C on high when it's 100F out. Which we're not.
In the summer, we sleep with a thin top sheet only. We have a small blanket that lives inside the nightstand in case it cools down enough to where we get chilly, which is extremely rare.
I agree with lizaane- there's no need for all those different kitchen gadgets! I avoid all those different little appliances, like rice cookers, jar openers, etc. They just take up room. We bought a George Foreman grill years ago and have maybe used it three times. We were given a panini maker as a gift, and while it's neat, same story- it's just easier to grab the cast iron skillet and spatula. Clean up is faster, too! So they live together in a cabinet now and rarely see the light of day.
With that being said, I couldn't live without my *Nutribullet. (*I am not a paid endorser or anything, just a lazy person who likes smoothies...)
I NEED a toaster oven, but I certainly didn't need as many wine glass shapes. There is one balloon set I have used for desserts because they are too damn big for anything really practical.
Thankfully, we have broken enough over the years, that I am getting ready to replace the whole thing. I am thinking of three shapes tops, large, small and stemless. Along with our collection of whimsical liqueur glasses, that'll do it.
I bowed to the trend and bought a duvet cover for my perfect weight but ugly old comforter that I was planning on replacing. I hate it. What was previously perfect year round with a sheet in the summer and a sheet and blanket in the winter is now too hot for both. It shifts around inside and the buttons either bang against my metal bed or me depending on what direction it goes. The fabric is no where near as soft as my sheets. I finally gave up on the thing this week and bought a lightweight quilt for summer use.
I don't want 12 place settings....because I want at least 18 and really feel that 24 is best! I don't keep them all in my kitchen, but store them until I need them. I love having a full set available for when I need it
Ha ha, I love the comment "sheets are underwear for the bed". As with others, I agree with every suggestion EXCEPT the ridiculous assertation that a top sheet is unnecessary. Rubbish! It does NOT save you laundry, as you'd have to wash to bottom sheet and pillow cases in a load anyway so why not throw in the top sheet. Its less laundry than having to wash your blanket or whatever layer is on top, which is GURANTEED to be bigger and bulkier than a sheet. You may enjoy "going commando" with your bed but even if you shower in the evening, you're still rubbing body oils sweat and skin cells off on both layers during the night.
"Who knew we owned eight thousand salad plaaaaaaaaates?"
(Sorry. Felt inspired. Name that movie.)
I'm in the minority as I agree with your list.
1. I don't use a top sheet. For the small amount of time that I tried, it always ended up on the floor.
2. 12 place settings is excessive unless you frequently host dinner parties. Coincidentally, I have an excessive amount of dinnerware because I can't help myself when I go to Anthro.
3. I found a Mr. Clean Eraser cleans (almost) every surface amazingly. I no longer keep a bathroom cleaner, countertop cleaner, etc. It's my go-to for most cleaning jobs.
4. I have a small condo so I don't have the space for matching nightstands or lamps.
5. You really don't need all the specialty knives. There are two cooks in the home so I have a few santoku knives, a paring knife, and a serrated knife. Skip the boning knife, tomato knife, cleaver, etc. They aren't necessary.
I never (and I do mean NEVER) have people over, so having more than a 4 piece set for myself and my roommates is just excessive and takes up too much room in our already small kitchen.
On the knives issue, I don't eat meat so it's always seemed silly having a dozen steak knives in the kitchen. I would much rather have lots of knives for chopping and preparing food and a few butter knives for just about everything else.
I wish I lived in places where these no-top-sheet people seem to roam. I live in the middle of Florida, where it's summer 9 months out of the year and usually it's too damn hot even for the top sheet, let alone a blanket (and god help us if you're trying to sleep with a duvet).
LOL. "Frozen". I have a little girl.
I totally agree with the list about the top sheet! Always have felt it unnecessary and cumbersome. So relieved to hear someone feels the same way.
I cannot do without my top sheet. Take that away and civilization goes with it. The rest of it is ok, although my regular place setting is for eight, my sterling (from mom) is for 12.
I'm getting rid of the top sheet for a lightweight cover, that will be washed with the flat bottom sheet (hospital corners beat fitted sheet every time). It gets hot here, and winter is still on the warm side, so no duvet needed, just a blanket. And I haven't tucked in the top sheet or cover for years, after suffering a foot injury that made it painful to extend my foot. Even husband has become used to an untucked cover.
I lived in southern Louisiana for years, still with no top sheet. I have a lightweight quilt and a heavy comforter that I switch out depending on the season.
If there are only 1 or 2 people in your house and you don't anticipate having kids, you don't need 12 places settings. But if there are 3 or more, I think 12 settings is completely appropriate. Because breakage! If you started with 8 place settings, if anyone in your family is at all clumsy, you'll be down to 5 of certain pieces within a couple of years. Then even your family won't be able to make it through the day without having to do dishes (this concern mostly applies to people with dishwashers who do one load a day).
And companies turn over their product lines so often that it's likely you wouldn't be able to replace broken pieces because they've been discontinued.
For pure utility to prepare food, you don't need a steak knife. But you wouldn't cut into a juicy steak with a paring knife so I always keep steak knives for when we eat steak, or pork chops, or even big portabello tops.
I live in Vegas and a top sheet is all I can stand having. I agree with the knives. I had an angry cat that loved to pee on the knife block to show he was upset. It was a cheap POS set anyhow, so it got tossed. I have 4 knives that I have and use routinely. As a single person in a small space. I feel the dining room furniture is optional. Takes up too much space and I rarely use it for more than anything other storage.
I can appreciate a top sheet in summer, but growing up with a European mom, we never had them--just a lighter-weight comforter. Remove the duvet cover and wash it with the fitted sheets and pillow cases. That's what it's made for, right? The boyfriend insists on one though so I tolerate it...
Euro method for me. No top sheet and I wouldn't have a duvet that had to be dry cleaned anyway. I want everything on my bed to be washed once a week anyway so the top sheet is just excessive. People wash their underwear but wear their outer clothes over and over? Plus, I don't buy sheets that come in "sets" because better linen companies tend not to sell them this way anyway.
As far as place settings for 12 I agree and disagree. I never need 12 place settings however the excess makes breakage less of an issue. I say if you have the storage buy the 12. If you don't, like you live in a small apartment or something then you probably don't even need 8. Ultimately, just buy a few more than you need.
Knives, a few good ones will usually do the trick.
I haven't had a microwave for about 9 years now and I never miss it. I can nuke leftovers for lunch at work and reheat them on the stovetop or oven at home if needed. We have an electric tea kettle for tea and instant oatmeal. I never use it but the boyfriend uses it daily so, I guess it's a keeper.
I, too, do almost all of my prep work with a serrated steak knife. They come in sets, so I can change knives easily for different items without having to change my grip or balance.
Need a top sheet! Ugh! Who wants to feel that itchy blanket against their skin?! And while you're sleeping you are sweating & shedding dry skin & oils (not to mention secretions that happen during....). Having all those fluids building up on a blanket, comforter, or duvet is gross. As a kid where I grew up we didn't have even fitted sheets, just a wooly blanket that all us kids slept under sharing one bed. Pillows were made from knotted up rags stuffed inside a sewn up sack. Was like resting your head on a sack of tennis balls! I swore that one day, one day- damn it!- I would grow up to become a person who has the means to own a real set of sheets. And a real pillow! No top sheet?! What next- no fitted sheets??!! Crazy talk!!! I shudder!!!!
Agree, S. Davenport!
I'm in the other corner of the country (SoCal), and at least 9 months out of the year I only sleep with my top sheet. The duvet gets rolled out of the way. I like air circulation, so I always run a fan, and need something. A top sheet it is.
And I guess some people are just more violent sleepers than I am, because I've never strangled in my top sheet or have it end up on the floor!
ha - this is funny, because to me, the microwave is the thing i don't need (and haven't owned in a decade.)
to each his own!
But then the under the bed monsters can get your feet! That tucked in top sheet offers protection that can't be quantified.
I love my top sheet. I have three Wusthof knives, a paring, a chef, and a bread knife. I have never needed anything else. I do need a new kitchen shears. I have a place settings for 8 and often wish I had them for 10 or 12. I've made do. I fall for the cleaning stuff. I'm trying hard to break that habit. My furniture is "goes with". I like the hunt. I really like my matching night stands with matching lamps. It feels more serene to me.
the funny thing about the top sheet (which i sometimes don't use in winter with a duvet), is that just *last night* i decided that what is currently silly to have on my bed is my quilt/bed cover. we don't have air conditioning, so it ends up on the floor every night. which is silly. So, i folded it up, put it in the closet, put my nicest sheets on the bed, and decided it was staying that way for the summer. (i also feel this way about decorative pillows on a bed that just get put on the floor while you sleep and then back on. they are just work that you have to deal with every day, or it's a mess. GONE!)
I can easily do without a duvet. Too complicated.
I cannot do without a top sheet. In summer it's all I need for cover. In winter it protects me from the blanket and the blanket from me, as others have pointed out so well.
I can also do without one of those measuring spoon thingies that are a single large spoon with a sliding baffle that slithers back and forth to make 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, etc. It's supposed to save trouble. Sounds like massive trouble to me.
I can do without a microwave oven. Make coffee in a French press, tea in teapots or cups. Reheat food in double boilers, which are multitaskers already and take up little room.
I also assumed people would understand this is for people who use a duvet cover. I don't think anyone would recommend going without a top sheet if you use a standard comforter or a quilt that would have to be dry cleaned weekly!
i quit years ago buying fitted sheets. a hassle to fold neatly in the closet, the elastic stretches out of place. l learned to make beds from a professional hotel maid, flat sheets folded hospital corner style. if i'm feeling virtuous i use the swril pens to hold them in place.
Every American under the age of 12, and a good percentage of adults can tell you. :) Frozen
Don't fall for this post.
The topsheet is my favorite thing, especially in summer. A crisp percale sheet is like a soothing, cool cocoon. Can't live without it.
In the winter -- if you use a duvet -- obviously you don't need a topsheet. But you need one if you use a blanket, which is harder to wash and takes longer to dry.
enough about the top sheet... geeeeez
I get cold without my top sheet. I really don't understand why others don't feel the same way. I'll live without the microwave, extra dishes and knives and NEVER use window cleaner. What on earth is wrong with water?
I don't even understand why someone would buy a rice cooker. I agree with the majority with regard to the top sheet. In the summer it's what I mostly use, pulling up the comforter only rarely. I don't need a blanket.
I miss my coffee grinder and use to use it for everything from grinding spices to making breadcrumbs. And most of all, I want a mandoline!
No top sheet = Gross.
For me, I don't have a dining room table. I have no need for a stove or an oven. I have a toaster oven and a microwave. But, I also have a VERY small apartment. The only chair I have is a desk chair.
Well my rice cooker is one of the things that gets the most use in my kitchen. I use it at least once a week for grains, sometimes more. I like having something I don't have to monitor so I can do other things.
You only eat food you can make in a toaster oven and microwave? That limits you so much. I can't imagine not being able to use a stove. What about fresh soups, stews, stir frys, and sauces?
Im confused about the sheet thing. I guess we use it differently in Puerto Rico. We use the fitted sheet on the matress, we sleep on that then we loosely cover ourselves with the flat sheet (whats that about tucking?) and if it gets a little chilly we pull up the duvet or a light comforter for an added layer of insulation. The duvet or comforter is folded over at our feet at night and in the morning we fold our flat sheet, put it away and pull up our conforter/duvet to make the bed. Super simple.
Ok, so let's move on from the top sheet (for the record, I live in Michigan and my duvet is folded up and on the floor for the summer - and is always that way when I live in Texas! - top sheet FTW - plus, my duvet or comforter is too big for my washer and requires a trip to the dry cleaners or washateria (sp) to clean).
So, now that we have discussed Jennifer's list, let's make our own suggestions. When I saw the title of the article, I thought the post would be about consumerism. Here's what I don't need: TVs in every room.
Things we can, and do, live without:
bulky blender (we use an immersion one instead)
toaster oven
electric blanket
I disagree with #1 as well. All year long, I use flannel sheets, and in the summer, I usually sleep under the top sheet and nothing else.
It is funny how people differ. I have concerns about safety, but the only thing that keeps me warm in winter on the oceanfront of Washington is my electric blanket..which broke. I live in a tiny cottage. I can and do get by entirely without chests of drawers..a series of laundry baskets works fine. I also have painted fir floors which are fantastic..no rugs needed..no vacuuming..just sweep, occasionally mop...I do love dishwashers...I get by without washer and dryer at least in summer by washing in sink and drying outdoors...I don't need books because I have a basic Kindle. Don't need a computer for much..have a Blackberry tablet. I don't really even need a car and have parked mine and kept just minimal insurance. I work at a casual office so don't need many clothes..but highly recommend checking Vivienne files every day (especially from last couple of weeks) for basic wardrobe ideas .
What do we not need that we're expected to want?
All the expensive garden/patio furniture for "entertaining." We use a portable table with a pretty heavyweight Guatemalan textile for a tablecloth (its colorful, intricate pattern is probably hiding some stains), and the chairs are colorful, stackable aluminum and mesh chairs from Target that are easy to move from table to viewing spots to conversation spots to reading spots. The table is stored when we aren't using it (it's also my crafting table). One simple charcoal grill serves us well.
I went for years without a microwave oven. Even returned one I got for Christmas one year, because I didn't feel any compulsion to have one. Now that I do, I use it, but I def feel I could go without it.
as for the top sheet, I slept without one for years, just with the duvet cover, but I've found as I get older, I like the top sheet since I can throw the comforter off and still have a bit of a cover.
Another thing you can do without: the pot and pan SET. It's absolutely ridiculous how many items come in that set. Just figure out what you need: For me, it's 3 pots (one huge, one medium, one small), a dutch oven, and a cast iron pan. But I'm sure it's different for everyone!
Oh, and I'd like to add a vote for the pro-top sheet brigade.
I agree with the comment that the top sheet is an American thing. I grew up without top sheets...my mother either made the top sheet into a duvet cover, or it (flat sheet) was used on the bed...as a sheet. And a duvet cover without a duvet can serve as a thin blanket. Now that I often use a flat sheet...I kinda hate it. Twisty, always separating from the blanket. And always tucking it in? More work than changing the duvet cover.
@Elines - I also assumed I was missing something, haha. Apparently some people eschew top sheets and just use their blanket or duvet, and I guess when it's too hot for the blanket they sleep with nothing?
I hate sleeping with nothing over me (and the sheet helps as a "wind break" for our fan, which helps keep the room bearable in the summer), and there is NO blanket lighter than our thin cotton sheet. So, yeah, I dunno...
To be fair, you do have books - they're just electronic instead of paper and ink.
My mother is Irish - tea pots and kettles are non-negotiable. My roommates were Korean - a rice cooker is non-negotiable. These things are permanent fixtures in my kitchen as is what they produce. I got my mom a little $20 rice cooker and once she got over her initial fear of it loves it and makes far more rice.
I second TVs in every room and definitely in the bedroom. We just moved into a new house and I had to cut back a cable hook up that came out of the floor in the dining room. Not in an eat in kitchen, but in an actual formal style dining room. Every single room has a cable hook up. Well, the bathrooms seem to be safe.
Also, I want to state: duvet covers are for feather blankets. I suppose you could use it on a comforter, but it is really made for something with loft so that it fills the cover, instead of shifting around. If you use a regular comforter or quilt, and it isn't washable...top sheet all the way. Also for the top sheet as a summer cover, though it can be annoying with two people in the bed.
I used to love my top sheet but since moving in with my bf it's become completely useless. I have to have my own blanket so with the blanket and a sheet I just get all twisted up. He has one blanket he just cocoons himself in. So our top sheets have been relegated to couch covers for guests.
Personally, I've never liked using the top sheet; my kids didn't either. It didn't matter that to some, it meant that the blanket and/or comforter needed to be washed more often; with six kids in the house all the bottom sheets and blanket/comforters were washed weekly. (Each child's full week of laundry was done on an assigned chore day)
I think I've learned that today... before today I had never heard of anyone having both a duvet cover and a top sheet!
Obviously in the minority here, but I've been top sheet free since 2006 (after studying abroad and living sans-top sheet like the rest of the world for a year). Yes, I have to unbutton the duvet cover. I find doing that once a week to be so much less cumbersome than tucking a top sheet for bed making. And no top sheet means one less thing to get twisted and wadded when I wallow.
Totally agree with fancy cleaning products and matching furniture sets. Buy the things you love and you will love them together!
I also gave up the toaster a long time ago. Granted, I don't make a lot of toast, but when I need to, I have an oven for that.
I have my own weird bedding method. I got rid of the duvet cover. I dislike removing it to wash and having to put it back on. I just put a bedspread (it's like a larger, sturdier top sheet) on top of the duvet. (These bedspreads are hard to find -- I got my two at Urban Outfitters years ago and have not seen them there recently.) And I use a top sheet. It goes: fitted sheet, top sheet, blanket, duvet, bedspread. Sounds like a lot, and not for everyone, but it works for me. In winter I can't only have a duvet, I also need a blanket to keep me warm, thus I need a top sheet so I'm not touching the blanket directly. In the summer I remove the blanket and duvet.
Living in southern California where heat waves are the norm, my top sheet is my duvet. I love it as it is cool enough for me to fall asleep under (with maybe just my belly exposed) and warm enough to pull up to my chin when the desert cools down at night (and by that, I mean it gets down to 80 degrees!).
No way I'm giving it up. Then, I'd be sleeping with my feet exposed and something might nibble on a toe at night (silly childhood fear I've never shook).
I always make my bed with the top sheet, but usually wake up with it crumpled at the foot of the bed or on the floor. But I'm a bit of a violent sleeper. Either way I wash my sheets and my duvet about once every 10 days so it would be exactly the same amount of laundry if I either didn't use the top sheet or used it correctly.
I completely agree with the all five items Jennifer listed (good article, by the way!).
Top sheets are completely useless. I have lived all my life without and I DON'T wash my bed linens every week and I am still alive. I have to admit that I bought one knife set in my life and it was a fairly good decision even though one or two knives are not used very often - but it also included 2 of the one I use the most.
So not such a bad deal. Kitchen pots and post - definitely much better to buy them invidually then a complete set, even the set may be a bit cheaper.
I don't own a toaster oven, I don't own a panini press, and I live with the most basic model of a coffee maker (and I am quite happy with it). No juicer here either (I donated mine to Value Village).
I would definitely say that nobody needs 5 TV sets and there is no need to have wired speakers all over the house (it would drive me nuts). I have a laptop (2, in fact, but one is the company's, so not technically mine) and an iphone (again, provided by my employer). I don't need to have a tablet and a whole bunch of other gadgets most people line up in pre-dawn hours at electronics stores.
I also don't have any washcloths - never used them, never will.
And I usually don't have more than 1 extra shampoo, body butter, facial cream, etc. I try not to buy every new one I see - the policy is I have to use up the current one before I buy/open another one.
When I am cold during the night, it is usually because the top sheet has slipped down. It is amazing how much warmth it provides. Bottom sheet, top sheet, duvet. That's it. What I don't need is a blanket.
Another thing I don't see the point of is having a million kinds of glasses. I use these for everything- http://www.crateandbarrel.com/set-of-12-gibraltar-double-old-fashioned-glasses/s268422?a=1552
I am a top sheet guy myself. I dislike the feel of scratchy blankets when I sleep. I sleep with smooth cotton in the summer, and flannel in the winter. I don't run the fan during the winter months, but DO keep the window at least cracked year 'round.
I like my room cool to on the cold side and in teh winter, it's burrow deep into the covers of sheet(s), blanket and down comforter, and if I need to, additional layer at first if I go to bed cold or chilled, and eventually, that top layer ends up on the floor.
Other than rolling over from one side to the other, I am not a violent sleeper so never had the issue of getting tangled in my sheets.
I agree that you don't need a set, but buy what you need in the way of knives and pots/pans.
I have 2 chef's knives, 3 utility knives, a serrated bread knife, and a boning knife. They all get used, especially the chefs knives and teh utility knives and they just got sharpened during the week. I don't have a dishwasher, so stuff has to be washed by hand, so I don't get to it every night, so having at least two of the two mofst oft used knives makes sense to me.
My pots and pans don't match, no need to. I have 3 Wolfgang Puck pots/pans, 2 Analon nonstick skillets, and 2 Le Creuset skillets, and they ALL get used. I have 3 enameled cast iron Dutch ovens, two larger ones are le Creuset, my small er one is from Cuisinart.
I like the idea of having matching night stands and lamps in the bedroom where it'll work nicely, but otherwise, I'm not a matchy, matchy type either.
I find that I don't go for the never do type of admonitions, simply because the situation will be different for each and every one of us, so when you say never fall for the top sheet, remember, there will ALWAYS be someone else who insists on them, as an example.
Decent bedspreads are impossible to find. I've been searching for months for something non-quilted and light weight but ended up going with a quilt because I couldnt' find anything that wasn't either college student or grandma.
I love, need and want a top sheet!
In general, not always, but in general, buying sets of anything provides you with items that you don't need and not enough quantity of the items you do need. For example, for tableware I mostly need dinner plates and bowls. I have little use for salad plates or cups and saucers. Everyone lives life differently, so buy what works for you instead of what manufacturers think that you need.
I'm another who couldn't live without a top sheet, but who lives easily without a duvet. I live in a temperate zone with hot summers and mild winters. I never use the central heat or air, but make do with ceiling fans and a quilt in winter.
I do wish that E-readers had been available earlier in my life as I have been toting hundreds of books with me through many, many moves.
People who gave up the microwave- how do you defrost meat?
Also, you'll pry my rice pot (cooker, whatever) out of my cold dead hands. They are almost as multipurpose as crockpots.
I agree with you on the rice cooker, rather like a wok, as both take way too much space in the cabinets. I disagree with you on the coffee maker and bean grinder. Those are two countertop appliances we must have in our house. I want a top sheet as is usually ends up as the only covering I get (sleep with a bedding hog; cocoons himself in the duvet and/or blanket). Matching nightstands in our house . . . we go to bed at different times and both have lamps, alarm clocks and CPAP machines.
We use top sheets with a thin cotton blanket in the warmer months. Neither are tucked in. In the winter, we add a quilt. I wash our sheets and blanket once a week.
We have a place setting for 12 (not china -- having dishes that are not for everyday use seems like a waste to me) but we entertain several times a month and they come in handy.
Things we definitely don't really need at home:
Fitted sheets. Use a flat sheet and tuck it in. I buy flat sheets all in the same size and can use them tucked in on our queen size bed, or our full size guest bed, or even our daughter's twin bed. Many uses, one item.
Lots of cleaning supplies. Vinegar, Borax, Bon Ami. Done.
Bathroom stuff: Something to wash your hair, something to wash your body. You could get even more efficient and use the same thing for both but I seriously don't understand friends that have so many products in their showers.
Pans or knives that come in sets. Really anything that comes in a set is usually a waste. You favor a few of them and the others just take up space.
Gadgets -- both kitchen and otherwise. I keep being gifted hand mixers, electric pop corn poppers, crepe maker, panini press, etc...I never ever use any of them.
Meat can defrost just fine in the fridge. You just have to plan farther ahead because it'll take longer to defrost.
I don't think anyone really needs specialized pans. I made paella just fine in a regular high-sided pan and definitely don't need anything fancy to steam mussels!
Microwave ovens.
I'm a rare one who agrees on no top sheet. Hate how it gets all tangled around me! Sure, I have to wash my duvet cover more often - but I'm good with that.
This is (obviously) so individual!
For me it's single use appliances (we made Belgian Waffles exactly once.) Also, "As Seen on TV" items -- almost never live up to the hype and almost always take up inordinate amounts of space.
However, other things are kind of what you actually have storage space for. I have far too many bread/dessert plates. Why? They are assorted patterns of vintage Asian designed porcelain and we sometimes have people over for movies and dessert (often cheesecake). When I just don't have the space, I will part with some, but for now, it amuses me to have "too many" (Probably about 30 of them.) Do I need them -- no. (Unless I have a large dessert-laden open house, of course!) But still...
in our (tiny) home, while we have a collection of knives, it's not a "set". we started with a chef's knife and a pairing knife. the rest evolved out of necessity or being fed up with saying "I wish I had ____ kind of knife". I think this method is best, because you can get the best or most desired of each. I love my Shun Santoku knife and my fiancé loves his Shun Nakiri knife. Do we NEED Shun filet knives, paring knives, and steak knives? Absolutely not.
Full pot and pan set. All you really need is a pasta pot, sauce pan and an oven safe 12 inch skillet.
Love the reactions to the list. I agree with the list. I was recently converted to the no top sheet club and am very happy - one less layer to smooth out.
I'm still hanging on to too many pots and pans though. I'm going to try to pare down - eyeing the paella pan as I type this!
I like a top sheet because I can't seem to get the hang of duvet covers. They flummox me and take too much time. But I never tuck in my top sheet.
I can do without TV, microwave, dishwasher, blender. But I like to have a toaster oven since it takes a while to warm up my oven.
I used to use a top sheet, until I vacationed in London and used AirBnB, where our host only had the fitted sheet and duvet on the bed. His duvet was a high-quality down-filled one, with a very high thread count duvet cover. It was lofty and light; like sleeping under a cloud. Adding a top sheet would have ruined that sensation. I also noticed my husband and I didn't struggle so much with the covers, as there was no top sheet to twist in opposition to the top layer.
So now I've foregone the top sheet on my own bed, and just wash the duvet cover with the bottom sheet and pillowcases. I also use my top sheet as the bottom sheet, making hospital corners and getting twice as much use out of the set!
I can understand wanting a top sheet if you live in a hot climate, or in winter where you want extra warmth or to keep scratchy/hard-to-wash blankets away from your skin, but I must say, finally experiencing the "no top sheet" thing has convinced me to make my bed the European way.
LOL My husband insisted we needed a microwave when I tried to nix it. Now I use it the most and for mostly hot water. He hardly ever uses it. So I actually agree with you!
@Mary E--
re: "No way I'm giving it up. Then, I'd be sleeping with my feet exposed and something might nibble on a toe at night (silly childhood fear I've never shook)."
Actually, that's why I sleep with a top sheet now, even this time of year when it's really too hot for any covers at all-- toe-biting cat, a childhood nightmare come to life. :/
I agree. We would not have a microwave in our new kitchen if it weren't for resale value! We are using the built in vent to vent the smoke from the coffee roaster.
I do disagree about the top sheet. That is all we use in the summer when its warm.
I need a top sheet too.
I don't need faux fleece on my chairs, though.
I don't think there's a recommendation for washing duvet covers or comforters. I definitely have to have a top sheet, as sometimes in FL its just too hot to sleep with a comforter or blanket.I feel its cleaner to use a top sheet. If I washed my comforter every week it would wear out too soon. So I wash the sheets about once a week, the comforter a bit less.
I also think this is a silly article. Someone must have had to fill a quota of articles and went hunting for topics. To each his/her own!
Top sheet is definitely a necessity. We live in the southern USA which means in the summer it's too hot for much more than a sheet (and I can't sleep without something over me, keeping the fan from tickling). Sheets also maintain my temp better than a bulky blanket because they don't move as much when my partner does. I also use a heirloom quilt which shouldn't be washed as often. I frankly hate duvets. They're too bulky and hot most of the year.
#4 You mean don't buy two nightstands or lamps if you're a single person? Because having two people in the bed means both need bedside space and light.
I don't need an extra coverlet at the end of the bed, a sunburst mirror, blue ball jars, framed blackboards, a teakettle, burlap pillows, subway signage, or gray walls, but a lot of other people seem to like/need them. Potato, poetahtoe.
5 things we don't need:
-microwave oven
-wall-to-wall carpet
-multiple single purpose, chemically cleaners
or store bought laundry detergent
-a zillion cable channels
The top sheet thing is big here in Australia. Because its often too warm to have a duvet, we use a top sheet for a little covering. I tried going sans top sheet and it just didn't work for me. But whatever works for the individual is cool.
What's with all the top sheet love? I was so happy when my parents finally switched over to duvet covers and duvets (instead of blankets and sheets). I ALWAYS get tangled in a top sheet and if I don't get tangled, it slides off the bed at night.
And sure, a sheet set comes with a top sheet. But... if you take two top sheets, you can easily sew them into another duvet cover!
And for those who find it hard to replace duvet covers, a trick: turn duvet cover inside. Fine the far corners and grab them. Holding the corners, grab the corners of the duvet. Shake the cover down over the duvet. Presto. Duvet cover changed in less time than it takes to tuck in your flat sheet.
I'm a top sheet hater, too. We use them alone in the summer when its hot; in colder weather we just change the duvet cover whenever we wash the sheets.
a top sheet is a must - people sweat and other bodily fluids pour out! I don't really want to be washing duvets, blankets, quilts every week.
If one sheet makes that much difference to your laundry, I suggest you take a much closer look at your laundry. Would you wear your underwear and not wash it? Same goes with not having a top sheet to protect your covering!
If I stay in a hotel with no top sheet - the first call made is to the front desk. This is one trend I for one do NOT like.
I'm with kimithy. In the South it gets far too hot to have a duvet of any sort, even the lightest of "summer weight" duvets/comforters I've seen marketed. A top sheet and a light cotton blanket is all I can manage, and half the time the blanket gets kicked off even though I do run the a/c at night. I generally can't sleep without some form of cover, so a top sheet is invaluable.
I agree
Thought a lot about this list today. It got me to thinking about what I consistently use vs what is "nice to have".
Tableware, Flatware & Stemware Sets. I enjoy a mismatched place setting on a crisp, freshly pressed table cloth. Over the past 30-years I've only used four total place settings at once for entertaining...or feeding the family. DH, kids, pets consume fine china at the rate of one piece per week (plus-or-minus fifty-percent).
Pots, Pans, Baking & Cutlery Sets. I've only used a medium & a small stock pot and a fry pan; 9"x12", 8"x8", cupcake & Pullman loaf pans; long blade serrated edge, short blade serrated edge, and utility knifes. Be Gone foul Electric Carving Knives!
To be honest, I do use a three crock slow cooker for many things. Especially rice. And, DH discovered microwave bacon trays. He likes that as it's easier for him to clean up after himself ;-)
Specialty Cleaning Products. Does dish washing liquid count? HaHa. I use it to wash dishes, counters, floors, walls, toilets, tubs, cars. Even used it to make kiddy pool bubbles. But! I do use glass cleaner. Mrs. Meyer's Lavender scent is awesome for getting grubby nose & paw prints off of doors, windows, mirrors, and chrome.
Who said "NutriBullet"? That thing is great! Grind coffee beans, hard spices, nuts & seeds, coconut meat into flour, blend baking/cooking ingredients, purée... Very easy to clean, too. Beat that ol' megalithic stand mixer (RIP faithful Sunbeam) hands down.
Furniture Suites & Sets. Here I truly hang my head in shame. Almost nothing in this house is part of a set. DH says I have an unusual knack for pulling together Madame Trashheap's cast offs to feather our nest in a most delightful way. LoL. It's amazing how disparate pieces can be combined into a pleasing whole.
Standard Disclaimer Neither am I affiliated with any companies mentioned, nor endorse any products. Madame Trashheap was compensated for her cast offs.
Who knew top sheets were so controversial? I find nothing quite so lovely as sliding between two freshly washed sheets (with whatever blankets are necessary for the season) at the end of a long day. And I find it a bit ironic that the set of 12 dishes I dubiously registered for are used (alongside my grandmother's flatware) with real regularity for family gatherings. The set of 4 pans and 2 skillets my father gave me for a wedding present 32 years ago are used daily and have only been supplemented with a used cast-iron skillet and large stock pot for canning and soup making. Likewise, the full set of knives (sans steak knives) my daughter bought for me after she got her first real job are almost all used daily and with real joy. We don't have any nightstands because there's no space, and we use pretty much one or two cleaning products for everything. Do we NEED any of these things? Of course not, but I delight in them because they remind me of friends and family. Even the sheets remind me of summertimes spent with my grandmother - and that's where true comfort comes from for me.
You probably don't need a shop vac or a chain saw or an electric hedge trimmer.
No one needs a leaf blower.
I love this list. I am in full agreement on the top sheet and removing multiple cleaners. I recently wrote a blog post about how to get stuff done as a new parent, those were two of my tips, but really most of them are things I started after having a baby and continue today. This is my whole list:
Telynau, I love your sense of the repurposed! Almost everything we own was either a gift or hand-me-down. Mooninfog, I find a shop vac works like nothing else on wet feathers (trust me here).
I find I get along pretty well without a husband. :)
Thanks. I needed this!
I think you need a top sheet, as a barrier of sorts and for the kitchen, I find poultry shears to be a minor gift from heaven...
I think the multiple responses just goes to show that "10 things you really don't need" is more of a '10 things *I* really don't need" ...
My personal list ... Keyword being "personal" :-)
1) Multiple sheet sets ... You can only use one at a time, and they go out of fashion so fast. One set, maybe two if you want cotton in the summer and fleece in the winter. Use it till it wears out (mine typically last 5 years!), and then go buy a new one.
2) Multiple kitchen gizmos. They take up space, and you use them so rarely. Beyond a mix-master, I don't have any kitchen electronics and have no desire for any.
3) Candles ... Yes, they're pretty ... And yes, sometimes they smell good. But, most of the time, they just get dusty and dingy.
4) Extending on candles ... Any home decor item that just serves a decor purpose. (Again, the dust - ick!) It's one thing to have items that are personally meaningful or utilitarian-yet-stylish ... another thing to swoop into your local HomeSense (etc.) and pick up a pseudo-Roman-sculpture just because that's what's currently trending. Exception being art (i.e., art-art).
5) TVs/Computers/etc. in bedrooms ... There's a ton of research linking this to poor health, especially in kids. Bedrooms are for sleeping (and ... other stuff).
Things that I couldn't go without:
1) Dishware ... for 20. I grew up in a big family, and dinners with 15+ people - siblings, friends, miscellaneous relatives - is a pretty common event, especially when it's warm enough to use the backyard.
2) Tea kettle ... A big old copper one for the gas stove. Tea is my lifeblood.
3) Gardening equipment ... I love getting my hands dirty. Keeping the yard looking nice involves a lot of tools. While I won't go into excess, having a high-quality set of basics (mower, hedger, weed eater, a couple types of shoves) are a definite must.
And, just to enter the top sheet argument ... It appears to be a massively regional thing.
Where I live in Canada, everyone uses a (1) fitted bottom sheet, (2) pillow with pillow case, and (3) duvet/quilt with a cover. If you're cold, you add a blanket on top.
My mom has a few flat sheets, but they're only ever for picnic blankets, to cover the seats in the car, building forts, backyard movies, etc.
In fact ... Up until last year, I had never even SEEN a flat sheet (on a bed) in a private home ... They were just these weird, uncomfortable things that hotels used.
Everyone NEEDS a leaf blower, the rechargeable battery kind! They are the perfect self- and house-defense item.
DH turned his on a neighbour's dog the other day. Dog rushed DH with teeth bared. Dog got a full blast in the muzzle, promptly turned tail and ran home. He's also scattered sanctuary seeking squirrels, chased carousing cats, and menaced marauding mice in the potting shed.
Industrial strength wet/dry vacs are invaluable, too. I see Dec408, can attest to that. Are they a need? Oh yes! they are a need. They double as household vacuums with all the handy-dandy attachments. Plus they're great for squeegieing wet mopped floors.
Will have to reserve comment on a chain saw. I only have a heavy duty battery hedge trimmer LoL.
I like top sheets and I never tuck them in. I wash the sheets every week along with either the duvet cover and shams, or the mattress pad, so those get cleaned every other week.
Yes, yes, yes to the complete knife set. It's such a waste. We always fall back on the same 2-3 knives out of 8 knife set. I'd rather have an extra santoku knife than that super long pointy knife no one uses. Of course, you don't know which knife will be your favorite until you've cooked with them for a while.
Also, I hate top sheets.
At our place, we should pare down our dishware. I have a set of 12 dessert plates that we have never used in the five years we've had them. We also too many mismatched items that drive me nuts because they look like a mess in the cabinet: mugs with company names in all different colors and sizes and orphaned bowls that only stack in a certain order. At least we don't have any saucers though.
Speaking of kitchen gizmos, I bought my husband an electric vacuum marinader a few years ago. You would think that would be the goofy appliance that takes up too much space, but he loves it. It gets more use than the mandolin, ice cream maker, whipped cream machine, cheese maker or the sous vide -- all of which we should probably get rid of, but likely won't.
We also still have some CD's and DVD's at our house. So embarrassing.
Dear non-top sheet friends,
I fully support your choices in your home. If you invite me for a weekend, I will go along without my top sheet (forgive me if I ask if it was missed by mistake and offer to ) and enjoy your hospitality.
If you come to my home, please use the top sheet, as I don't expect to wash blankets.
When in Rome.....
For almost my entire life I never used a flat sheet. As a kid I kicked it off. As a teen I was a lazy burnout with this cheap hand me down walmart comforter that was kind of old and the stuffing in it was all flattened. It was perfect though, I was never too hot or too cold. Sometimes I wouldn't even use the fitted sheet when I was a teen.
I kept that walmart comforter for ever though. Still have it. But I started dating, living with a man, married him. It's a lot warmer in bed with someone else. Now I mostly use a flat sheet.
Things we live without:
5000+ decorative pillows.
coffee table
We also only have two rugs. In the kitchen under the table to hide the messed up floor we haven't fixed yet. And in the bathroom so we don't bust our a$$es getting out of the shower.
What you REALLY don't need is both casual and fancy dishes. We have one set of inexpensive, formal china in a simple pattern --Noritake Crestwood Platinum-- that can go in the dishwasher. We use it every day. We buy extra big box sets when they go on sale during the holidays, and replace pieces as they get broken, chipped or worn. I think we could serve 20+ everything but soup right now (the bowls break more easily than the other pieces). It works for every day and big dinners.
We use all our knives, and buy new special-purpose blades from time to time.
Totally agree on the other things. Top sheets, when I use them, always end up in a lump at the bottom of the bed under the comforter. I do use them in the guest room, so I don't have to wash the comforter there every time someone stays over.
I think the reason I like pedestal sinks (earlier thread) is that I don't buy a lot of cleaning products. I have one bucket of wipes, and a toilet brush in the bathroom. I use shampoo with the toilet brush to clean the toilet, and wipes for everything else. In the kitchen, I use dish soap or plain water for most things, or vinegar and baking soda when something is extra gross.
I wonder... maybe you need either PJs or top sheets, but not both?
Duvet covers are the best. I don't understand why people complain about wrestling with them. They take no time at all to set up. Google it people.
Move to Europe and you will stop using a flat sheet - they only do fitted sheets and duvets here. Bedding is never sold with two sheets. You can buy either flat or fitted. Duvet covers are sold with pillow cases. The whole lot goes in the wash each week and is replaced with a new set (fitted, duvet cover, pillowcases)
Ha ha. I just love the top sheet debate. No top sheet user is going to read this and say...hmm I will just ditch this top sheet.
Welcome to the world! In UK, only my mums guest room had a top sheet under the duvet. (Pretty certain a duvet is not a comforter as it has no cover except the one you put on it) Not sure if it is clear to other people but UK/European diuvet covers are made from the same material as sheets, and you can buy different warmths of duvets for different climates (typically 13 TOG for Winter/ 3 TOG Summer but personal preference wins out, you can get 3 and a 7 which clip together to make a 10, etc). Also choice if polyester filling/feather/down etc make for comfort all year round, (use just a sheet if its too hot.. And you can buy individual sheets in the UK). My wife and I have slept under single duvets for more than 30 years, no fighting for the bedclothes but still a chance to snuggle up!
I don't have a pet so top sheet is a must for me. I hate washing the duvet cover and getting the stupid thing back on afterwards. A top sheet means I don't have to go through that struggle nearly so much. Also for most of the year I only sleep with the top sheet on after I kick the duvet and blankets off.
I also like a 12 pc dinner set because with a 6 pc set as soon as something gets lost or broken the set is ruined. It either all has to match or everything be miss-matched. I can't cope when there is just one plate that is different.
European friends, I've been to the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium without suffering the loss of the top sheet. Even in Japan, we had top sheets. (Although it is possible that there was no top sheet in one small hotel on Aero where we were the only ones in the entire place during a snow storm. I was just so grateful for a room and the fact that I packed apples in my bag so we had something for dinner. The owners actually opened the hotel up just for us! I definitely remember that glorious duvet!!) In any event, do hotels provide a top sheet for US visitors? Even in the monastery, there was a top sheet, but I'm reading from you that this is not standard so now I'm confused. Can you enlighten?
Re tea made with microwaved water - no, it can't taste as good because tea needs to be made with freshly boiled (as in 100 degrees centigrade), heartily bubbling water and you just can't get that with a microwave.
Separately, as soon as I saw the first point about the topsheet I knew it would kick off a European vs American, misunderstanding about a duvet vs a duvet cover row, hilarious! (Am European myself, so naturally have a duvet, in a duvet cover, said cover did not cost me hundreds of euro, I wash it regularly and it's not hard to take the covers on and off when you do it a lot. Wouldn't have it any other way).
I'm am in Arizona and TRUST me when I say, you do. NEED a top sheet. when the night time temps are 106 and the AC is crankin when you go to bed and then by morning you need to reach for something just light to cover up, a top sheet is the answer. Yes I have a duvet on my bed and I have a long haired cat, SOOOOO I fold my duvet at the end of the bed and cover it with another flat sheet. Much easier to launder flat sheet than to perform Kung foo maneuvers getting that thing back in place after laundering.
Other must haves would be good screw driver set, battery operated drill, complete bit set with wood and masonry bits. Ladies, we too can operate power tools. I have all the big boy toys except acetylene torch, DH said absolutely not to that request. The basics for repairs around the house is a must.
Kitchen gadgets. Uuuuuuuggggghhhhhh! We own a few because of the hub's hoarding issues. Genetic kitchen gadgets attachment. It's a real thing. For the most part, I do say if the gadget isn't good for at least 10 tasks it's not worth it.
Microwave - We lived without for a year when our oldest was first born and did fine, but we use it enough to justify having one.
Toaster - Makes no sense to heat a whole oven for two slices.
Coffee maker - Duh.
Toaster oven and induction cooktop - We have window unit cooling in North Texas. I haven't turned my gas range on since May.
Salad spinner - Until I started assembling my own salads I thought these were ridiculous. Necessary now.
Apple peeler/slicer - This works fAndries of produce and makes my fall pie binge so much more happy. And easy. Maybe I shouldn't own one, after all.
Past that, I always say a good pot or pan, a great knife, and a decent spatula and spoon are all a person needs to rock the kitchen stuff like hot dog and quesadilla makers make me sad. And claustrophobic. Like a need to sweep the counters clean dramatically in pissed off office worker style.
Also, must have the top sheet! My hubs hates them but them complains when his nice fluffy blanket sheds fibers in the wash and loses volume. Hmmmm...
I presume the top sheet debate was for people using duvets with a duvet cover with or without a flat top sheet. With blankets I understand the need. At the moment it's 20 degrees C overnight so we have a top sheet no duvet or blankets.
Second sunburst mirrors, knife sets, kitchen gadgets. Top sheets and salad plates are regional preferences, and salad plates are rare items at Dixie thrifts. Do not expect me to forego my vintage blue Balls, which are canisters and guests' sweet tea glasses. Ditto for the measuring spoon with slider, which replaces a set and a coffee scoop. Multiple cleaning products are redundant for good housekeepers but essential for landlords. I can do without every throw pillow on the planet but would not presume to deprive y'all of yours.
Being menopausal (and dear God when will THAT end?), a top sheet is a must. I'm either much too sweaty hot or freezing cold sweaty cold.
Life sucks at this age.
Re sheets v duvets in European hotels. Yes, most European hotels have top sheets and blankets. It might be to cater for American tastes, but it's also a sleeker, more formal look. Duvets are more informal and domestic.
I had a delicious jar of Bavarian Sauerkraut that I just couldn't open - no way/ no how- that jar opener was the best thing I ever bought. But I'm older and have a problem with tendonitis in my wrist. I am paring down my knives to the ones I use though. We had one "sandwich" knife that came in the set that we used for everything...never found another one like it...had many that looked like it. My ex has it now...although it did belong to his mother.
I would add keurig coffee maker to this list, silliest and most wasteful contraption. It doesn't even make good coffee ;)
KNIVES: Absolutely right. Buy three good knives and a honing steel.
Keep 'em sharp. They're all you need.
Thank you so much for this article topic! Let's do this again.
Ditto to the comment above about keurig coffee makers -- so wasteful and unnecessary, and a scam because you have to keep buying the little inserts.
microwave. lived w/o for over a year and still loving it not being in my kitchen!
Toaster ovens utterly confuse me. Why are they a "thing"? Presumably, most people have toasters. And an oven. Ergo, I can't fathom the need for a toaster oven (and have usually found them painfully slow to heat up, bulky, and very quick to gather dirt and grease).
Rice cookers also seem redundant to me. I use a pot - once the water's boiled, there's no need to watch it. As for crockpots, the same: a dutch oven performs the same function, but better cooked. Am I the only one who finds that both the above yield inferior results (taste) than stove-top methods?
TV: Neither a need nor a want. I've lived without one for years, and don't think I could go back to owning one.
And as drawn-out as the sheet debate has become, the shocked reactions at the very thought were amusing. I'm European and don't use one. Take duvet ("comforter"). Insert in cover, made from the equivalent of two top sheets stitched together (all cotton). Replace cover once a week. That's all! If it's hot, I sleep without covers, mostly.
topsheet = first world problems. some people dont even have beds, get over it.
Card carrying member of the No Top Sheet Club.
I love having friends over and I dislike having to wash dishes while having a party so I don't have twelve but way more sets of plates and silver but mismatched.
Indeed! Top sheet is my blanket for 3 seasons of the year.
I personally want to be able to accommodate 8 for a dinner party but I don't need all parts of the place settings to match. I am not for renting this sort of thing.
I only have 2 knives, and I kind of only use 1.
I don't have any nightstands... although I do have a pair of matching lamps on my fireplace mantel. As well as a pair of matching floorlamps, but that was not really on purpose. >.>
I get randomly tempted by cleaning products but am going to try to just use them up without replacing and then maybe just use doc bronner's with some supplementary items. I have way too many things for laundry, though....
One may as well say the ppl forgoing televisions also have "TV". They can access all sorts of programming on their computers as well as play DVDs and such.
I have explained to my bed partner that a top sheet is a kind of gasket for me, keeping just enough warm air in (we live in the SF Bay Area, not a lot of hot nights). Absolutely necessary. I do agree with the rest, though.
Toaster ovens are awesome! And no, I don't have a toaster alongside it - my convection toaster oven can toast, bake, broil, etc. I originally bought it b/c my first apartment didn't have an oven, but I wouldn't give it up for anything. Mine heats up way, way faster than a full sized oven, so I generally use it for baking unless I'm doing something really large (turkey, multiple pans of cookies or cakes). It saves energy by heating up a smaller space.
It's also perfect for reheating things that would get soggy in a microwave. I don't have to worry about trying to shove bagel halves into a small slot and can even toast full sandwiches or buns with cheese on top, something you can't do in a traditional toaster. Yes, it's bulky, but it's probably the piece of kitchen equipment I use the most.
#1 doesn't make sense. If you're saving time/space from washing the top sheet then that means that you aren't washing your duvet cover (ever?). That's kinda gross. You may as well ditch your bottom sheet too and sleep directly on your mattress.
I have not found a store in Germany that sells top sheets. Are all Germans gross? Are Americans the only sanitary people in the world because they have top sheets? Sillyness.
I really like the point of this post: we don't need everything we're told we need. It's very refreshing after those "must have" lists that said we "need" all kinds of useless stuff to do even the simplest things.
We'll said :)
*well urg iphone
Me too! Keep the top sheet people ~smile~
We do need a chainsaw but do not own one... So we are constantly borrowing our neighbors whenever a storm brings down a limb (or entire tree). Our neighborhood is all very tall, mature trees.
We need a shop vac for cleaning up sawdust and mess while restoring our home, cleaning cars (5 children make messes), etc.
We need a weed eater for, well, cutting brush and weeds down.
I think it is too individualized to make a list. I require a top sheet. And lots of dishes for our large family.
I don't personally require a microwave although my family does. But I did buy a Keurig specifically for my tea obsession (don't drink coffee) and my kids like to use it to make cocoa. My husband didn't think we needed it as we have a kettle, but even he enjoys it now for tea.
I get a kick out of the strong feelings people have. what we need is incredibly individualistic.
useless personal trivia point- I own approximately 8 saws. and need to replace my dead table saw. but I use them all. also, if you have a shop vac, put the hose in the exhaust side and you have a blower. which is excellent for getting saw dust out, if the vac cant get it all.
I purge often, and ruthlessly. a couple times a year I have my friends over for potluck and swap, with the extras going to charity. my general rule is that if it hasn't been used in a year, it goes. exceptions made for expensive, heirloom, etc.
1) television set/cable
2) dishwasher (though it's just 2 of us with no kids, so we have things easier)
3) WiFi - especially now that I have a smart phone. Plenty of free internet access available at work, the library, coffee shops, even the grocery store. We save so much money not paying for cable/internet
4) specialized cleaning products- maybe once a year I buy more borax or washing soda, otherwise I just buy baking soda, vinegar and Dr. Bronners and steer clear of the chemical aisle. No more eczema now that I make my own cleaning products from these inexpensive ingredients
5) Shower caddies full of different hair and skin products. That crap is all the same, it's overpriced and it clutters up the bathroom.
6) seasonal/trendy decor items from Target or World Market - unnecessary and contrived clutter
7) decorative plaques and embossed pieces of wood that say "family!" or "The Jacobs, estd. June 17 2009" - I'm a cynical asshole I guess
8) decorative pillows - more than one or two and they become a nuisance
9) standing mixer and bread machine - never seen anyone actually use theirs, and I know I wouldn't
10) matching silverware and dish sets - I guess I prefer a quirky, unmatched setting. I buy similar-styled plates at Goodwill and yard sales and mix and match. If something breaks the set can just move on and evolve.
11) coffee table - just gets in the way
Ridiculous things I love owning:
Vitamix - use it every day
Tofu press
Antique standing ashtray (nonsmoker)
Electric blanket
And I can't stand top sheets.
Thought of some more things I have stopped using:
Paper towels - I have a bag of old (washed!) socks and cut up t-shirts that I use instead. Socks slip around the hand for easy wiping, and repurposing them gives me an excuse not to bother with mending. Using rags saves money, frees up counter space and reduces waste.
Trash bags - makes no sense to pay money for sheets of plastic that you're going to use one time to dispose of trash. I only use reusable grocery bags at the store and still somehow I haven't run out of random plastic bags for 3 years. Smaller, repurposed bags allow for me to take out the trash more frequently do I don't have to wait a month to fill a huge bag that will stink up the house.
I hope I don't sound too smug about this stuff. For me it's just amazing how many products I and all my friends were brought up thinking of as essentials. I can't count how many times someone has spilled a drink at my place and then looked at me like I'm disgusting and crazy when I say I don't have paper towels. I can't imagine their reaction were I to go into their homes and make rude, unmasked judgments about their paper towel dependencies.
Wow I just had to google what a top sheet is! I live in the UK and have never used a top sheet, it looks like it would get tangled and end up on the floor!!
I am so guilty of this. I don't know what my fascination with food storage items but I got to quit it since I don't have the space and often they topple down onto me. There are few I use often (weekly), another handful I use for larger leftovers and sadly a good chunk that I got 'cause they were cheap that I haven't used in over a year.
My 2 cents on the top sheet, it's a must. I sleep hot and most of the time I sleep on top of my blanket with just a sheet covering me. If I get cold I can crawl under the blanket.
I am a convert to a top sheet-free life. It always got tangled and twisted into almost a rope, and came untucked. It was so aggravating I wouldn't want to make the bed. It's just a small issue, but small, annoying things over time tend to be what mess with you the most. I switched to a duvet and fitted sheet set-up and haven't looked back. No tucking and I can stick both my feet out the bottom at night (yessss). I now actually make the bed everyday due to less hassle. Changing the duvet cover isn't difficult, and I buy cotton covers so I can just wash them at home with the fitted sheet and pillowcases. This is technically how a duvet/duvet cover is supposed to be used, anyway. The duvet cover IS the top sheet.
I saw someone say a standing mixer is useless? I suppose it is for most people. If you cook or bake everyday or multiple times a day, it's great. I use mine all the time. Depends on the person.
My partner and I are in the middle of figuring out how to clean everything with lemon, vinegar and baking soda to avoid wasting all that money and to avoid putting all those chemicals down the drain and into our home.
The knife situations is also very eye-opening... We have to many knives when we'd be fine with just 3 or 4. I'll have to bring that up to him!
I once lived years without a microwave though & didn't really miss it.
Haven't had a top sheet in 15 years. Husband and I do separate blankets and we're the happiest couple around. :)
If you're allergic to dust mites (which I am, woe) the recommendation is once a week, but I think for most people twice a month is enough. As someone who lives with a tiny little apartment washer/dryer that has a major case of the vapors over something as bulky as a queen-sized sheet, though, I wouldn't wish the hike to the laundromat on anyone else. Honestly, I'm this close to buying a Cocoon travel sheet that can be wadded up and washed in a kitchen sink to get around this problem.
(I can't imagine washing a duvet weekly, which is what I would need to do - I've slept under multiple top sheets before to avoid the hassle of washing/drying heavy blankets!)
As far as things I can do without, I'm a big fan of the one-bowl-and-mug-per-resident model - but it requires buy-in from all residents, or one person will wind up leaving them all some mysterious Somewhere in the house and no one else will have mugs. And for some reason, I can handwash the same coffee mug and oatmeal bowl every time I need it, but no matter what I try I go through five water glasses in a day.
I admit to sneakily trying to throw out every plastic potato masher I've ever shared a kitchen with - they seem to exist solely to stick in drawers, and I've never seen one of the cheap plastic ones sold in kitchen starter sets hold up to the actual job of mashing potatoes. I would seriously recommend a fork first, or an old-fashioned wooden mallet-style masher.
Ditto to most of those plastic soup spoons and spatulas - no one needs non-heatproof kitchenware that either breaks or melts, but every kitchen containing a former college student is full of the stuff.
But I have a potato ricer that takes up even more space that I will defend to the death, because of the off chance that once or twice a year I'll want it for either potato-ricing or spaetzle. It's funny the things you decide you can't live without.
I practically had a knock-down brawl with the registry lady at Bed Bath & Beyond. When my son and his fiance had their first encounter with her to start their registry, they then asked me to help them finish it and protect them from the crazy registry people who insisted their life would not be complete without AT LEAST 12 place settings of fine china, and knives and pots which only came in sets. Thanks to my years of reading The Kitchn, I had the power to ably defend these 2 defenseless kids and help them pick out the individual pieces to serve them well :)
I'm on board with needing to use a top sheet...but am concerned by the amount of people saying this prevents them from washing the rest of their blankets weekly. Yuck! As far as a place setting for 12, if you entertain often, go for it! I agree with knives though, I have two amazing chefs knives, a beautiful bread knife, slicer and paring knife with a gorgeous steak knife set (for 12). We do a lot of entertaining and honestly, most of the "not needed" items are only if you're somewhat a hermit with no company, love life, or friends. Just saying.
I had to join AT to comment on top sheets! The implication that not using a top sheet if you're using a duvet + duvet cover is unhygienic doesn't make sense. Duvet covers are usually (or always in my house) washed with the sheets and pillow cases, and so are probably cleaner because none of the duvet is exposed like a blanket or comforter. I'm not sure if there's a terminology issue with defining a 'duvet' - to me, this is made to be inserted into a cover and is not attractive so you wouldn't want it uncovered on the bed. I would call a decorative 'duvet' made to be used without a cover a comforter I guess?
Our duvet covers are cotton and the same quality as the sheets. We also have two duvets of different weights, which are changed with the seasons. If it's very hot, we can sleep with a duvet cover without the duvet in it (the thickness of two sheets). We have three or four duvet cover/sheet sets in rotation, we live in a small flat in London, and laundry doesn't seem to be an issue. ;)
PS - To the posters commenting on making tea with water heated in a microwave, as a British tea-addict, I absolutely agree an electric kettle is a must! That is my most-used kitchen appliance.
For anyone who entertains frequently, service for 12 is definitely necessary. However, you don't have to use fancy china. My dishes for entertaining and everyday are simple white ones. I have been able to easily add additional simple white plates and other pieces when things have gotten chipped or broken. They don't match exactly, but with plain white, it's hardly noticeable. On holidays and for family celebrations, we sometimes host 16 - 20 people, and I don't want to use paper plates unless it's a super casual gathering. As for knives, if you're an active home cook (or you cook with your significant other), you probably need two paring knives and two chefs knives. Otherwise, you have to take turns or constantly wash the knives before taking on the next task. Don't buy knife sets, but do purchase individual high-quality knives that will last for years -- then take good care of them. Wash by hand and get them professionally sharpened when needed.
I had to learn how to forgo a topsheet when I met my fiance because he would completely kick it off the bed EVERY NIGHT. Unless we wanted to sleep with totally separate sheets and blankets it became useless, so I just started washing my duvet cover more often. The rest of the stuff eeeeeh, I like having lots of place settings, and I feel like some of the others are just personal taste.
A coffee table. I don't think I've ever missed having this supposedly essential piece of living room furniture. It's another place to stack up mail, extra pens, doilies, and assorted dust catchers; it's usually too awkwardly positioned to eat at, yet still encourages eating in front of the TV; and it's just another thing to clean that takes up valuable floor space. Maybe things would be different if I entertained regularly and literally needed a table for guests to perch their coffee cups on, but, as I don't, I'm happily coffee table-free.
I also do without a TV, dishwasher, toaster oven, and electric blanket! I did without a full-size blender for years, but recently got on a smoothie kick and now I don't know that I'd part with my Ninja if somebody paid me. :)
I've NEVER seen the point in the top sheet. I hate having to sleep with them and would remove them if it didn't mean sleeping against a scratchy polyester hotel duvet or getting body oils all over my mother in law's duvet. At home, though, I don't own a single one. We just sleep with a duvet with a removable cover that I wash regularly.
I've actually never felt obligated to do any of these. The only reason I have a knife set is because I can't afford good quality knives on their own. I mean, the idea of dropping $200 on a kitchen knife is hard to wrap my head around. I do cook at home, but I guess I don't understand the value of excellent quality tools to help with said cooking.
I don't know if this is the same thing, but I decided this year that there would be NO PLASTIC in my kitchen, to buy from the salvation army old pots and pans, and found that my favorite things to find were old enamelware that I could take care of and replace as needed. I have plenty of mason jars to store food and some beautiful dishes for serving. All of my small appliances are vintage, an old osterizer, a sunbeam stand mixer cause I'm a baking fanatic and killed several cheap plastic hand mixers over the past 10 years. I have also found that if I stick to a color of plate instead of a pattern, I can have so much more fun looking for whatever's blue or yellow in a thrift store. My knives come from... lord only knows, but they work and I keep stuff till it completely falls apart
I also decided I didn't need a coffee table - those things are evil and living in a 1 bedroom for however long I need to, there's no reason to keep one.
I have an unreasonably large amount of chairs, though
How can anyone live without trash bags??? there are only two of us and we fill a 13 gallon one every two or three days. And that's trash, not recycling. Granted, we do not compost.
We use a top sheet, but my husband steals it every night.
I don't use a top sheet & wash all bedding once a week, I have 5 santoku knives and 2 paring knives that I use regularly, I have 8 place settings because that's how many people my dining room can seat comfortably, I have no idea what cleaning products my maid service uses but it always smells like lavender & my night stands do match because the hubs and I both liked them
But I just got rid of my food processor, blender, coffee maker, quesadilla maker and mandoline. Those were just collecting dust in the cabinets.
Count your relatives to decide how many settings you need! Just my husband's immediate family brings us to 13--and we don't even have our own children yet. We might not have them over often, but when we do its nice to have matching settings.
Also, we only run the dishwasher when full. So we need at least 6-8 plates just for ourselves. (we dont put pots and pans in the dishwasher) and yes we could handwash the same few plates over and over, but realistically, not gonna happen. Know yourself.
We ditched the top sheet 2 years ago and haven't looked back. It always indeed up bunched in the bed between my husband and I, and the duvet still got just as dirty and had to be washed just as often. We instead use two twin sized summer weight comforters. We each have our own so we don't fight over blankets. We are in Texas and haven't looked back. To those worried about the comforter getting dirty, you must sleep really still, because we always had a hard time staying under ours anyways.
Who can live WITHOUT decorative plaques. Even more provocative than the top sheet debate.
We don't use top sheets all year. HE is a blanket hog so we use separate twin duvets and wash the covers with the bottom sheet but in summer when it is too hot for anything else, a sheet makes a perfect cover because it is too uncomfortable to sleep without one. Maybe emotional but ergo, I always buy single top sheets, queen pillow cases, knit bottom fitted and a make a poufy weightless cover to make the bed up nicely because it can look lumpy with two duvets.
cleaning products totally agree and personal products too. For example my Young Living Thieves toothpaste doubles as a deodorant - best of both I have ever used.
Used to sleep without a top sheet for years, til I got softer bedding sets, now I can't imagine sleeping without it :) Love my top sheet!
Land-lines seem like they're on the way out. Sure, it's fun to use one of those retro phones...but shelling out an extra $50 a month when you're already paying for one or more cellphones that you can actually take with you? Seems kind of silly if you're trying to save money.
I use my rice cooker all the time -- rice, grains for pilafs and salads, lentils, and even some small beans, plus you can throw veggies in on top and they will cook right along with whatever your main ingredient is. Love my tea kettle, have always had one. Although I have 16 place settings of one set of dishes (white), I also love eclectic and am currently on a bowl kick so many, many unmatched but complementary bowls to brighten the table. Have numerous knives, spatulas, cooking spoons and all that gear and use them all -- it goes along with not wanting to run the dishwasher unless it's full.
As for the landline, I'm in an area with spotty to unreliable to nonexistent cell service, so there is no choice -- must have. Fast Internet would cost me 3-4 times what I pay for dialup plus an installation fee of nearly $500, because no fast Internet from any of the usual providers here. I was a tech writer in Silicone Valley for years and was a very early adopter of DSL when residential service first became available. If it wasn't more expense that I feel it's worth here, and having to keep my landline, well, I'd definitely say fast Internet was something I "had to" have.
Top sheet? Yes. Really, we're all adults here, and if the top sheet never bothered you, why not keep it. And if it bothered you, did you have to wait for this post to make it okay to get rid of it? This is one of those things that we should all be able to decide for ourselves.
Hey csc76 I thought I was the only person on the planet that uses a steak knife for everything! You're right - it just feels best. Not so sure Gordon Ramsay would be proud!
I love my tiny two cup rice cooker that I inherited from a roommate who got it in Japan. Perfect rice (and other grains) at a click of a button and you can leave the kitchen.
I gave up the microwave two years ago, and I've not missed it at all. I don't eat meat so that's no problem for me, Xtina. If I did, I guess I'd just plan to get the meat out of the freezer soon, which is what I do with soups and chilis I've frozen.
I gave up the microwave two years ago, and I've not missed it at all. I don't eat meat so that's no problem for me, Xtina. If I did, I guess I'd just plan to get the meat out of the freezer soon, which is what I do with soups and chilis I've frozen.
I gave up the microwave two years ago, and I've not missed it at all. I don't eat meat so that's no problem for me, Xtina. If I did, I guess I'd just plan to get the meat out of the freezer soon, which is what I do with soups and chilis I've frozen.
I don't know about the rest of you, but growing up a few decades ago, we didn't have top sheets. I think those came with affluence and marketing. Having said that, I now prefer to have a top sheet. I switch coverlets twice a year with the seasons (spring and fall). When I do, I was the one going into storage. In general, they don't get washed in between unless necessary. The sheet helps make this possible and washing the coverlets less often saves them from as much wear and allows them to last longer. Also, soft sheets against my skin feel better.
Interesting discussion. Really illustrates different strokes for different folks. I have some dedicated kitchen gadgets that I probably could get rid of, but I have room for them, so why bother. I do use my blender and food processor regularly. I use my mandolyn less often, but it takes up very little space. I love my rice cooker. Perfect rice every time. I recently bought a convection toaster oven (they are calling them countertop ovens these days) and got rid of my toaster. Talk about an appliance with limited function! I don't know how much energy I'm really saving, but it just seems wasteful to me to heat up the full sized oven for the quantities I usually cook. I use the toaster oven all the time. I could live without a microwave. I don't think they are evil; I just don't use it all that much. As someone else pointed out, this is definitely a first world discussion.
I think the take-away from this article is to think before you buy instead of being seduced by advertising into acquiring a bunch of stuff you don't really need. BTW, really good comment from the mother who helped her kid fill out the gift registry. The salesperson is going to encourage you to sign up for everything in the store.
No top sheet!! If I have to make the bed every morning, I'm going to make it as quick and painless as possible. For me, saving time every single morning is worth the 2 minutes it takes to strip/put on the duvet once a week.
I completely agree with this list.
Ten Things I can live without
1. Living/family room furniture
We live in the kitchen. We use the living/family room for our laundry drying racks, as a guest room and an exercise room. It has a nice futon and dresser and a closet that formerly held a built in china cabinet.
2. Dining room furniture (We live in our large kitchen)
3. TV's /DVDs /CDs (we sign them out from the library) This eliminates spending money on buying them and furniture to store them in.
4. Matching sets of dishes and silverware. My roommates and I are klutzes and we break a lot of dishes so we buy enough mismatched dishes at Goodwill every September to fill our cupboards back up again.
5.Throw pillows
6.Decorative knick knacks on the wall, dressers or tables that serve no useful purpose and just add to cleaning tasks.
7. Women's vacuum cleaners (A 15 gallon wet/dry aka shop vac works great. The suction is incredible, the vacuum cleaners bags are huge, Hepa filter is wonderful, every single attachment can easily be replaced for a fair price and they last. We use them to vacuum our entire apartment of hardwood floors and ceramic tile.
8. Area rugs. I love the look of Oriental rugs but the hassle of cleaning two different surfaces out weighs the desire for them. We have four throw rugs. Two in bathroom, one in entry way and one in front of the sink in the kitchen. We throw them in the wash once a week.
9. Wine glasses and tea cups. We use little juice glasses, mugs and large plain beer glasses.
10. Gadgets: electronic can opener, coffee grinder, panini maker, George Forman grill, wine cooler, wine rack, electronic knife, asparagus steamer with string, espresso machine
Guys. I think the author just means you don't NEED a top sheet or 12 place settings or a ton of knives if you don't WANT them. Not that you shouldn't have them ever.
I agree on the tea kettle! Got rid of mine 8 years ago and haven't missed it. And I drink tea and have a couple friends over for tea/coffee about every week.
I always examine the lead pic on these types of articles to see if I can guess what's going to be mentioned. :) My guess was those fleece things draped over all the seating, waiting sinisterly for an opportunity to put a child or elderly person on the floor. But nope!
But if you don't have a plastic potato masher getting stuck in your drawer, how else will you call upon the goddess Anoia?
About 6 years ago I discovered and fell in love with tiny homes and became obsessed with the idea of burden free living - but as affordable as it is to build your own tiny home BF and I never had the time or the courage (despite ample knowledge and some experience) to undertake such a huge project- flash forward we now live in a 2/1 in Austin and are finally planing to buy our first home- it's smaller than our apartment and even though it's quite a bit larger than the tiny home we originally dreamed of we are still devoted to the minimal concept and have through tremendous effort on both parts finally come to embrace the tried and true old adage that less is more!
We sold what we could donated a bunch and gifted to many an appreciative neighbor and the result is a real appreciation for what we do have and a clutter/aggravation free space and the odd side affect of a truly we'll designed home.
A home without a kettle but with a table for two, five knives dishes for two a double size bed wearing "underwear" that came in a set that wouldn't be complete without it! and not a junk drawer to speak of
I could list a hundred things we discovered we could care less about but like top sheets to each their own preference :)
About 6 years ago I discovered and fell in love with tiny homes and became obsessed with the idea of burden free living - but as affordable as it is to build your own tiny home BF and I never had the time or the courage (despite ample knowledge and some experience) to undertake such a huge project- flash forward we now live in a 2/1 in Austin and are finally planing to buy our first home- it's smaller than our apartment and even though it's quite a bit larger than the tiny home we originally dreamed of we are still devoted to the minimal concept and have through tremendous effort on both parts finally come to embrace the tried and true old adage that less is more!
We sold what we could donated a bunch and gifted to many an appreciative neighbor and the result is a real appreciation for what we do have and a clutter/aggravation free space and the odd side affect of a truly we'll designed home.
A home without a kettle but with a table for two, five knives dishes for two a double size bed wearing "underwear" that came in a set that wouldn't be complete without it! and not a junk drawer to speak of
I could list a hundred things we discovered we could care less about but like top sheets to each their own preference :)
I am with the majority here. Top sheet is totally necessary for me! My husband could probably do with out. But I love the feel.
In my house, service for 12 is totally necessary too. We have a big family and I never need to rotate dishes. They all get used. I do think it is totally unnecessary to have a formal and informal set though. I have mismatched Fiestaware that looks great on holidays and regular days alike!
I pretty much agree with the rest of the list though. I happen to have matching nightstands and lamps, but I don't think it is necessary at all. The rest of my set is mismatched, but looks like it is a set (all same era walnut), so the matching nightstands looked best. But, normally totally not necessary!
We use Simple Green to clean about everything in the house (or vinegar or hydrogen peroxide). And our knife set we got as a wedding gift is largely unused. We ended up buying separate pieces over the years anyways. Wish I had started that way.
Not a "need," but one might buy 12 place settings with the expectation that some pieces will break in coming years and matching replacements will not be available because the design will have been discontinued.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and I don't even know what a duvet cover is. I don't know anyone who has one. The people I know use blankets, quilts or comforters. Some use top sheets and some don't. I use the bottom sheet and a light quilt in the summer and add a second light quilt in the winter. I wash them all at the same time. Some people use a bedspread, but I just use the light quilt.
Okay, I had to comment as well. I've gone both ways on the "No top sheet issue" & I found that my cover (whatever was being used at the time) got dirty FAR more frequently when I did not use a top sheet. I'm of the opinion that washing my sheets every week or every other week, is MUCH less expensive than taking my expensive comforter/duvet cover into the dry cleaner the same amount!!! As far as saving time, bed-making wise, I just hand-stitch the bottom edge of my top sheet to the bottom edge of my fitted sheet. It NEVER pulls out & it's extremely easy to make my bed this way. My sheets come in sets anyway, so no problems.
Don't need:
1. Tons of gadgets which only work for one function.
2. A separate dining room. (Thanks to Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House.)
3. TV (online is fine).
4. A shower every day (really - sponge baths instead. I have very dry skin).
5. A hundredy-jillion cosmetics.
Do need ( in no particular order):
1. Wifi so everyone in the house can use their computers in every room.
2. Microwave because it uses less power than the oven. (Sames goes for the electric kettle.)
3. Books, books, books.
4. Cats for laps.
5. My husband sitting across the room with his book.
6. A tornado preparedness kit.
Our daughter must have a rice cooker as she is gluten-intolerant and rice is a staple. We must have a chain saw since we have 40 or 50 trees on our lot.
The hundreds of sheet comments are hilarious.
Are you kidding me? - 12 dishes is not nearly enough. Or it is in one pattern, but I have at least 5 different patterns - and I'm on the verge of another. I have a lot of parties, but seriously, unless you live alone, if you only have a few you have to wash everything after every meal. Or not eat at home much.
Secondly - I hate, hate, hate duvets. Why did this become popular? They're always too hot. I mean seriously, there was a duvet on my bed in Athens this summer - it was 100 degrees outside! I love wonderful sheets, and then blankets or quilts depending on the temperature. And you only wash the sheets once a week, right? Do people wash them more often that that?
Don't need: Dining Room
For me, throw pillows are unnecessary. Seems like they always end up on the floor, and I'm forever picking them up, fluffing them. Finally, I just got rid of them all. I live without the Keurig machine, rice cooker, and stand mixer. I enjoy baking, but have just kept using the hand mixer. Maybe I don't know what I'm missing?
All of the above applies to my life... except for the 12 place settings.
We have enough for at least 16-20, thanks to IKEA. I can't think of a better more affordable and reasonable purchase. We have two kids, neighbors who stop by, and not-infrequently throw massive pasta drop-in-parties. It's a good choice for our family. :)
The list refers to the "must haves" that the average person really needs. Your description of your lifestyle doesn't sound particularly "average" and thus, you've eloquently described why having those 12 place settings and 7 piece cutlery set is important to you. One of the things people sometimes don't figure on... is what is the cost of those extra place settings in your favorite china versus (say if you only have that many people over twice per year) renting the tableware for those times you really need it. I bet if you amortize the costs you'd find that you could rent up to 10 years without it being as expensive as purchasing (not to mention when you rent, the place settings never have chips and you're really not subject to the loss of a discontinued pattern.)
Duvets were designed as a "pillowcase" for down comforters so that it is the duvet that needs cleaning, not the down comforter. In essence, the duvet IS a sheet (since sheets protect our blankets from having to be washed every time too.
In the summertime I remove my comforter from my duvet and just use it alone (thus avoiding the whole "heat" problem you describe).
I don't know where you buy your Duvet (by the way a Duvet IS by definition a cover for your comforter, so it's redundant to say Duvet "cover" it would be like saying pillowcase pillowcase). Duvets are supposed to cover your comforter (originally down, but now there are lots of alternatives to down). They were made of a sheet type of material that can be easily washed. So, if you opted not to use a top sheet, when you washed your bottom sheet, you'd take the comforter out of the duvet and wash the duvet with your bottom sheet and pillowcases and replace them when the wash is done.
If you're buying a Duvet that must be dry cleaned or specially treated, then I can see where you've got a conundrum. Personally I would never buy a duvet that couldn't be washed over and over and over again.
Not to mention, even if you don't regularly entertain 12, you already have replacements.
I'd never sleep without a top sheet. I don't do duvets; I use an actual wool blanket and bedspread or handmade quilt as my top layer. Sheets are meant for frequent washing, to save wear-and-tear on the blankets etc. The last time I tried to wrestle a down comforter into a duvet cover, I ended up with my whole self inside, coughing feathers!
I think that having "everyday" dishes as well as good china is a huge waste of cabinet space. I bought myself a complete china service for 12 at the Royal Doulton outlet years ago, and I use it every day. Pretty things make every meal happier, and they don't wear out. Having 12 means that I cycle through the dishes - and I can be lazy about running the dishwasher because there's always more.
Agree with all the pro-top sheet posters - you have to wash whatever you cover with, so I don't see how not having a top sheet saves on laundry.
That being said, I do love my home to look neat and tidy at all times, and I'm all for anything that helps make that as quick and easy as possible. Saving even just a minute here and there adds up. Plus, the more tasks you can convert into single-step or two-step tasks, the more likely you are to do them every day or every time they need doing. For that reason, I'm all about minimizing the time and steps and simplifying the process of making the bed. While I like the idea of a top sheet, I don't like the idea of having to tidy up multiple layers of coverings when I make the bed. So what I do is buy sheets that have a decorative quality to them, as well as softness and comfort, and sew two of them together to make a duvet cover.
I have several of these, and the top sheet and bottom sheet don't necessarily match. I will sometimes use a more expensive, and even less comfortable (in terms of softness) top sheet (usually in a print). The bottom sheet is where I am most concerned with comfort, and I buy the cheapest/softest/most comfortable-feeling sheet for the bottom.
I make the summer covers permanent, so I don't have to bother with the hassle of removing them to watch. The summer sheets are cotton or bamboo, and for the inside I use a summer-weight blanket or very lightweight comforter.
In the winter I still use a decorative sheet for the top (which could be any kind of fabric), but a flannel sheet for the bottom, and I use a heavier comforter. I don't want to wash a heavy comforter every week, because it takes too long to dry. So for the winter comforters, I make only the bottom blanket removable. I'm not a fan of Velcro, because it wreaks havoc in the wash when other items stick to it (or it sticks to itself). So I use tabbed buttons or ties to attach the bottom flannel sheet to the comforter, and when I need to wash it, I just remove the bottom sheet. Sometimes this means I have to make adjustments to the size of the sheet if it doesn't match the comforter, and usually, I just fold it along the edges to get the desired size, and then sew it down or use sewing tape to hold it in place. Sometimes I also cut them down to size, depending on how much extra fabric and/or bulk I'm dealing with, and depending on my mood. :)
This ensures that I only need one item to cover with, and I only have to shake out and toss one item on the bed in the morning, so making the bed is quick and simple.
Many people seem surprised that the author would make such a bold suggestion to eliminate your top sheet, without clarifying that she also assumes you would use your duvet cover instead. Some think it was just an honest oversight. I beg to differ.
Some of you may have heard of the adage that even bad attention is better than none at all. This is especially true in the marketing world. These blogs are monetized. So the more people who are drawn to the article title, and then further drawn to and compelled to comment on the brazen suggestion that we forego our top sheet (thus creating MORE work for some of us to watch the duvet cover), the more traffic the blog receives. Get it? Do you think the author cares that we think she's insane for making such a suggestion? Probably not one bit! I mean, let's face it, how many of us would have felt the overwhelming urge to add a comment had it not been for the very first bold suggestion of foregoing a top sheet (without further commentary about what to do instead)? If not for that, we might have just silently nodded our heads that we agreed, or not, with the other suggestions. But the clever (and I believe deliberate) omission of further details on the top sheet suggestion prompted a LOT of discussion - even many comments saying it's time to quit talking about the top sheet, even though, paradoxically, that is the ONLY thing their comment included. Hmm. Cha-ching!
There are many articles of this type in the blogosphere, where the author makes brazen assumptions that we all fit into one cozy stereotype of what we do or don't need in our kitchens or homes. But try to find even just 10 random people, out of the billions on this planet, who can agree on what we do or don't need. I'm betting you can't! So authors know that these suggestions are ludicrous and meaningless. But they also know that they will spur endless discussion, sometimes even years after the posts are made. You very, very rarely hear from the original author once the post is made - no apologies or explanations about the purpose or intent of the post or that they were wrong or stand by their list. No surprise. Passive income for a VERY long time. Clever, clever authors.
I'm not complaining at all. I'm not upset with the authors. It certainly doesn't hurt anyone, and I find the comments even more interesting than the silly and otherwise useless article. It's just an observation, and not the first or last time this has happened. I think there are many bloggers who do that outside of the kitchen appliances topic - some of them do it with current events. The more controversial a statement they can make, the more traffic they will generate, even if much of it is hate mail. Cha-ching for them too!
Welcome to the modern world. Just sayin'. :)
~Karen :)
P.S. What I meant by using a decorative top sheet and comfortable bottom sheet was not literally what would serve as a bottom sheet to sleep on, but the "topmost" and "under sheet" of the duvet cover - decorative sheet for top/exposed part, and comfy/cheaper sheet for "under" or "hidden" part that goes next to your body. But you knew that. :)
What are "swirl pens" - or "swril pens"?
My sister stopped using fitted sheets too. When I visit her, the sheet slides all over the bed, and so do I.
To me, placemats are pointless. Either the table needs protecting, and gets a tablecloth, or it doesn't. I'm guessing people who have dinner parties usually have tables nice enough to warrant tablecloths.
I realize we've been conditioned to feel like an unclothed table without placemats is naked (oddly enough!) but from a practical standpoint, what's the deal?
I also consider napkin rings superfluous, but I have some I truly love, so if we ever DID serve a meal to company, I'd use them.
I agree that place mats, tablecloths and napkin rings are pointless.
I also think that pasta-makers, herb-shears and garlic-presses are a waste of time,space and money. All you really need is a good chef's knife or two, and a good quality knife sharpener.
I think I must be such a pain to my friends and family, as they are always buying and giving me kitchen 'gear' as presents, and I always end up re-gifting. I abhor unnecessary kitchen gadgets. Especially specialty onion-choppers.
I don't use a top sheet - I use a duvet set and wash everything at once like most people I know. Maybe that's being in the UK. I have a rice cooker that I don't need or use, so should probably pass it on to someone who will use it.
It's interesting what you say you don't need. I totally agree!
I would never have a duvet that needs dry cleaning! Mine goes in the washer. However, sort of by accident, I found my self sleeping with just a very thin quilt on top. I loved it, and I've stuck with it for now. A sheet alone is never enough for me with AC going, and this has been perfect. It washes easily with the bottom sheet.
I recently lost my entire house to a fire, so I know what you really can and cannot live without.
We purchased several good knives with a good quality cutting board--like the next morning after using the hotel provisions. A tea kettle (we thought we could "make due" but realized we couldn't), a saucepan, large rimmed frying pan, stock pot, and wooden spoons.
After 4 months we finally bought a blender and toaster and that was simply because it is fall and we used those things with soups, etc.
We found that matching sets, mismatched pieces of anything just didn't matter in the long run. Being able to prepare food, prepare it well, and being together trumped everything else.
Furniture, bedding, etc. we have had to make due with the rental stuff. So, what I miss is good quality sheets and towels. The rest of it, I really don't miss. In fact as we get ready to move back to our rebuilt home, we are finding we don't want much of anything anymore.
Our priorities have changed so much. I hoarded dishes, table linens, cooking supplies and the like in excessive amounts over the years. I really don't miss most of that stuff, oh but I also know that service for 4 isn't enough either. . .and there is 3 of us!
I can't imagine devoting my new home to all that stuff anymore needless to say devoting all that energy to clean, organize, and mentally deal with it.
Simple changes when you live through devastation.