downsizing your bed

I am not a widow but would not consider switching our normal double sized bed to a smaller one if, or when, I am widowed. Once you get used to a double bed its hard to switch to a smaller one.

I have a king sized bed, just me in it. It was such a struggle to change the bedding, I tried the single duvets we'd had in the campervan. So much easier, I like to put my feet out, and my cat often sleeps on the corner next to the radiator. Marks king size flat sheets are 9' sq, and again much easier to tuck under. I just couldn't lift the mattress enough to get the fitted sheets on.

When I moved I downsized from an enormous Emporer size bed to a large single (3'6" I think). So far have had no problems except getting the right size fitted sheets.

I could never sleep in a single bed again. I like to stretch my legs out and roll where I want to; and keep my book, glasses and a magazine or two on the other side. I'm single.

I would never choose to sleep in a single bed. Always my knees or bottom sticking out - and never being able to roll over and just stretch out without the fear of falling out. I have fallen out, not clever. But if I had really very little space, I would perhaps opt for a good quality single or, better, a small double. Small doubles are ideal for one - or for a guest bed - two people for a couple of nights.

Most important is the bedding. As has been said here, you need to make sure that the fitted sheets fit the depth of the mattress, that you don't skimp on anything that is going to tuck in and for duvets really to be comfortable, should overhang. A just fitting duvet on a small single bed is a nightmare since you want to turn under the duvet through the night, not have the duvet turn with you and then get dislodged. A big bed with a bigger duvet is real luxury, but two duvets on that can be ideal since each person can choose the weight/warmth and the bedding is easier to change.

If you feel the cold, a memory foam mattress is perfect. It's possible to wake up in the same position as how you fell asleep since they are so supportive and don't encourage fidgeting. With a single bed, it's possible to wake up on the floor and, for older sleepers, easy to hurt yourself. I'd always opt for a bigger bed - even if sleeping alone.

I have moved from a standard double bed into a single, but as the single had the most uncomfortable mattress you imagine, I topped it with some memory foam that we just happened to have - but which is only 2'ft6" wide!

Very surprisingly, especially as I am someone who continually changes position all night long, I find this plenty big enough. I have far more room on there than I ever did in the shared double!!!

Unigran4

Hmm, I was persuaded to buy a double bed after my husband died, previously we had a hospital bed and a single. I wish I hadn’t swapped! The mattress I bought must be turned regularly, although I don’t/can’t turn it over I do swap it around each week. It’s heavy and awkward and was expensive so I won’t be changing it any time soon.

My DH and I have a 3' single bed each. Whatever you do, don't be tempted to get an Adjustamatic. We have had 3 different mattresses and found the beds extremely uncomfortable with all of them. When I did my research after the third mattress, I found we weren't the only ones who found this.

Easy enough. Try it. You are keeping the double anyways.

Like everyone else I think a double duvet is lovely on a single bed, but I struggle so much with that now that I have changed to a single duvet on a single bed. To keep it in place I have the lightest ever duvet lying across the bottom of the bed. I love that as my feet were always cold before and now both duvets stay in place regardless of how much I toss and turn. My bedroom is 4x4 meters so it gives me decent floor space at the same time. It was my late husbands bedroom and the only en-suite which I love, despite having a huge double bedroom elsewhere

I am in the middle of moving and am getting a 4ft small double bed. I have back problems and other things and the most important thing was to be practical when choosing the bed. I wore trousers and sox with easy slip off shoes when I went to a specialist bed shop and spent quite a time walking round and lying down on the beds. You are going to be using it for a long time so you really do need to lie on the bed as you do at home. Do you always lie on your side or back etc. I tried a variety of beds. Went back to the two beds that seemed to be the most comfortable and tried them again. Then I went away and had a coffee , and then came back to check once more. Am very happy with my choice and the staff in the shop were very helpful. You are going to spend a long time in bed overall so for me that was the one thing that is worth the best I could afford to be the most comfortable I can be.

I would never ever buy a 3' single. The 4' is a perfect compromise.

After my husband died I stayed with the double bed having got used to sleeping in it alone whilst he was in hospital. The first time I slept in a single bed a year or so after this, I fell out ! Wouldn’t swop, (or share) my double for a single. Ever!

Kim19 I looked at Dunelm for small double sheets, they did them but only in the shallow depth, which didn’t fit my mattress, I could only find ones that fitted at Next. There probably are other places, but they were the only ones I could find.

I've been on my own now for 2 years. I have 2 adjustable singles locked together and normally sleep in each of them on alternate weeks. On cold nights I move to the warmer spare bedroom which has a double and must admit I love it!

When my ex left me in 1977 I was distraught and couldn't sleep. I took to watching TV each night until I nodded off and so slept on the settee for many years.

When my girls were older they encouraged me to go upstairs to bed. But it didn't work. Being in a double with an empty half just reminded me I was alone, and so did a single bed!

I still sleep on the settee.

I share a king-sized bed with my DH at home and I certainly don't have room to stretch out. He always migrates to the middle, leaving me clinging to the edge. We have a timeshare week in a lodge with twin beds and I find having 3 feet of bed space all to myself a real luxury and sleep so much better. If I were on my own a single bed would suit me fine.

Having slept in a double bed all my adult life, with and without partners, downsizing to a single bed would feel like reverting to childhood!

My mum told me to get a single bed when I divorced in my mid 40s. Needless to say I didn’t. I now sleep in a king sized bed and so does my husband in the next room. We are both terrible sleepers and he snores like a train so that’s my preferred arrangement. Very happy too.

After my husband left, my 2 girls and I had to move to a smaller house. We had 2 bedrooms and the 2 girls needed the larger one. There was only room for a single bed in the other room so I had to use a single bed. I've never bothered to change it when my girls went to university and got married.

I moved from queen to small double. Perfect. Never had any difficulty getting fitted sheets. Dunelm springs to mind immediately but there are others. Also I especially opted for divan style as I find it so much easier to change the sheet. Very happy with my decision as it's a major and important purchase.

I have one of those odd Queen size beds ...nothing fits it ! SO, as I recently moved from a 3 bed bungalow after my husband died, I took it with me, BUT in my new bedroom there is an over bed fitted unit which I love, but now have a gap either side which is really annoying ...so thinking of buying a new King Size that will fit ..only trouble is having a space at the sides for tucking in the sheets ...and, as I moved to a smaller place I have nowhere near enough storage, so am looking at an ottoman bed with storage underneath BUT they require fitting up and although I have TRIED to part with my money to buy one, no one wants to remove the old one, deliver and fit up the new one which requires the fitting of the lifting mechanism for the mattress ....this is really annoying me as I NEED it .............

I went from a superking, which I loved, to an ordinary double, because I moved house and it was the biggest size they could get up the stairs! However - I did keep up the practice of having two single duvets on the bed - one is the summer one and one is the winter one. I always struggled with the big duvet covers, so only having to change a single is so easy!

20+ years on my own and still in a double bed. Had a single bed on holiday once, got cramp so threw myself onto the cold side of the bed and ended up on the floor ?