I know there are entries on this blog pre-NikkiZ about how my lab-mix, Sweetie, used to chew holes in our sheets. I always kept an eye out for bargains on king-sized sheets because we hardly ever had a set with no holes in them. And since I knew Sweetie would chew them up eventually, I wouldn’t spend more than $20 on a complete set. Let me telling you, sleeping with holes in your sheets SUCKS. There is always the inevitable risk of getting stuck in the middle of the night, and that is no way to wake up. TRUST ME.
Now – obviously we didn’t get two flying craps about thread-count on our sheets. If we did, the bargain-sheet hunting and hole-chewing would bug us a lot more. We have had low bedding standards. I’ll be honest, I’m not even sure what a “good” thread count is. We liked sheets with no holes. The end.
Actually, Sweetie still chews holes in sheets/blankets, she’s just not allowed in our room anymore. We stopped letting any animals in our room when NikkiZ was born and started sleeping with us. This worked out so positively in our lives (I only have to vacuum our room every two weeks if we don’t let the animals in!) that we’ve kept the policy in place. The last set of sheets we bought for our bed is actually still hole-free. We are quite proud. We feel really classy to have a bed covered with sheets with no holes. Now, if only we could rid our lives of hole-fill socks and underwear.
Even though we’ve been hole-free for quite some time, I was still keeping my eye out for more sheets so that we’d have a backup set. (Imagine! An extra set of sheets!) I found a complete set for $14 at Target a few weeks ago. That’s a good price for king-size sheets and they even matched the comforter my mother-in-law gave us for Christmas. SCORE. Last night was only the second time they’ve been on the bed and MrZ said, “Um. We should, wash these with fabric softener or something.” I reacted immediately, “No! They’re crunchy! I love that!”
Turns out? The whole thread-count thing is a representation of softness of sheets. MrZ knew that, just knew he couldn’t really request more expensive sheets considering our situation. I guess his thought is that maybe now we could maybe not buy the lowest thread count on the shelves. But you know? I think I prefer low thread-count sheets! I hate flannel sheets and t-shirt sheets because they’re too soft. I like the crunchy sheets, I admit it. The fact that the sheets feel like paper is actually appealing to me. I kinda dread putting the other set on when we have to wash the new ones.
Of course, I’ve obviously known I’m a low-standard type of gal. I like my wine in a box and my purses under $30. I usually prefer the more inexpensive items. I’m cheap, what can I say?
Although, this may be one of those times when my husband would prefer me be a little more snobby about something.
What is the thread count on the new sheets?
I’m particular about my sheets. I like them soft, but not too soft. I guess you could say I like semi-crunchy sheets. I don’t base my selections on thread count. I have to touch the sheets before I make the purchase and I don’t believe in paying full price for anything.
Most stores have White Sales at the beginning of the year.
I love me some flannel sheets!! But I too do buy the cheapest sheets…it just isn’t in the budget. I can’t say I wash them alot to soften them, because I am bad at that.
Could you pass the whole cheap thing over to me? Seriously. I try to not be like this, but it always seems like I don’t like something unless it’s way too expensive. I’m the one who goes to the resale shop and can only find the crap that’s been there forever with the stains they missed, or that hole we didn’t see. Have a great day.
Oh my goodness. You would have loved my Nana Margaret. She would IRON her sheets, after having line-dried them. Talk about crunchy sheets!
There’s a difference between “soft” and “smooth.” I don’t care for soft (flannel, t-shirt). It actually feels kind of creepy on my feet — which is also why I only wear socks when I’m putting on shoes to go out, never just home in the house without shoes. But for sheets? I like crisp. Higher thread count so they are smooth to the touch (i.e. not rough) but very crisp — perfectly smooth, as though they would crease if you were to fold them over. Heck, if I had the money, I’d be like Oprah and have them changed out every day so they were always crisp!
Because I’m lame AND cheap, I feel the need to speak up here. Even a “low” thread-count SATEEN sheet is very soft, imho. So I always look for sateen blend sheets. They’re middle-of-the-road in price, but they always feel fabulous.
We always get holes in our sheets too. Our cats stab little holes in them accidentally with their claws, and those little holes grow into gaping holes after a few rounds in the washing machine. So my fiance decides to order us some new sheets on sale from Amazon. Black. Satin. Sheets. I am not kidding. Not only do I HATE the way the satin feels, I hate that they look like we’re on a set for some vampire porno. I’ll take our holey white sheets over those any day!
I always have to wash my sheets before I use them….something about the dyes in them. I’m very frugal but I learned a long time ago to get at least 200 thread count sheets. The lower count just “rub” me the wrong way.
I’m with Miss W. I love that crisp fresh sheet feel with the smoothness of a high thread count. Sometimes, if the FH is away I’ll wash the sheets twice a week…because I LOVE the feeling a fresh sheets so much.
Yes, you have to tell us the thread count on the new sheets – lemmee guess…. 40? 50? hee hee
While I HATE flannel (Too!Damn!HOT!), I do love high count sheets. You can keep your butcher paper!
I love high count sheets (am a big fat snob). They’re not soft like T-shirt or flannel, they’re crisp (but not rough). And just to add a confession here – I also iron my pillow cases. They feel SO GOOD – all smooth and crisp and yummy.
I don’t like flannel or t-shirt sheets, but I LOVE some high thread count sheets. It’s like sleeping on satin… only not slippery. Lol.
I used to be indifferent about thread count too. I really didn’t understand what the big dea was…until I bought some 600 ct sheets that I found for $30…and now I’m officially a bedsheet snob. I’m not so bad that I bring my own sheets if I’m on vacation, but my sheets are SO nice. And I’m right there with you on flannel.
I’ve never really had high thread count sheets, but I totally want some. I too really enjoy smooth but crisp. (That sounds like such an odd word in relation to fabric, though!)
See… I look at it this way. There are a few things in life worth splurging on. Toilet paper. Ice cream.
And shoes and anything involved in your bed – mattress, pillow, sheets, comforter. If I’m not in one, I’m in the other. And there is nothing quite like smooth, fresh crisp sheets (and freshly shaved legs, to be honest).
I do wish I had a picture of the looks my roommates gave me last year when they came home and I was ironing my sheets. What college student irons ANYTHING, let alone sheets?
Oprah had a cleanliness show once and they suggested that the average person should wash their sheets once a week (ha!). Oprah replied that she likes new sheets every day because she liked the “crisp” feel.
My only requirement for sheets: they’re on the bed. I don’t care about anything else. We don’t even use a top sheet, just the comforter (it’s easy to make the bed!).
I hate those t-shirt sheets and flannel sheets too. Ick. I prefer icy cold crisp sheets, even in the dead of winter.
I like the feeling of beds when you’re in a hotel. I don’t like soft sheets, I think I also like crisp.
Snobby McSnobberson reporting for duty!
I like high thread count sheets, myself.
Don’t hate me.
My husband is the sheet snob. I could really care less – although I do hate the ones that are so low on the thread count scale that they pill up and leave scratch marks on your skin.
I remember your holey sheet story! I totally felt you on that one because we have a king and only one set of sheets. Boxed wine makes me quite happy as well. I buy the $15 box though, because I represent class.
They are they super high count sheets though because my mom bought them for my birthday present once. I cannot justify paying a million dollars for sheets. I don’t like the cheap sheets though, so I live with the one set. I also have a super deep mattress, so our sheets pop off like a shirt on a beer belly.
Gosh… They wouldn’t make me want to sleep in, that’s for sure! I’m all for soft, cushiness
)
I am like you about something, I think a purse over 14.99 is a rip off and I buy the cheapest soap and shampoo and such. Just is not very important to me. But, girlfriend, if you ever ever ever sleep on a set of even 200 count sheets, you will be standing on street corners at night just to get them, heaven forbid you sleep on a set of 400 count….you’ll be donating your kidneys. No lie!
I don’t think that the higher the thread count of sheets, the “softer” they are. Its more like, the thicker they are? Thicker, maybe smoother? But definitely not softer. Because they’re so thick, it’s difficult for them to get “soft”, y’know? Like most of your commenters said, they’re ‘crisp’. And you should definitely splurge. Good bed sheets will make every night luxurious. I think that 400 or above would constitute a high thread count sheet, although they make ‘em up to the 1000′s these days. (But a lot of the times the numbers are inflated. Seriously, there was a story on the local news about it!)
Best sheets ever: The smooth, crisp washed soft cotton sheets my mama let me take when I went off to college. I still have them, but they weren’t made for these fancy pillowtop mattresses…
I have to admit I do like t-shirt and flannel sheets, but only in the winter, when it is 35 degrees and snowing out! (In Central Oregon) Don’t think I could do flannel sheets in the south.
We bought some fancy name brand highhigh count sheets once. They aren’t as great as I always thought they’d be.
Worst sheets ever: some plastic/cotton blend my husband found in Walmart. Obviously he’s not a sheet snob.
I’m not a sheet snob (unless there’s a good deal on 600ct out there that I find), but I don’t like them crunchy. Let’s leave crunchy with the apples.