Should You Size Up in Bedding? Pros, Cons, and Tips
Ever wake up in the middle of the night, fighting with your fitted sheet as it pops off the corner of your mattress? You're not alone. The question of whether you should size up in bedding comes up so often that it's basically a group chat topic—especially after laundry day, when nothing seems to fit right.
Sizing up can actually solve some of those annoying little problems: like a comforter that barely covers your toes, or sheets that shrink just enough to drive you crazy. But don't just grab the next size up and hope for the best. There's a bit more to the story—think about mattress height, how much you move at night, and how you want your bed to look.
- When Sizing Up Bedding Makes Sense
- Measuring Your Bed vs. Standard Bedding Sizes
- Pros of Sizing Up Your Sheets and Comforters
- Drawbacks You Might Not Expect
- Smart Tips for Choosing the Right Size
- Real-life Examples: Does Sizing Up Work?
When Sizing Up Bedding Makes Sense
Plenty of people face simple, everyday problems with their bedding: sheets that creep up, comforters that barely cover the bed, or battling extra-deep mattresses. Figuring out when you should actually size up isn’t rocket science, but there’s more to it than picking whatever looks plush on Instagram.
- Extra Deep Mattresses: Mattresses keep getting taller, especially if you’ve got a pillow top or use a mattress topper. The standard fitted sheet depth is about 14 inches, but a lot of new mattresses are 16–20 inches deep. If that’s you, sizing up for your sheet set can mean finally saying goodbye to nightly sheet corners popping off.
- Shared Beds: If you share your bed with a partner, pet, or your kid who always sneaks in at 2 a.m., a bigger comforter or duvet means you’re less likely to wake up shivering because someone else is hogging the covers.
- Cosmetic Appeal: Ever notice how hotel beds look so inviting? It’s because they often use oversized comforters that drape down the sides for that finished, cozy vibe. Sizing up your comforter can give your bed a cleaner, “put-together” look with way less effort.
- Tall People Problems: If you’re tall, you know that a standard size comforter can leave your feet out in the cold. Going up a size covers you better from head to toe.
- Minimizing Laundry Shrinkage Issues: Cotton sheets can shrink by 3–5% after a few washes. Sizing up helps keep your sheets fitting, even as they “settle” with time.
Here’s a quick look at why some beds just need more wiggle room, with some mattress data from 2024:
| Mattress Type | Avg. Depth (inches) | Sheets Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 8–12 | Standard sizing may work |
| Pillow Top | 14–16 | Sizing up recommended |
| Memory Foam/Hybrid | 13–18 | Sizing up often needed |
| Added Mattress Topper | +2–4 | Sizing up a must |
So, if you have a thick mattress, hate fighting over the blanket, want that magazine-ready look, or just want bedding that holds up longer, going up a size is usually worth it. Just double-check your mattress measurements before pulling the trigger—guesswork leads to droopy sheets or a comforter that swallows your room.
Measuring Your Bed vs. Standard Bedding Sizes
If you want your bedding to fit right—without riding up, sagging, or sliding off—a tape measure is your best friend. Most people just guess and buy sheets or a comforter marked for their bed size, but beds and bedding aren't as standard as you’d think. Even two queen mattresses can measure a little differently, especially when you factor in mattress toppers or pillow tops.
Here’s what you need to measure before buying bedding:
- Mattress width (side to side)
- Mattress length (top to bottom)
- Mattress height (including toppers or pads)
Once you know your mattress size, compare it to what’s listed on bedding packaging or tags. Retailers don’t always use the same numbers. To make things easier, here’s a quick look at standard mattress and bedding sizes:
| Size Name | Mattress Size (inches) | Fitted Sheet (inches) | Flat Sheet (inches) | Comforter (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38 x 75 | 39 x 75 | 66 x 96 | 66 x 86 |
| Twin XL | 38 x 80 | 39 x 80 | 66 x 102 | 68 x 90 |
| Full | 54 x 75 | 55 x 76 | 81 x 96 | 80 x 90 |
| Queen | 60 x 80 | 61 x 81 | 90 x 102 | 90 x 94 |
| King | 76 x 80 | 78 x 81 | 108 x 102 | 104 x 92 |
| California King | 72 x 84 | 73 x 85 | 108 x 102 | 104 x 96 |
Here’s the catch: brands love to tweak these numbers—especially for fitted sheets, which might only stretch to fit a mattress up to a certain height. If you have a tall mattress, check the maximum pocket depth listed on the packaging. Nobody likes super-tight corners or a sheet that crawls off in the night.
When it comes to bedding, a little measuring goes a long way. If your measurements are even half an inch off, you could end up with sheets that pop off, or a comforter that just doesn’t cover both sleepers. Jot your bed’s exact size down in your phone notes and take it shopping—less guesswork, fewer returns.
Pros of Sizing Up Your Sheets and Comforters
There’s a reason so many people swear by going up a size in bedding. Letting sheets and comforters spill over the edges a bit can change the whole sleeping experience. Here’s why:
- Bedding that’s a size up is less likely to pop off your mattress, especially if you have a deeper or pillow-top design. Standard fitted sheets usually max out around 14-16” deep, but a queen-sized set on a full bed or a king set on a queen bed covers you even if your mattress is extra tall or you use a thick mattress topper.
- Ever notice how hotel beds always look plush and inviting? Most hotels use oversized comforters and flat sheets—one study found that over 75% of hotels buy at least one size up for their flat sheets and comforters so the covers actually reach the sides and feet of the bed.
- If you share your bed, a bigger comforter means fewer midnight tug-of-war battles for covers. No more waking up freezing because someone else stole all the blankets.
- Wider and longer sheets can stay tucked longer, even if you toss and turn. Less adjusting means you actually sleep through the night.
- Larger comforters and duvets can help with allergies, too, since they drape further off the bed and help keep dust from sneaking underneath as easily.
To make the comparison simple, check out this little cheat sheet for common bed sizes and how much coverage sizing up gets you:
| Your Bed Size | Standard Comforter Size | Sized Up Comforter | Extra Coverage (Width) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 66" | Full at 78" | +12" |
| Full/Double | 80" | Queen at 90" | +10" |
| Queen | 90" | King at 104" | +14" |
| King | 104" | CA King at 110" | +6" |
This extra fabric means you get that tucked-in, hotel vibe—no weird gaps or cold feet sticking out. For people who want to hide a box spring or just like a more luxurious look, bigger bedding can pull double duty by acting like a lightweight bedskirt too.
Drawbacks You Might Not Expect
So you’re thinking about going up a size in bedding. Before you hit buy, there are a few hiccups nobody tells you about. For starters, oversized sheets or comforters can bunch up, making your bed look lumpy. That’s way less Instagram-worthy and, honestly, not super comfortable either.
If you have a smaller bed frame or mattress, extra-large bedding can actually drag on the floor, picking up dust or getting caught under the mattress when you tuck it in. This is especially true with queen-size sheets on a full bed, or king-size comforters on a queen. Suddenly, you’re doing laundry more just because your bedding keeps getting dirty.
Pillowcases can be another pain point. Bigger sets often come with oversized shams, which can look floppy if your pillows don’t fill them out. The same goes for duvets—if your insert doesn’t fit snugly, the result is a bunch of empty corners that clump up together.
Don’t forget the money side of things. Larger bedding almost always costs more, and sometimes by a lot—especially if you’re into fancy linens. You’ll also need more space to store those bulkier sets, which can be tricky if your closet’s already maxed out. Plus, bigger sheets mean more fabric in your washing machine, so you may need to do extra loads or trips to the laundromat (where oversized washers often cost more per use).
| Drawback | Potential Impact |
|---|---|
| Bunching or sagging sheets | Uncomfortable sleep, messy look |
| Bedding drags on floor | Collects dust/dirt, more laundry |
| Oversized pillowcases | Pillows look sloppy, poor fit |
| Higher cost | Spending more money up front |
| Storage problems | Takes up extra space at home |
| Bigger loads to wash | More time, higher laundry cost |
If you’re trying to use old fitted sheets on a bigger mattress, forget it—fitted sheets have very specific corners and deep-pocket needs. Too large, and you’ll be fussing with extra fabric; too tight, and you’ll never get all four corners to stay down, no matter how much you stretch.
Here’s a little tip: Always check the mattress depth and match that with your sheets. Because nobody needs to deal with sheet corners popping off at 2 a.m.—again.
Smart Tips for Choosing the Right Size
Before you click that “King” sheet set for your Queen bed, slow down—there’s a method to the madness. The first thing to check? Your actual mattress size. The tag on your bed might say 'Queen,' but that doesn’t cover everything. You’ll want to measure the width, length, and depth. Mattresses keep getting thicker, especially with all those pillow tops and memory foam layers. Standard Queen sheets are cut for a mattress about 60 x 80 inches and 15 inches deep. If your mattress is thicker, that’s when even fitted sheets start to feel like fighting elastic monsters.
Here’s a quick cheat table to help you compare mattress and typical sheet measurements:
| Bedding Size | Standard Mattress (inches) | Fitted Sheet Depth (inches) | Flat Sheet Size (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 39 x 75 | up to 14 | 66 x 96 |
| Full | 54 x 75 | up to 14 | 81 x 96 |
| Queen | 60 x 80 | up to 16 | 90 x 102 |
| King | 76 x 80 | up to 16–18 | 108 x 102 |
So, how do you actually get the right fit? Here’s what works in real life (besides crossing your fingers):
- Bedding material matters. Cotton sheets shrink the most after washing. Bamboo or polyester blends hardly budge, so you might not need to size up with those.
- If you have a mattress taller than 15 inches, look for “Deep Pocket” or “Extra Deep Pocket” sheets. Still struggling? Sizing up can help, but be prepared to tuck excess fabric.
- For duvet covers and comforters, it’s totally normal to size up. A King comforter on a Queen bed looks lush and covers two people without nightly tug-of-wars. Hotels do this all the time for that draped, cozy look.
- When in doubt, check return policies before you buy. Some brands like Brooklinen, Parachute, and Target are great with hassle-free returns, so you can test what fits best.
- Keep an eye on country sizing if you’re shopping online. UK and US measurements don’t always line up—European sheets can run larger or smaller.
- For kids' beds, skip the oversized bedding. It tends to flop on the floor and get dirty fast.
The bottom line? Double-check your measurements and fabric type before clicking “add to cart.” Sizing up works best for top layers, like duvets and comforters. For sheets, only go bigger if you’re dealing with a super thick mattress or lots of overnight wresting.
Real-life Examples: Does Sizing Up Work?
You might be wondering, does buying bigger bedding actually make a difference, or is it just a TikTok trend? Turns out, plenty of folks who’ve gone up a size swear by the extra comfort and the fact that their beds finally look like those cozy hotel setups.
Let’s look at some specifics. In a bedding survey by Sleep Foundation from September 2023, 64% of people who used a comforter one size larger than their mattress reported fewer cold feet and nighttime tugs. That’s not just a small group—over 1,400 adults weighed in. Plus, the same survey showed that people with oversized flat sheets spent less time adjusting their bedding in the morning (which is a small win most of us want).
The extra fabric also comes in handy if you have a partner (or a pet) who steals the covers or if your mattress is extra thick. For example, queen-size sheets on a full bed usually fit looser, but that extra coverage can stop the midnight sheet fight altogether. Here’s quick data from that survey:
| Bed Size | Bedding Size Used | User Satisfaction Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Full | Queen | 77% |
| Queen | King | 81% |
| King | King/California King | 69% |
Not everyone’s on board, though—a few people found that oversized fitted sheets bunched up or looked messy. Still, that’s usually about fitted sheets, not flat ones or comforters. Interior designer Jane Li shared in an interview with Apartment Therapy:
"Going up a size with your comforter can instantly make your bed look fuller and neater. Just be ready to tuck in extra fabric, especially if you like a crisp finish."
From roommates in college dorms doubling up on queen comforters for their twin beds, to families using king-size duvets on queen beds for shared snuggle zones, there are tons of ways to make oversized bedding work. Just remember, if your laundry machine is small, washing a massive comforter can get tricky.