by The use of bed skirts can help you instantly upgrade the style of your entire bedroom. In a nutshell, a bed skirt is a decorative piece of fabric that can be wrapped or hung around the box spring to cover the lower sides of the bed. You can easily modify the overall style of your bedroom by utilizing bed skirts with different designs and materials.
Easy bed skirt hacks include wrapping a bed skirt around the bed frame or box spring and securing it with velcro or thumbtacks, making your own custom bed skirt from curtains or other fabric, and using a large fitted sheet to drape over the bed frame or box spring. You can also use a box spring cover instead of a bed skirt, or staple batting or wadding to the box spring and cover it with fabric to create a luxurious padded or tufted look.
In the following sections, you will find detailed information about the bed skirt hacks, ideas, and alternatives that can help you hide your box spring and improve the visual aspects of your bedroom.
What Is a Bed Skirt?
Bed skirts allow you to easily cover up the box spring, bed legs, or the clutter underneath the bed. Image from Amazon.Modern bed skirts are tightly wrapped around the box spring and no longer feature a curtain-like appearance. You can choose a suitable bed skirt type according to your needs and preferences, all of which can give a neat and tidy appearance to your bed. Bed skirts also assist with preventing dust accumulation under your bed, which will deter house dust mites. Read this article from The Journal of Medical Entomology which explains some control measures to reduce house dust in your bedroom.
A bed skirt is a decorative piece of fabric wrapped around the box spring that cascades towards the floor to cover up the box spring or the storage area underneath your bed.
The primary difference between traditional and modern bed skirts is their physical appearance. While traditional bed skirts are hung like curtains and cascade towards the floor, modern alternatives are tightly wrapped around the box spring or bed legs.
Although they serve the same purpose, there are still a couple of factors you should consider. For instance, traditional bed skirts can cover the storage space under your bed and make the area accessible at any time. However, some wrap-around bed skirts might block access to your under-the-bed storage space. You might have to remove the bed skirt to get the stuff you need and then wrap it around the bed again.
Modern bed skirts are ideal for covering box springs or the lower parts of the bed when the area is not used for storing various items. There are modern wrap-around bed skirts that mimic the traditional look of bed skirts, making the hidden storage easily accessible like this one from Amazon. Another difference is that you might need to remove your mattress to properly put a traditional bed skirt on your bed, whereas modern bed skirt alternatives make the process much more straightforward and don’t require removing your bulky mattress.
Why Use a Bed Skirt On Your Bed? What Are the Benefits Of a Bed Skirt?
Although a bed skirt is just a tiny piece of fabric, it can significantly influence the way your bedroom looks. Depending on the chosen fabric, colors, or patterns, you can completely change the overall style of your bedroom.
Use a bed skirt to create a sophisticated look in the bedroom, cover up the box spring, conceal the bed legs, create hidden under-the-bed storage, and limit dust collection under the bed.
The benefits of bed skirts include their ease of use, affordability, and availability in a wide variety of colors, patterns, finishes, and styles. They can easily modify the overall appearance of your bedroom, cover the box spring, bed frame, and under the bed while preventing dust accumulation. Bed skirts also transform under-the-bed space into a hidden storage area, read this article from Ashley Furniture about how to optimize bedroom storage. Further instructions on bed skirt tips and tricks can be found in the sections below.
Make sure to take a look at our bed skirt height and length guide too for more useful information. Also, if you think you can’t use a bed skirt on your adjustable bed, you’re wrong! Take a look at our article on choosing bed skirts for adjustable beds for ideas!
A Bed Skirt Hack To Put on Your Bed Skirt Without Removing the Mattress
If your mattress is too bulky, you should consider sliding your bed skirt under the mattress without removing it. Image from Overstock.Some mattresses are just too heavy to be removed every time you replace a bed skirt. Luckily, there are a couple of quick and easy ways to put on a bed skirt without removing the entire mattress. Below are just some of the best options.
To put on a bed skirt without removing the mattress, first lift one side of the mattress and slide the bed skirt underneath it, then lift the other side of the mattress and pull the skirt out, finally, adjust the bed skirt so that all four corners are aligned properly across the surface. To make sure the corners are secure, use some pins or thumbtacks.
While this might seem to be a challenging process, things get much easier when you have a helping hand. Otherwise, you might need to support the mattress using your head or even shoulders. We would recommend using this tip only if there is someone around who could possibly help you with putting on a bed skirt. Although this trick allows you to put on a bed skirt without ruining it, it might not be convenient for some individuals.
If you do not really worry about damaging the bed skirt, you can just cut the flat part that goes between the box spring and the mattress approximately 2-3 inches away from the main decorative part. In this way, you can quickly put on the bed skirt and secure it with a couple of pins on each side of the bed.
And finally, the best way to avoid removing your mattress when putting on a bed skirt is to use wrap-around bed skirts instead of those featuring a traditional design. As the name suggests, these bed skirts are simply wrapped around the box spring to cover it up.
For further tips on how to properly put a bed skirt, check out the section below. Also, make sure to take a look at our 10 bed skirt alternatives & their pros and cons as well. We share some additional hacks to make things much easier for you.
Quick & Easy Bed Skirt Hacks
Although bed skirts are great for altering the overall look of your bedroom and covering your bulky box spring, some people are still skeptical about them. The main reason for this is that bed skirts are sometimes a bit challenging to be used. However, there are some quick and easy bed skirt hacks that will change the way you think. You can find some of the best ways to put on a bed skirt below.
1. Use Wrap-Around Bed Skirts Instead Of Traditional Bed Skirts
Unfortunately, the middle part of traditional bed skirts is made from a thinner fabric and usually rips off when installing the bed skirt. The best way to avoid this from happening is to use a wrap-around bed skirt that features an elastic band all around the fabric. This elastic makes the bed skirt stretchy enough to be put right over the mattress.
The most significant advantage of wrap-around bed skirts is that they can be put on a bed without removing the mattress. However, the elastic in wrap-around bed skirts might loosen over time, meaning that it will no longer be able to hold the bed skirt in place. In such cases, you will need to either tighten the elastic up or replace it with a new one.
If you are looking for a wrap-around bed skirt on Amazon, check out this 15-inch drop luxurious cotton bed skirt.
2. Use Velcro Bed Skirts To Make Your Bed Skirt Stay In Place
If you have decided to use a detachable bed skirt, you should think about securing it to the box spring. One of the best ways to keep such bed skirts in place is to use Velcro strips. In this way, the bed skirt will not only stay in place, but it will be much easier for you to remove it whenever you need to wash it.
All you need to do is to attach the Velcro strips along the edge of the bed skirt and on the top edge of the box spring. To properly do it, measure the drop (length) of a bed skirt first and attach the Velcro tape to the box spring accordingly.
The only disadvantage of Velcro strips is that lint (visible accumulation of textile fibers) might stick to them or their adhesive might weaken over time. Since it is not that easy to clean Velcro strips, you might need to replace them periodically. If you want to learn about other uses for Velcro in the bedroom, read our article on how to hold down a mattress topper, where we cover several methods to secure bedding layers.
Velcro tape comes in various thicknesses and lengths. We recommend at least 1-inch wide Velcro tape like this one from Amazon because it is easy to apply. Make sure to also take a look at our article on 6 ways to make a bed skirt stay in place and prevent sliding too.
3. Use Bed Skirt Pins or Thumbtacks To Secure Your No-Sew Bed Skirts
While no-sew bed skirts are incredibly handy, they might not always stay in place. The best way to solve the issue is to use a couple of pins or thumbtacks to secure the bed skirt to each side of the box spring. All you need to do is to position your bed skirt and ensure that it is aligned properly.
We recommend starting at the foot of the bed and positioning the center of the bed skirt with the center of the box spring—securing it in place with an upholstery pin and then continuing to tack the bed skirt onto the box spring in regular intervals on either side of the center. When you reach the corner of the box spring, place pins or thumbtacks on both sides of the corner to form a crisp and secure hold. By using this method you ensure that the bed skirt is evenly spaced all around the box spring and won’t slip and sag. We recommend buying these T-pins from Amazon because they are easy to grip.
Although pins and thumbtacks allow you to keep detachable bed skirts in place, they might also damage the fabric and rip it off when positioning them. To avoid this from happening, consider the fabric of your bed skirt when purchasing pins.
You can purchase a pack of 100 thumbtacks from Amazon which feature 5/16-inch sharpened steel pins with 3/8-inch heads.
4. Use a Box Spring Wrap Instead Of a Bed Skirt
If you do not really like the concept of a traditional bed skirt, you can use a box spring cover as an alternative. Box spring wraps come in a variety of sizes and colors. After selecting the one suitable for your box spring, you will need to secure it with elastic bands that are typically included in the package. While the elastics keep the cover in place, you might not even need to use them if the wrap fits your box spring snuggly. You should use these elastics only if the box spring cover seems to be a bit saggy. To do so, simply secure the elastics to different buttons found on the box spring cover.
The benefit of such covers is that they conceal the box spring without floating on the floor. It is hardly possible to tell whether it is a box spring wrap or an actual box spring. However, removing the box spring cover might be a bit of a challenging task to do since you will probably need to lift the bulky box spring.
Classic box spring covers are available on Amazon which includes elastic pieces that can be used in various configurations to keep the box spring wrap tight.
5. Use Large Fitted Sheets To Cover Both the Mattress & the Bed Frame
If you want to avoid removing your mattress but still want to cover the box spring or the bed frame, you can easily do that using large fitted sheets instead of a bed skirt. This way, you will not have to remove the mattress. Fitted sheets are much more affordable and they come in a larger variety of colors, making it easier for you to find the right product for your bed.
You just need to get a desired fitted sheet and position it on top of your mattress. Then, you tuck it in between the box spring and the bed frame and you are all done. You will no longer be annoyed by the unpleasant appearance of your bulky box spring without getting a separate bed skirt to cover it up.
The only disadvantage of this hack is that fitted sheets are not that easy to keep in place. Therefore, you might need to fix the sheets every time you make up the bed. We like these wrinkle-free fitted sheets from Amazon.
6. Make a DIY Bed Skirt Out of Curtains
If you are good at DIY, you can easily make your own bed skirt out of old curtains that you no longer use. While this might not seem easy at first, you just need to follow a couple of basic instructions to make the desired bed skirt.
Start by determining the drop of a suitable bed skirt by measuring the length from the edge of the bed base or box spring to the floor. While this is the length of the visible side of the bed skirt, you also need to include extra fabric to this measurement for the elastic encasement and hem. You will need to sew to give the bed skirt a finished look. After you have your curtain fabric ready, iron it so that there are no wrinkles. This makes it much easier to take further measurements accurately.
Next, fold around 4-5 inches towards the backside of the cloth—this will be the encasement where the elastic band will be. Finally, put the elastic band inside this folded part of the fabric and sew just below it. For the second elastic, you will need to sew above and below the band to properly secure it. You can purchase a 1-inch thick elastic band on Amazon.
You can now attach your DIY bed skirt to your box spring by using a couple of pins, buttons, or Velcro strips. Check out this short YouTube video by MATV For more detailed instructions on how to DIY a bed skirt out of curtains or any other fabric. If you are looking for more ways to use fabric curtains to decorate your bed then have a look at our article on canopy bed curtains.
7. Use a Platform Bed Skirt For a Modern Look
If you are not a huge fan of traditional curtain-like bed skirts but still want to cover up the clutter under your bed, you can rather use a platform bed skirt like this one from Amazon. Keep in mind that putting on a platform bed skirt might require the removal of your mattress. If this does not seem to be suitable for you, you should consider getting a non-platform or detachable bed skirt. Read our article about platform bed skirts to know more about how to choose and put this type of bed skirt on your box spring.
Make sure to take a look at our bed skirt uses, tips, and tricks too for more ideas.
What Is the Difference Between a Full-Style Bed Skirt And a Wrap-Around Bed Skirt?
Bed skirts are still trendy in the 21st century. They not only cover and protect the box spring but also give our bedrooms a much more organized appearance. If you are not familiar with bed skirts in general, here are the basics you need to know. There are two general types of bed skirts—full-style bed skirts and wrap-around bed skirts. While the purpose of both types is identical, there are some differences associated with the way you put them on your bed.
The difference between a full-style bed skirt and a wrap-around bed skirt is that putting on a full-style bed skirt requires the removal of the mattress while wrap-around bed skirts are detachable pieces that can be simply wrapped around the box spring without removing the mattress.
To be more explicit, the middle part of a full-style bed skirt is a regular bed sheet that goes between a box spring and a mattress. Wrap-around bed skirts do not include this middle part.
To ensure that you are making the right choice, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of both full-style and wrap-around bed skirts. If you are looking for more ideas on how to beautify your bedroom then read our article on canopy bed accessories for creative ways to decorate your bedroom.
Below is a comparison between the pros and cons of both types of bed skirts:
| Bed skirt types | Pros | Cons |
|
Full-style bed skirt |
They easily stay in place, create a thin layer between a box spring and a mattress, cover up the clutter under your bed, and protect the floor and the box spring from dust accumulation. | They require removing the mattress to put it on the bed. They might rip off if not being handled carefully, and might still need to use pins to secure it to the box spring. |
|
Wrap-around bed skirt Bed Maker’s wrap around skirt ~ $15 |
They don’t require removing the mattress to put it on the bed. They can be easily wrapped around the box spring without the risks of ripping off the fabric. They also create a hidden storage space right under the bed and prevent dust accumulation under the bed and in the box spring. | They have elastic bands, which might loosen over time, and therefore need to be changed or tighten up. They also need additional pins or Velcro strips to secure tightly to the box spring. |
Are Bed Skirts Outdated?
If you still think that bed skirts are outdated, you have probably not considered getting a modern wrap-around bed skirt. This decorative piece of fabric can easily cover up the box spring, create a hidden under-the-bed storage area, and protect the floor and the box spring from dust particles.
Bed skirts are not outdated because they come in a large variety of colors, shapes, and types, which can meet different needs and tastes. They are still commonly used worldwide, especially in hotels and guest houses to create a sophisticated look.
Just because we imagine traditional curtain-like design when thinking about bed skirts in general, it does not mean that every bed skirt has that vintage look. The clean lines and crisp pleats of more modern bed skirts make them a perfect addition to bedroom decor, while also preventing dust accumulation under the bed. If you are considering a bed skirt as a way to hide under-bed storage then also have a look at our article on bed risers and bed riser alternatives to maximize your storage.