I am the designated truck camper bed maker in our family. While I don’t remember drawing the short straw, it’s been deemed my responsibility to put the cabover bed together (mattress pad and fitted sheet) and then make the bed every morning.
I’ve got it down, but it’s not fun. I hop, flop, and wrestle pillows, sheets, and comforters into submission. Put that on video, and grab the popcorn (not going to happen).
Over the years, I have come up with several techniques and strategies that make this task easier. First and foremost, I have completely given up on the idea of a top sheet.
As of now, we use a 110-volt heated mattress pad for when we’re plugged-in (heaven for cold weather camping), a fitted sheet, and then Queen-size comforters. Which brings me to my second recommendation…
Walmart Mainstays Solid Reversible comforters come in Queen and King sizes and are perfect for the truck camper. We like that they are lightweight, inexpensive ($20 for Queen-size), and fit in any washer-dryer.
We also like that they fold or roll-up easily and can be put behind our heads in the forward-most headboard area of the cabover. We often travel with three or four of these Mainstays comforters. If it’s really cold, just add another.
We also sometimes sleep on top of one of these Mainstays comforters. We simply place a Mainstays comforter on top of the fitted sheet and tuck it in around the sides. At the foot of the bed, I tuck the comforter underneath the mattress.
Then I fold or roll the other comforter(s) and place them in the headboard area until needed. This strategy gives the cabover a clean look and makes the job of making the bed area as quick and easy as possible.
If you’re open to more radical suggestions, we have also removed the Queen-size mattress in our camper and put in a Full-size futon mattress instead. The Full-size futon mattress was supposed to be a temporary arrangement when we got our project camper, but we actually love the comfort of the futon, and it’s a lot easier to make into a bed due to its smaller size.
That’s about it. Even with those improvements, it’s still a pain the butt to make our truck camper’s bed. As one reader recently lamented, you feel like a fish flopping around. The bed eventually gets made, but you can’t help but wonder how it could be better.
This week’s Question of the Week is, “How do you make the bed in your truck camper?” Please share your cabover bed making tips and tricks. I for one would be thrilled to find an even better way to make our camper’s bed.
Thank you to TCM readers Tom Fallon and Judy Embry for suggesting this Question of the Week.
This QOTW is now closed. Click here to see how readers make the beds in their truck camper.