Mother’s Day Buying Guide

It’s time to start planning for Mother’s Day! Finding that perfect gift for your mother or grandmother can be a daunting task. If you are tired of sending flowers year after year, bedding is a soft and cozy alternative. Not sure what she might like? Not to worry! This bedding guide will walk you through the different options of bedding, and provide links to products that might delight your mother on her special day.

Pillows

Give your mother the gift of a peaceful night’s sleep with pillows that support and cradle her head. In this section, we’ll break down our pillows on Pillows.com by fill. Each fill offers its own set of support levels.

Feather/Down

Feather and down pillows are probably some of our best selling pillows. These pillows have a cloud-like feel and compress under the head. If your mother is a little “old-fashioned”, she might prefer a feather and down option. They are offered in varying support levels as well. Generally, a good rule of thumb for determining the support level of a feather and down pillow is to look at the ratio of feathers to down. A 100% down pillow is going to be the softest and most compressible pillow you can get, whereas the firmest is a 95% feather/5% down or 100% feather pillow. Below are some pillows under each support level category:

Soft: Pacific Coast Feather Company Natural Down Pillow (Good for stomach sleepers)

Medium-Soft: Phoenix Down 50% White Goose Feather/50% White Goose Down Pillow (Good for stomach and back sleepers)

Medium: Manchester Mills Down Dreams Pillow (Good for side back, and some stomach sleepers)

Medium-Firm: Pillowtex Triple Core Pillow (Good for side and back sleepers)

Firm: Down Dream Classic Firm Pillow (Good for side sleepers)

 

 

Photo by Ted Gotwals

Polyester

 

Polyester pillows have several advantages over the traditional feather and down pillows. The first is that they are great for people who suffer from allergies. Many people are allergic to the dust particles that tend to cling to feathers, and polyester doesn’t retain dust.  The second reason why polyester is a good option is that it doesn’t need frequent fluffing like its feather/down counterparts. Polyester has a more springy quality to it, so it helps the pillow maintain it’s loft and form. Below are some pillows under each support level category:

Soft: Pillowtex Down Alternative Pillow  (Good for stomach sleepers)

Medium-Soft: Restful Nights Conformance Supreme Pillow   (Good for stomach and back sleepers)

Medium: Down Alternative Eco Pillow (Good side, back, and some stomach sleepers)

Medium-Firm: Dream Surrender Pillow (Good for side and back sleepers)

Firm: Dream Surrender Firm (Good for side sleepers)

Extra Firm:  Infinity Pillow (Good for side sleepers with a wider shoulder width)

Memory Foam

Memory Foam is certainly an acquired taste for many sleepers. These pillows tend to be firmer and a little warmer than the traditional pillows. Of course, memory foam technology has come far in recent years. Many manufacturers are making memory foam more dough-like, and some introduce cooling gel to combat the heating qualities of this material. Below are some of our favorites:

Soft to Medium-Soft: Malouf Zoned Dough Low Loft Plush Memory Foam Pillow (Good for stomach and back sleepers) This pillow is also offered in High Loft Plush, Low Loft Firm, and High Loft Firm)

Medium: Technogel Deluxe Pillow (Side and back sleepers)

Firm: RemFit 400 Series Pillow (This pillow is adjustable, so it can potentially be good for all sleep positions)

 

Comforters

Another excellent Mother’s Day gift is a new comforter! Depending on where you mother or grandmother lives, she may need a comforter to fit the climate. Below are some great comforters for summer, winter, and fall:

Summer

These comforters are very lightweight and feel more like a blanket or throw. They are excellent for summertime sleeping or for areas that stay warmer for longer during the year.

Down Comforter: Phoenix Down Brussels Comforter

Polyester Comforter: Tempo Duvet Insert

All Season/Fall

These comforters are very versatile and are great for the fall, or climates that generally stay in the mid-range temperatures.

Feather and Down Comforter: Pillowtex Classic Weight Feather and Down Comforter

Polyester Comforter: Malouf Down Alternative Microfiber Comforter

Winter

These are the heaviest comforters that keep you warm, even in the dead of winter.

Down: Down Lite Premium White Goose Down Comforter

Feather and Down: Pillowtex Arctic Weight Feather and Down Comforter

Although we carry many different pillows and comforters, these are some of our favorites. Hopefully, this guide can lead you to find the perfect gift for your mother or grandmother! Happy Mother’s Day!

Preparing to host for the Holidays

With Thanksgiving only a few weeks away, many of you will soon have a house filled with family and friends. This also means that you may need to make additional household purchases to accommodate the added company. For most of us, a house filled with holiday guests often means a lack of SPACE and too much to keep track of. However, there are a few steps that you can take to maximize the space you have, avoid over-clutter, and focus your energy on preparing the perfect turkey.

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  1. Fill the coat closet with hangers or purchase a coat rack – This is a rather simple and perhaps obvious suggestion but, if you’ve ever had to store coats on a bed, couch, or other not so convenient area, then you can definitely relate.

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  1. Stock up the bathroom – You know the hotel amenities, i.e. soaps, shampoos, lotions, etc, that you’ve been collecting for…YEARS?! This is where they come in handy. Guests, or perhaps just me, are notorious for forgetting their bathroom necessities, so setting any extra out in advance will save you time from having to dig for them when your guests arrive.

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  1. Put extra pillows in the guest bedrooms – If you’ve ever stayed at someone’s house without having your own pillow, you know how lonely it can be. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but the relationship between your own bed and pillow is likely a special one. But accommodating someone’s sleep needs doesn’t have to be expensive. There are a variety of high quality pillows that can be purchased without breaking the bank. You might want to purchase a night light or two while you’re at it, for those late not bathroom trips that might catch your guests by surprise.

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  1.  Load the kitchen with snacks – Is it just me, or is there something about the holidays that just makes everyone hungrier? (I won’t be offended if it’s just me). But seriously what would the holidays be without people perusing through the kitchen looking for anything and everything that’s edible? (That’s a rhetorical question). Having goodies that people can munch on throughout the day will not only make you more loveable, it will hopefully reduce the traffic jam in your oh-so-precious cooking space. P.S. Don’t forget to purchase a few special goodies, i.e. hot cocoa, for any children that may be present.

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  1. Set out extra hand towels – Guests tend to go through paper towels at a rapid rate. So, to keep from spending a small fortune, consider having a surplus of hand towels to accommodate the excess hand washing that should be taking place. (It’s cold and flu season, so it should definitely be taking place). They’re available fairly inexpensively on Amazon.

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  1. Set out the coasters – There’s nothing worse than having marks on your tables from drinking glasses. Coasters are an inexpensive, easy fix.

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  1. Take a deep breath and relax – No one scrutinizes your house as much as YOU. (Well, maybe your mother-in-law does, but we didn’t want to bring her up). People visit to enjoy quality time and be with the ones they love. Don’t forget that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Anticipating your guests needs will give you more time to enjoy their company and worry about making sure your pumpkin pies are better than Grandma Betty’s (Although Grandma Betty makes amazing pumpkin pies). But what are the holidays without a little bit of friendly competition, right?