Home & Garden Blog » Bedding

Nothing’s better than waking up in the morning and wrapping yourself in something fleece to start the day. May it be your luxurious bathrobe or your comforter, mornings need a little extra padding to get you from the bed to the shower, at least for me. I think there should be fleece mittens for when you have to reach out and turn off the alarm clock–maybe that will give me more incentive to listen to it!

Fleece blankets are one in a million, so make sure you get one that’s worth it’s salt. Here are some of the top fleece blankets to keep you warm and cozy as the weather gets a little bit frigid!

Supreme Heavyweight Fleece Blanket: This day only, $29.99

Available in so many different colors, you can outfit the whole family!

Woven Alpaca Fleece from LocalHarvest.org: $229.00

A bit of an investment, but Alpaca Fleece is worth it. It’s beautiful texture and luxurious feel will make you feel like a princess!

SuperSoft Andes Alpaca Fleece Blanket from Peru, from AlpacaWear.com: $62.99, marked down from $155!

Find discount fleece throw blankets at Smarter.com.

The weather is getting chillier, especially at night. What can you do to protect your family, and the environment? Think about investing in some organic wool or knit blankets and comforters. Ecosleepshop.kushtush.com has a wonderful selection of organic, eco-friendly comforters and fleece items, check out some of their top selling blankets to make your family warm and snug this season!

Why organic blankets are good:

The animals that the wool is taken from are well taken care of, you are getting a natural product without the polyester or machine processed fabric which may itch or irritate your family’s skin, also a lot of the synthetic blankets are forms of plastic, which make it “meltable” and flammable when placed up against a heater. Talking from experience here, unfortunately.

Top organic comforters on the market:

Organic Merino Wool Comforter from EcoSleep.KushTush.com: $108

Organic Duvet Cover from EcoSleep.KushTush.com: $65.00

Hotel Collection Organic Reversible Duvet Covers from EcoSleep.KushTush.com: $18.00

Shop for more organic bedding at Smarter.com.

It’s cold and dreary, at least here in New England, and the only thing I want to do at 3:00 on a blistery afternoon is go back to sleep. Unfortunately, heat costs break my back and blankets become the heat entity du jour. Cuddle up in an afghan throw so you survive the wintery months.

Top afghans & throws found on Smarter.com:

Silk Fleece Throw: $98.00

Aurora Olive Throw: $399.40

Animal Printed Throw: $17.9

Shop for though a variety of affordable afghans & throws at Smarter.com.

If Jane Austen makes you swoon and The Frog Prince is still in your top-five stories of all time, then you need a home that reflects your inner princess/damsel-matron of the house. Before we go too medieval and musty, let’s look at the fresh and fabulous styles of the Victorian-era that are being re-interpreted today, as shown in the NYTimes.com photo gallery spread on a family home in Connecticut.

How to emulate this look: think wood, majesty, and patterned silks. Wood ball-and-claw tables and chairs for the dining room and a grandfather clock for the living room to chime the midnight hour. Special details should be paid to the floor and wall papers–no carpets, though rugs can be tolerated. Wood floors and light wood chair-runner panels on the wall give a classic look. Buying big show-stopping Victorian pieces is a pricey endeavor that often requires a few loots of the local antique store.  You can find the Victorian look for less by checking out Smarter.com’s featured selection.

Top picks of Victorian-inspired furniture and home decor:

Victorian Strip Console-Butler: $910.25

Victorian Crochet Bedding: $24.93-99.93

Victorian Floral Petit Pillow: $105.00

Shop for more Victorian style decor.

As the weather gets brisker (I feel like I start every monologue this way now!) all I want to do is make my bed the perfect personal haven. I’ve got the memory foam, the jersey sheets, the extra pillows ranging in hardness and height and color-coordinated to match the sheets, the fuzzy blanket that I sleep with no matter how breathable or not breathable, it becomes in the summer, or insufficient in the winter. While the fuzzy blanket may have been just enough of a top layer for summertime (there were some nights where I was pushing it!) now that it’s fall and the weather is brisk, the fuzzy blanket built for comfort is not enough. I need shelter. Large, depth-defying comforters that can brave the cold and fit several small children in their bulbous pockets of fluffy goodness. Here are some of my top picks:

Down Comforter 1101: $39.99 for a twin size

Laura Comforter Twin: $134.99, marked down from $146.00

Milano White Goose Down Comforter: $156.99

Walmart’s newest dedication to using social networking tools and Web 2.0 interfaces may be rooted in capitalism and greedy corporations, but there are some great user benefits that save the college-bound a few hundred in shipping, packaging, or unnecessary double and triple trips back and forth to the local department store. Walmart.com’s new College 09 site has a wonderful selection of thrifty and stylish supplies for the young and the educated, including some “Value Bundles” that should be checked out for their super thrifty status. Featured on their top selling value bundles are:

Kalorik Sunny Morning Basic Kitchen Appliance Set, Tangerine and White: $85.00 Coming with a toaster, a blender, a coffee maker and a kettle, this is a cute set that will brighten any freshman’s smile when they wake up for that first 8 a.m. class.

Another great steal is the Girl’s Twin Bedding and Towel Set at $45.00, with a bright lively pattern for the comforter and sham and 6-piece towel set for all your bathroom needs.

Now what about the boys? While the girls have their bright orange kettles and striped comforters keeping them colorful and hydrated during finals, what will the boys use?

I won’t lie, I’ll suggest the Mainstays Tall Corner TV Stand and Viore 26” Class LCD HDTV Bundle for $349.00 out of experience and necessity. 26″ HDTV with digital tuner and the stand makes this a complete package, and perfect for the Xbox hookup. No joke, these things are a necessity! Video games are a growing market, the boys are doing “research” into a prospective career field. No lie!!

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more kitchen appliances and tv stands.
Discounts on towels and twin bedding.

Today’s Nytimes.com home and garden site showcases a shopping spree with India Hicks, the designer of a series of home and body products for Crabtree & Evelyn. While I am not a huge fan of the chalky, floral usual wares of Crabtree & Evelyn, India Hick’s inspiration comes from more tropical towns and products. Hicks picks out products with an organic feel and earthy touch, but bright colors and tropical designs. With such products as a pufferfish-etched dinner platter and a metal chandelier from Anthropologie, India has a style unto herself that we can only try to emulate.

Here’s how!

By using Smarter.com’s comparison shopping engine, I was able to find similar products to India Hick’s designs that are more affordable! Check out some of them here:

Muse Metal Chandelier: $565.00

Michael Kors Bali Queen Comforter: $299.99 (the price has been nearly cut in half!)

Young America by Stanley Surfer’s Chase Cloakroom Bookcase in Natural Cherry: $799.00

Do you enjoy playing host or hostess, is making the perfect breakfast your life’s passion?  Does gorgeous home decor make you blush, do you take pride in knowing the exact gestation periods and life cycles of your garden plants? Have you ever wondered how you could make all of these passions into a career?  Here’s one for you: Open a bed and breakfast!

Bed and breakfasts are a longstanding tradition.  A more personable and flavorful option than the stark hotel or motel down the street, bed and breakfasts have been successful businesses for years in any town, city, or beachside resort where there is a guarantee of visitors every year.  Think creatively:  your town may be the perfect place to open a bed and breakfast.  I grew up in a very small suburban town that did not seem like a tourist hotspot, but it does have one bed and breakfast that has been around for decades, and is in the prime location:  right between a church and a funeral home.  In this case, the bed and breakfast actually had a monopoly on any large groups of visitors coming to town (namely, for weddings or funerals).

My family’s vacation town is full of bed and breakfasts, and though you are always “on duty”, the job seems more like a lifestyle than a chore.  Here is a “starter kit” and some basic rules for a bed and breakfast.

1.  HUGE dining room table!!  I recommend getting several which can be easily pushed against the walls of the dining room if not needed, or pushed together to create more dining seats.  The amish hand crafted wood dining tables are beautiful.  I recommend the Abbies Special Table for $959.00, which can be personalized with additional pull-out leaves or “wings” for $100 each.

2. Bed-in-a-Bag Ensembles:  Always put together nicely, these bed-in-a-bag sets are a staple for any bed and breakfast.  It’s important to keep a bunch extra in stock, too, because you never know when one quilt or comforter will get ruined, and sometimes with the quick turnover you won’t have time to run out and shop for a new one in between guests that are using the room.  Check out the great selection of Macy’s bed in a bag ensembles, including my favorite the Hallmart Collectibles Selina 7-Piece Comforter Set for $59.99.  Originally $240.00, this delightful comforter is cheerful and homey.  Sure to please any guest or family member!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for dinning tables and bed-in-a-bag sets.

So recently I went to a mid-price department store looking for some new sheets for my bed.  I have just moved into a new apartment and the budget is a little tight.  I was looking for a standard bed fitted sheet, flat sheet, and maybe a pillowcase or two.  I came across a $20 set and thought “This is a great deal!”  Much to my chagrin, later that night, I came home, opened the package and found one flat sheet.  One sheet…for $20.  All I can say is, I learned an important lesson:  Beds deserve an investment, it’s good for your health and sanity, but they shouldn’t break the bank.  Smarter.com has a great selection of bed-in-a-bag deals.  My favorites include the Hydrangea Bed-In-A-Bag Comforter Set that comes with a quilted comforter, bed ruffle, and 200-count fitted and flat sheets (plus pillowcases!) from anywhere between $59.99-$79.99….

and the Gold Dust Queen 8-Piece Bed-In-A-Bag set that comes with a thick comforter, bed ruffle, standard pillowcases and a wide variety of decorative and neck pillows.  For only $89.99, this is a steal.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more bed-in-a-bag sets.

I know a lot of people that are just in love with sushi.  It’s pretty darn good.  If you love sushi so much that you would marry it, you should get these fun pillows found on PerpetualKid.com.  You can sleep and dream about your next sushi feast on them.

Flat California Roll Sushi Pillow: $34.99

Ikura Roll Sushi Pillow: $44.99

Ebi Nigiri Sushi Pillow: $44.99

Mmmm.  Comfortably delicious.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more decorative pillows.