Are expensive sheets and towels worth the money? Are they a priority for you?

[melissel]

I was browsing a Lands' End Home catalog today, and they have some lovely sheet sets. But I just can't fathom paying $100 for a sheet set. I haven't bought sheets in years, but the last time I did, I bought them on Overstock.com. They were very plain, kind of scratchy and rougher than I like, but they eventually softened up. I'd love to buy new sheets and donate the old ones, but are the expensive sheets (Lands' End, Macy's, Company Store) worth the money? I'd want at least 280 thread count, preferably 400. Is this a you-get-what-you-pay-for kind of thing, or are sheets just sheets, in the end?

 

And here's the second part. All of our sheets are worn thin, stained, totally faded and/or darkened in spots, etc. They're still functional though, and to buy new ones when the old but ugly ones are still usable feels so...I don't know, wasteful? Vain? Do you prioritize things like high-quality, attractive sheets and towels? To me, they seem like things I want to splurge on, and they'd feel good and look nice, but does that novelty wear off? DH is all for splurging on these things, but I've been trying so hard to sock away money to quit my job, I can't decide if this would be a worthwhile purchase. I'm also torn between wanting new, nice things and my "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" philosophy. What's your take on things like this?

 

TIA!

[LG Gone Wild]

Yes, they are worth it. No, it is not a priority.

 

ETA: Be thrifty now. To help you along, imagine all the money that you have wasted on stuff you didn't need. Stick with $14 sheets from Wal-Mart until you have your safety net set up. You won't regret it.

Edited September 4, 2009 by LG Gone Wild

[calandalsmom]

Yes its totally worth it in some cases. LE will guarrantee their product FOR LIFE. I have some pillow cases which have fallen apart and will be sent back.

 

 

I wouldnt bother with $$ sheets from Macy's or another store because they wont offer you any guarrantees and you can get the same thing from a cut rate store like Home Goods or TJMaxx.

[Denise in Florida]

Yes, they are worth it. I can't justify spending the household money on them, but I request them as gifts. I would rather have another set of high quality sheets than flowers/perfume/gadgets/etc. It took a few years but dh has finally agreed that luxury household goods can qualify as "gifts".

[LaxMom]

Yes, I think they're worth it. I don't know if I'd spend $100 on a set, but I'll spend $60 for high thread count, organic cotton and bamboo sheets at Target. And I buy high thread count cotton sheets on sale when I find them. In my fantasy life, I find actual linen sheets that don't cost me a fortune.

 

My sleep is important to me and I don't sleep well on pilly, ill-woven, ill-fitting bed linens. I also iron the sheets before putting them on the bed - the crisp-soft feeling of pressed sheets is... mmmmmmmm. And that doesn't cost me anything but time that I happily devote to the task.;)

 

I think there's a tipping point in the price/quality curve, where you have reached the maximum benefit of quality and start paying for something else, though.

[Carol in Cal.]

Once you do, your priorities with respect to sheets will be, let us say, different. Dark colors and the ability to release spots will, sadly, take precedence over comfort and luxury. 2 possible solutions--either enjoy them now or wait until the actual M. Do not attempt to get through peri with them, however. That is all.

[Paz]

Yes. I finally have 2 really nice sheet sets for our bed and I can really tell the difference. One I bought at a really good outlet sale and the other my mother gave me. They are so much softer and hold up really well. We tend to be hard on towels so I don't know how much difference good ones make. Ours still fall apart too soon.

[gingersmom]

My last set of Lands End Towels lasted 8 years. They are well worth the money.

 

I love Lands End sheets and The Company Store stuff is extremely well made and super nice.

[Meriwether]

Do you have a Tuesday Morning store nearby? It is possible to buy 500 thread count or higher for less than $50. I bought a set for myself that I love. I also like to buy them for wedding gifts.

[cin]

Good, Comfortable sheets are a priority for us. MATCHING sheets, are NOT. We buy our sheets from Lands End Overstocks. They don't always match, but their either under the comforter, or the lights are out, and we don't care. They are COMFORTABLE!!

 

That's my humble opinion ;)

[Ellie]

Once you do, your priorities with respect to sheets will be, let us say, different. Dark colors and the ability to release spots will, sadly, take precedence over comfort and luxury. 2 possible solutions--either enjoy them now or wait until the actual M. Do not attempt to get through peri with them, however. That is all.

:iagree:

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Satori]

I think thick, absorbent towels and slick, high thread sheets are worth it. A few years ago I spent thousands on that kind of stuff. I always get compliments from our guests on the bedsheets.

 

Now, however, I will have a hard time replacing them. Times are tougher and hopefully these sets will last a long time!

[Mom-ninja.]

No expensive sheets or towels here. I'd cry the first time one of my kids leaked or spewed any body fluid on them.

[newbie]

I think they are worth it if you can afford it.

[Barb_]

I order mismatched sheets that co-ordinate (IE white striped fitted, light blue top, dark blue pillow cases) from the Company Store. You can pick up high thread count sheets for $8-$16 per sheet.

 

Barb

[Dirtroad]

No, I hit middle of the road and look for sales. The thread count does mean they last longer & will hold up better in laundry... and even feel better. However, there comes a point when it reaches luxury & not practicality.

 

I watch Target & WalMart & look for the sales on the better counts. I love Martha Steward towels at KMart too. WE have found a few cute sheets in twin size at the thrift store... entire bedding sets in great condition, but usually top sheets and pillow cases.

 

I would feel so guilty sleeping on sheets from higher end stores or fancy threads.:lol:

[Scuff]

We had some nice pads and sheets when we first married. It was funny when the Kirby saleslady was over. Part of her sales pitch was to vacuum the bed to show al the grossness and mites. Ours was clean and she was amazed. :lol: We have Wal-mart sheets now as we went up in bed size and were pretty broke at the time. There is a BIG difference. Obviously it's not a huge priority, since we still have Walmart sheets, but my next household purchase I want is a nice mattress pad. Then we'll get some nice sheets too. I only get 2 sets, don't really need more, so that does help justify the cost.

[kewb]

Yes, they are worth it. No, it is not a priority.

 

.

 

:iagree:

[Blessedfamily]

There are worth it to me. They feel smooth and don't pill.

 

You can sometimes find 480tc and up at Marshall's or Tuesday Morning, but some brands fit better than others.

[Senorita Tuna Fish]

Once we pay down all our debt..My comfort in my home will be a priority. There's nothing wrong with having nice stuff if it's not taking away from the things you need and that would be the case now. But on the other hand I like a sale and clearance and I LOVE to haggle...so I would never pay full price regardless of how much money I have. Try a place like Nordstroms rack they sale the mark downs from nordstroms overstock always has some good prices on nice sheets.

[Blessedfamily]

Once we pay down all our debt..My comfort in my home will be a priority. There's nothing wrong with having nice stuff if it's not taking away from the things you need and that would be the case now. But on the other hand I like a sale and clearance and I LOVE to haggle...so I would never pay full price regardless of how much money I have. Try a place like Nordstroms rack they sale the mark downs from nordstroms overstock always has some good prices on nice sheets.

 

Nordstrom Rack is just lovely.:001_wub: The shoes..............

 

And I never pay full price for anything either.

[kalanamak]

Thus far, I've stuck to unmatched beauties I find at the used store. I glance through the sheets and towels every time I go there, and if it is quality and not disgustingly ugly, I get it.

[inactive]

I usually buy bed linens at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They've been good -- wash & dry well and last a long time...and they don't break the bank.

 

Towels: (different story) I'm still using towels I bought when I went off to college in 1987 and some we were given when we got married in 1992. (mostly Ames, Sears and JCPenney brand)

[chiguirre]

Yes, I think they're worth it. I don't know if I'd spend $100 on a set, but I'll spend $60 for high thread count, organic cotton and bamboo sheets at Target. And I buy high thread count cotton sheets on sale when I find them. In my fantasy life, I find actual linen sheets that don't cost me a fortune.

 

:iagree: that the Target sheets are very nice for the money. Keep an eye out for sales and you can get them for less than $50 for a king size set.

[fivetails]

Nah. I couldn't care less what kind of sheets or towels are around, as long as they fit the bed & dry us off after a shower. :)

[tnmomofboys]

Nice sheets are pretty important. I love a good set of crisp white sheets. But I will search for a deal. You can get high quality sheets from HomeGoods for a decent price. I don't know it you have one of those nearby. Towels are not as important to me, but I do like the ones from Target.

[Mom2boys]

Now that I own high thread count sheets, I will never go back. Mine are a mismatched set from the outlet mall. I LOVE them. Sleeping well is very important to me, and I definitely sleep better on these sheets. We also have a set of Lands End flannel sheets that we received as a Christmas gift. Those are wonderful too.

[eternalknot]

I spend a lot of time in my bed, so comfort is a priority for me. I like soft sheets, not scratchy. I like cotton, not poly-blend. I like organic-may-need-ironing, not chemically-preserved-permanent-press. I take my bedtime seriously ... from high end cotton futons to the sheets I cover them with. I would rather have one set of super quality sheets than more sets of lesser quality. That said, "expensive" isn't always the same as "quality" ... quality is the key, not cost. Tuesday Morning was mentioned, and it's a great source for better quality, lower cost sheets.

[Tree House Academy]

Yes...and yes. They are totally worth the money and I really do splurge on soft and high thread count linens. However, I don't buy tons of them..maybe 1-2 sets per bed, per year. It is definitely a priority as I have sensory issues and can't sleep on scratchy sheets (neither can the kids...dh could sleep on a rock, though).

[fivetails]

I spend a lot of time in my bed, so comfort is a priority for me.

 

I think this is the difference between people who like the fancy sheets & people who don't care ~ sleeping, for me, is just this annoying *thing* that I have do as part of being human. :tongue_smilie:

[sweetbasil]

We have these from Amazon:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Pinzon-400-Thread-Count-Egyptian-Cotton-Hemstitch/dp/B000NY8NLG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=bedbath&qid=1252121244&sr=1-10

 

They're Amazon's house brand, Pinzon. I bought one set and was so happy with them that I bought another. We've had much, much more expensive sheets and I love these.

 

I've seen them go as low as $35ish for the King and Queen sizes.

[Tap]

I get sheets at TJMaxx, Ross, Tuesday Morning or HomeGoods. My mattress is 18" thick so I almost always have to buy $70-100 sheets. I only buy one set a year, usually when the last set is wearing out. I keep the last set for emergencies. I wash and replace sheets on the same day so I don't need multiple sets.

 

I am extremely picky. I like 350-450 thread count. The 600 thread counts are too high for me and I don't like the sound or stiffness to them.

 

I buy towels at the same stores. I buy the same color/style towels for all of our bathrooms, and toss in a couple more than I will need so if a couple get ruined we still have enough. I like the softer towels but I don't use fabric softener so if they aren't made with a soft fiber, they are very scratchy.

[Aubrey]

I hate sleeping, too. Interrupts more important parts of life. And I've been raised w/ generations of extremely frugal people who'd probably be shocked to hear me say--

 

nice sheets are SO worth it to me. I got a really, incredibly, wonderfully nice set at Ross for about $20 one time. I had NO IDEA what a deal it was. They're worth over $100.

 

Priority? No, but boy. If you see them at Ross for $20 (& you've got it), buy. them.

 

Then never change your sheets again. ;)

[Shawna in Texas]

When I first got married, about 12 years ago, I bought a 300 tc set at Ross for $20. We still have them and they are really soft (that was when buying over 180 tc was starting to get popular, so 300 was really nice).

 

I bought a 500 tc on Amazon 3 years ago for less than $40, free shipping and no tax. Bought a set for my grandparents, too. I was looking a couple days ago and the had a 600 tc, Renaissance brand, for an excellent deal, but I had school to order. Some colors and sizes are more expensive, though, so you have to watch out for that.

 

Target throws some on sale often enough for less than $50. They also throw jersey cotton sheets on sale quite often. We cycle those with our "good" sheets.

 

It is totally worth it to me.

[tdeveson]

I don't consider "expensive" sheets and towels essential. I consider excellent sheets and towels essential. Often expensive and good go together. If you look, you can find excellent deals.

 

Excellent quality towels and sheets last much longer. In my experience it's cheaper to buy $75 sheets that last eight or ten years, than $20 sheets that fray, lose their shape, and turn to crap as soon as you give them a first wash. And beyond the money, you can't compare the feeling between a soft, thick, yummy sheet and a scratchy thin sheet.

 

I shop for towels from JC Penneys. I buy their excellent, top of the line towels, once a year during their white sale. (Do they even call it a white sale anymore? Who has white towels?) I double up with a free shipping coupon and get them for about half price.

 

I get my sheets -- always above 400 count, from Overstock.com. I've gotten some incredible bargains there with gorgeous Egyptian cotton sheets.

Edited September 5, 2009 by tdeveson

[Peela]

I pick up 100% quality cotton sheets when they go on sale, or even 2nd hand (unused, unwanted gifts, usually).

I feel they are worth it but it took many years before I got to the point of appreciating things like that.

 

I only have two sets of sheets per bed in the house, and I only replaced poorer quality ones with good quality ones over a few years.

[keptwoman]

Yes it's definitely worth it. I'm like eternal knot: sleep is important and I do love my bed.

What is this Ross and where do I find it? I'm in need of new sheets. Off to Google.

[LaxMom]

I think this is the difference between people who like the fancy sheets & people who don't care ~ sleeping, for me, is just this annoying *thing* that I have do as part of being human. :tongue_smilie:

I don't spend much time in bed (4 months of bed rest while pregnant with the boys cured me of any desire there), but I require solid sleep to function well, mentally and physically. Scratchy, wrinkled up sheets make for restless sleep in my world... (though, like Rebecca mentioned, I think my husband could sleep draped over a rock, and the children sleep in a pile, like gerbils.)

 

Don't even get me started on the requirements for nightgowns. ;)

[mcconnellboys]

Well, Land's End does sell a great product and they do guarantee it. I've tried buying high thread count sheets at Wal-mart (once!) and they were just awful. Land's End, on the other hand, sells a product that is terrific and lasts forever. So which was money better spent, the $50 to Wal-mart or the $100 to LE?

 

Thinking of being conservative, I find that thinner, older sheets tend to be more comfortable. If your sheets are really okay except for how they look, can you try dying them in deeper colors that will disguise any disfiguring stains?

 

RIT Dye used to make a color remover product that you could add to things that had been stained and it worked beautifully for whitening up whites, etc. Perhaps you could use some of this to try to remove stains and see how you like the results. Then if you still wish to have a new and different look, perhaps you could simply dye your sheets in deeper, coordinating colors?

[justamouse]

Yes, they are worth it. No, it is not a priority.

 

ETA: Be thrifty now. To help you along, imagine all the money that you have wasted on stuff you didn't need. Stick with $14 sheets from Wal-Mart until you have your safety net set up. You won't regret it.

 

 

They're a priority for me, too. But I agree, when push comes to shove, I would go cheaper.

 

That said, TJMaxx has 650 counts for about 32 bucks.