What is a fitted sheet?
A fitted sheet is a type of bedding composed of an elasticized flat sheet that fits over the mattress like a glove. The sheet does not come all the way up to the edge of the mattress but stays tucked under it to form your bed base. Such sheets for the beach are made of cotton or polyester.
Are there different types of fitted sheets?
There are different types of fitted sheets for just about every need--breathable, scratchy, colorful, white, fancy, etc. The best type will depend on your personal preference.
You can use a simple one if you want or opt for several layers to stay warm enough. Other options include water-resistant ones to keep yourself dry and sand-proof so you don't wake up with everything stuck to your body... not that we've ever done that before.
For example, breathable fitted sheets feature mesh and additional material for optimum breathability. This type of fitted sheet is designed only for summer months when you need to keep cool at night.
There also is a special type of fitted sheets in the form of a fitted sheet and mattress cover in one piece, or quilted with padding in between or not. You can get them with anti-microbial protection, too, so your sleep won't be disrupted by nasty bacteria.
Sand-proof fitted sheets will allow you to enjoy your beach holiday to its fullest. While protecting you from the sand, they will let air circulate properly.
What are fitted sheets for the beach like?
There are many good-quality models that come with mesh or breathable materials to ensure summer comfort even at night. You can also find ones made of water-resistant materials if you want. Some may be quilted and include padding for extra insulation in wintertime. Such a combination makes them suitable for any season and very durable as well.
What are the benefits of using it?
The number one benefit of having such bedding on hand is that it saves you stress. Forget about blowing up an air mattress just because you want to spend some time at the seaside--just pull out your new purchase enjoy your holiday! Also, you can use it as a flag to find your spot on the sand.
Why would you need a fitted sheet for the beach?
A beach fitted sheet helps to keep sand out of your bedding and protect it from getting dirty. Here are ten ways this simple bed-making accessory can come in handy even when you don't actually go to the beach.
- Protect your mattress by adding an extra layer between your skin and its surface
- Keep sand out of your sheets, blanket, duvet cover, pillowcases, etc., so that you don't have to change them daily just because they got dirty during the night
- Prevent kids' hair from turning into one big knotty mess by tucking their hair under a down corner
- Keep your clean clothes from getting dirty by covering them when you sit down on the sand
- Protect yourself when lounging on the beach with your laptop or book by placing an extra-large sheet under your bottom for cushioning
- Transport picnic things in style without having to worry about carrying a bulky bag
- Use it as a cover-up that doubles as a blanket while waiting in line at amusement parks or any place where you have to stand for long periods of time
- Keep wet towels, bathing suits, and the like away from the rest of your stuff after swimming in the sea or lake
- Let your children draw all over it during car rides instead of letting them draw on the car's upholstery or doors
- Keep your hair dry when you go for a swim by placing the sheet over the water and letting it fall down over you like a tent
How to make a beach fitted sheet:
Layout the fitted sheet and pin the top open. Make sure that there is enough space on each side for folding if you plan to do so later. Take one corner of the sheet and fold it down toward the opposite corner, creating an even line along which you will be sewing later. Repeat with all four corners toward opposing corners until you get something that looks like a present ready to be wrapped in paper.
Sew two parallel lines along each of the folded-in edges (the bottom and right sides). Turn the resulting pockets into armholes, first cutting two lines down on each side (where indicated) and then using your fingers to gently pull the sheet through. Then sew along where you made the cut with a wider stitch. You can turn it back inside out or leave it as is--in any case, you now have something that looks like a weird sleeveless shirt ready for sand to be poured in (image five).
When you want to use it again, simply shake off the sand. It is recommended that you wash the sheet every time after using it at the beach so that it does not grow moldy from being wet too long.
Where can you use a fitted sheet?
Except for the beach, there are also a lot of different utilization options for a beach fitted sheet.
- Use it in the garden:
When you are sitting or lying under the sun on your garden chair or bench you can use it to cover your legs, so they don't get burned. Therefore this kind of sheet is very useful during summertime.
- Use it as a tablecloth:
If you like to make picnics but you don`t want to carry some big and heavy tablecloths about with you, then simply use a fitted sheet instead. They are more comfortable than those plain sheets people normally take along when doing some outdoor activities.
- Use it as an alternative blanket:
During the autumn season, on some cold days that might come, you probably will need blankets for keeping yourself warm. However sometimes these types of sheets also work great as an extra blanket if your blanket got lost –or you jammed it somewhere.
- Use at a pool or near water:
If you are going to the swimming pool with your friends and family, then simply put their wet clothes away from other personal belongings by covering them with this sheet. Or also better you bring an extra fitted sheet to cover yourself while sitting down on the sand next to the lake. This way no one can see what you`re doing there under all those waves since the sheet is so long enough for covering your legs as well.
- Use it as a yoga mat:
Some people can`t afford to buy a yoga mat because of its high price. In this case, people can simply use a fitted sheet instead –of course after washing it first--to be able to have a bit more comfortable exercise.
- Use it as an alternative beach bag:
If you don't like carrying big and heavy beach bags around with you every time you go to the beach, then just bring a fitted sheet together with some clothes and other required things. After using it at the beach, your hands and body will still be free enough for carrying all those other items that you need and don't want to leave behind.
- Use as a tent at the beach:
People can also use this fitted sheet is another way to create another shelter at the beach. You can simply make it into a big tent or hut, which you can lean against the wind and rain by using some long sticks or maybe metal bars.
Then inside you are able to sit comfortably with your loved ones while eating something cold together, playing cards or reading a book. Also for children, this thing might be very interesting when they are building their own little house out of sheets.
These are only some ideas of how people could use these kinds of sheets around the home or garden so that they don't get bored during summer. Some things may seem kind of stupid but actually, there is no limit to what people could think about during summertime.
Check-list of your beach must-haves
- Kids pool would be a lot better to bring a small inflatable pool that kids can play in while you`re at the beach.
- Toilet paper, because it's very wise to bring some extra one for emergencies till you reach your home or any other place where there is a toilet.
- Rope/ string: If you have time, then bringing a rope or two should be helpful because it can be used instead of trying to find real material everywhere around the beach.
- Sunglasses/hat/cap: These items are necessary during summertime and they're good for protecting yourself from being eaten alive by all those mosquitoes and sun rays. Also if it rains a hat would help a great deal because otherwise, everyone would look like wet hens or chickens.
- Mosquito repellent: It`s good to bring one along for bringing all the annoying mosquitoes away from your table so that they don't disturb you while eating.
- Sun cream/lotion/oil: One should come in handy at the beach because sunrays here are stronger than in other parts of our planet and can cause serious damage to our skin if we're not careful enough. Also even during wintertime people could put some extra stuff on their face, arms or any other part of their body which doesn't get enough sunlight normally.
- Cash: You should keep some money with you when going to the beach because there are chances that you might lose something like a wallet or purse, etc... Also, you can buy some snacks or drinks from the local vendors while you're at it.
- Shoes/sandals: People should wear a sturdy pair of shoes while going to the beach because the terrain there is not always flat and clean, so without them, your feet could get very dirty and full of sand which would be very annoying during all this sunny day.
But one must beware that they choose a pair of good shoes for walking in water as well because otherwise, water will damage them very fast which wouldn`t be too beneficial. Also if one chooses flip-flops then people must know that their feet have more chance to get injured when wearing something like this.
What are other useful beach hacks?
If you forgot/lost/don't want to use any of these things that we`ve mentioned then there still is a way to survive during such situations. There are some very useful beach hacks that might be helpful for you out there and one of them is using a large water bottle as an umbrella or parasol. It can also use it as a container for keeping anything inside like cold drinks, fruits, etc...
Another good idea would be bringing a backpack with you and putting all these small items in it so that your hands remain free and you won't need to keep on holding them throughout the trip. This will allow people to explore freely without getting too tired from carrying those heavy backpacks around.
Also, in case you didn`t take a sun cream/lotion/oil with you, then there is no need to worry too much because you should go wash your hands in the sea firstly. This would make them wet and afterward people could rub their hands against each other which ultimately should make some sand stick on them. Afterward one can use all that sand as a sun cream which has an SPF range of about 10-20.
Finally, beach hack number five goes for those who are looking for some fun ideas during the hot summer days. If people don`t feel like swimming then what they can do is search for some interesting rocks around the coastline or at least near water because these kinds of rocks have specific patterns on their surface created by wind erosion over time.
One might make a collection of such rocks and take them home to place them somewhere around their house or garden in order to see these interesting patterns instead of just looking at stones normally.