Beds

[Fedayeen]

Out of curiosity, anybody else find beds to be an excessive waste of space?

I haven't slept on mine all year. I mainly sleep on my bean bag, and sometimes my floor. My bed was mainly being used to store stuff on, under or behind. My dog has slept on my bed more times in the past 6 months then I have, and my dog normally sleeps outside.

I just got rid of my bed. For now there is still a mattress which takes up considerably less space, though I am probably going to get rid of that as well.

 

[Adymus]

Hell no! I love my bed, why would I want to wake up sore from sleeping on the floor?

 

[Fedayeen]

but all that wasted space.

I like having a big empty room, and not be cramped

 

[Adymus]

but all that wasted space.

I like having a big empty room, and not be cramped

A night of comfortable sleep is definitely worth the 8x5 feet of used space. Besides I don't NEED that much more room for my crap. I'm a very low maintenance person.

 

[Fedayeen]

A night of comfortable sleep is definitely worth the 8x5 feet of used space. Besides I don't NEED that much more room for my crap. I'm a very low maintenance person.

its not about "needing" the space. Most of my room is open floor, so I can stretch out.

a bed isn't too much more comfortable then a bean bag or the floor, assuming you have decent carpeting

 

[Cavallier]

I'm like the Princess and the Pea. If I don't have a soft/comfortable enough bed then I don't sleep well. My hips hurt. My shoulders hurt. My life hurts. I've had friends sleep in my bed and wake up the next day saying they've never slept so well because my bed was so soft.

Perhaps you are fine being curled up on a bean bag or laid out on the floor but I HAVE to have a bed. Though I've been known to lean the thing up against the wall when I wanted more space.

 

[Adymus]

its not about "needing" the space. Most of my room is open floor, so I can stretch out.

a bed isn't too much more comfortable then a bean bag or the floor, assuming you have decent carpeting

If I want to stretch out, I'll go outside, or pace around the living room. I don't need to have everything I need right there in my room.

Uh no, I beg to differ. Maybe you are used to sleeping on the floor or a bean bag, but I'm not, I'm used to sleeping on beds, and I'm not looking to change that.

 

[warryer]

I'm never gonna take my bed for granted again! It's amazing how a week long stay at your local county "hotel" can make you appreciate the little things.

For beds we had to sleep on sheet metal bolted to the wall. They gave us a two inch thick piece of foam wrapped in vinyl as a mattress. The pillow was a thicker piece of foam all in the same mattress.

After one night your hips grow very sore- starts to feel like you're going to get bruises if you don't change positions every 10 minutes.

Couldn't you get a foldaway mattress that you can wheel away or one that folds out of your couch? That has to be better than a bean bag- hell even a recliner would be better. You do spend a could portion of your life sleeping may as well be as comfortable as possible.

To each his/her own I guess.

 

[Fedayeen]

1st of all I don't have a couch in my room, second of all, the bean bag is 6 feet in diameter.

 

[Reverse Transcriptase]

ROFL at this thread...

1st of all I don't have a couch in my room, second of all, the bean bag is 6 feet in diameter.

Ah, our mystery is solved. Most "bean bags" are only 3-4 feet in diameter. What you have, sir, is a bean bed.

And so you got rid of your second bed. Good, logical, decision!

 

[Cognisant]

The advantage of having a large, fairly ridged bed is that it makes a great workbench, or just a comfortable spot to lounge around with a laptop... so yeah it's pretty much good for anything but sleeping on

I'd love to sleep in either a hammock or one of those reclined sleeping pod things.

Spoiler

 

[Tyria]

You could always get some blankets/pillows and make a bed (then put it up the next morning). Probably more busy work to do though than a bean bag bed.

 

[Deleted member 1424]

My bed takes up the majority of the space in my room. I can't stand twins anymore; they just feel so constraining. I don't really want for space though, since I can pace in other rooms and when I want to be active I just go outside.

Though a few years ago, for some reason or another, I fell asleep on the floor and felt fantastic the next day. I did so for a few months, at least until my family caught wind and started questioning my mental state because of it.

 

[Words]

Out of curiosity, anybody else find beds to be an excessive waste of space?

Yes. I relate it to mobility and freedom. Having no bed makes the whole floor your bed. It extends your capacity. In addition, it gives a different feel and forms a fresh perspective.

 

[Kuu]

I agree, beds take way too much space and the floor is just so lovely to not use it.

In several eastern locales, people's conception of beds is little more than a thin mattress on the floor. I much prefer that to the bizarre altar-like western conception of beds, and indeed other furniture as well.

Just like words can limit our thoughts, so can our furniture =_=

A lot of people are too uptight when it comes to using surfaces in ways contrary to their arbitrarily designated use. Indeed, there is almost a stigma attached to sitting on the floor... only savages and hippies sit on the floor, serious people would find it outrageous and uncivilized...

Children, on the other hand, are unencumbered by such absurd notions, and fully enjoy all the spatial potential of their environments.


On an ending note: I have seen rooms in which the bed can be lowered and hidden under the floor. The best of both worlds?

 

[Reverse Transcriptase]

For ~3 weeks in college I didn't have a bed. I was waiting to order my bed and waiting for it to arrive. In the meantime, I slept on a bedframe with a pile of blankets on it. It kinda worked, my back felt kinda weird though. It was also hard to "lounge" in bed, ya know like read or roll over and try to sleep more. It led to me getting only around 7-8 hours of sleep, and going to bed as a last resort.

Though a few years ago, for some reason or another, I fell asleep on the floor and felt fantastic the next day. I did so for a few months, at least until my family caught wind and started questioning my mental state because of it.

hahaha

I agree, beds take way too much space and the floor is just so lovely to not use it.

In several eastern locales, people's conception of beds is little more than a thin mattress on the floor. I much prefer that to the bizarre altar-like western conception of beds, and indeed other furniture as well.

Keyword is bolded. Nobody wants to conceive while on the floor.

 

[Kuu]

Keyword is bolded. Nobody wants to conceive while on the floor.

Why not?

Seriously, why not? What is the difference other than 60cms of added elevation?

 

[Causeless]

Seriously, why not? What is the difference other than 60cms of added elevation?

I suppose a subconscious preference for an elevated sleeping area, in some, would have evolved as a general safety/comfort issue.

ie. When your floor is dirt, is it going to be more uncomfortable on hard, uneven, possibly muddy ground, or perhaps consider it more of a luxury to fashion some sort of a raised sleeping area?

Though in all honesty, bed or no bed is fine with me. I, however, find it rather difficult to sleep without the hum of a computer nearby.

 

[Fedayeen]

For ~3 weeks in college I didn't have a bed. I was waiting to order my bed and waiting for it to arrive. In the meantime, I slept on a bedframe with a pile of blankets on it. It kinda worked, my back felt kinda weird though. It was also hard to "lounge" in bed, ya know like read or roll over and try to sleep more. It led to me getting only around 7-8 hours of sleep, and going to bed as a last resort.


hahaha

Keyword is bolded. Nobody wants to conceive while on the floor.

damn it! why did I have to change my user name

 

[Fedayeen]

Also, I am currently laying on the floor using my mattress as a pillow. When I realized this, I couldn't help but laugh at the irony (not quite sure if that is actually ironic, don't think it is)

 

[Lithorn]

In the summer (plus late spring and early fall if it's warm enough) I sleep outside on my porch. It started out because I just preferred to be outside, but I got so used to sleeping on a hard surface that now beds feel too squishy. Also, I've heard that sleeping on the floor is actually very good for your back.

 

[Hawkeye]

I've been in my bed for 13 hours. I doubt I could do the same on a floor.

 

[Lithorn]

Well, yes, it feels weird at first if you're used to a bed, but over time you posture improves.

 

[intuitivet]

I agree a bed is a waste of space, I'd like to get a futon or sleep on just a mattress, but apparently that's silly.

 

[WorkInProgress]

Maybe our bodies naturally feel less vulnerable while elevated. Who's gonna attack us when we have the momentum advantage??

 

[Reverse Transcriptase]

Maybe our bodies naturally feel less vulnerable while elevated. Who's gonna attack us when we have the momentum advantage??

This is a strong argument for a loft bed.

 

[Kuu]

Maybe our bodies naturally feel less vulnerable while elevated. Who's gonna attack us when we have the momentum advantage??

Certainly in some cases an elevated vantage point provides some level of psychological ease, but it is not the only environmental factor involved in such perceptions of security (relative position, scale and light play a huge role).

Height can so very easily make one feel extremely uncomfortable. Put a bed in the middle of the room, unattached to any wall, and you shall enjoy the uneasy feeling of now being some sort of museum exhibit. Or stand on a stage or runway or similar structure, and try not to feel awkward and self-conscious while everybody and their dog looks at you and you have no place to hide.

On the opposite side, depressed spaces like valleys, canyons, sunken parks and living rooms and even trenches can be quite cozy and provide a sensation of privacy and security...

Have you heard of prospect-refuge theory?

Lazy google search provides a layman's explanation here, but simplifying the essential idea one could say: the ability to see (prospect) but not be seen (refuge) increases perceived safety which increases the esthetic pleasure experienced in the environment.

MUCH better explanation here. (warning: beware of wikiwalks)

 

[Dormouse]

Yes, a nice elevated bunk bed means you can maximize your floor space, as well as have a lofty bed to climb into at night. And it makes a cool hut-like structure to sit under.

 

[WorkInProgress]

the ability to see (prospect) but not be seen (refuge) increases perceived safety which increases the esthetic pleasure experienced in the environment.

I completely agree, though I don't see a cot providing this.

Yes, a nice elevated bunk bed means you can maximize your floor space, as well as have a lofty bed to climb into at night. And it makes a cool hut-like structure to sit under.

Or you could make blankets drape over the bottom bunk and have an insanely comfortable fort. Fill it to the brim with pillows and the boogieman won't stand a chance

 

[Hawkeye]

Just get a bigger house... Problem solved.

 

[Chimera]

I slept in the top of a bunk bed for most of my life. Only got a new bed in like...6th grade.
Bunk beds are fantastic. Throw all your crap on the bottom, make a nest up top. I miss that thing.

I sleep on the ground whenever I can't be bothered to get to my bed. It doesn't bother me, as long as I have a pillow, and blanket if it's cold. I've fallen asleep in trees and on rocks before.

I'd love to have a hammock-type bed that I can fill with blankets and pillows, rather than a typical mattress. I think it would feel the most natural to me.​

 

[Cavallier]

Or you could make blankets drape over the bottom bunk and have an insanely comfortable fort. Fill it to the brim with pillows and the boogieman won't stand a chance

Yes. Just yes.

I can sleep just about anywhere. I've fallen asleep while standing before. (I was leaning against a wall waiting for someone after having stayed up for a couple of days. I just leaned my head back and fell asleep. When my friend found me she had to shake me awake.) However, if I sleep on something too hard my hips hurt so much the next day I'm practically crippled. Even if I sleep on my back my hips do this. Blah, maybe I'm just getting prematurely old.

 

[Fedayeen]

Certainly in some cases an elevated vantage point provides some level of psychological ease, but it is not the only environmental factor involved in such perceptions of security (relative position, scale and light play a huge role).

Height can so very easily make one feel extremely uncomfortable. Put a bed in the middle of the room, unattached to any wall, and you shall enjoy the uneasy feeling of now being some sort of museum exhibit. Or stand on a stage or runway or similar structure, and try not to feel awkward and self-conscious while everybody and their dog looks at you and you have no place to hide.

On the opposite side, depressed spaces like valleys, canyons, sunken parks and living rooms and even trenches can be quite cozy and provide a sensation of privacy and security...

Have you heard of prospect-refuge theory?

Lazy google search provides a layman's explanation here, but simplifying the essential idea one could say: the ability to see (prospect) but not be seen (refuge) increases perceived safety which increases the esthetic pleasure experienced in the environment.

MUCH better explanation here. (warning: beware of wikiwalks)

I used to have a bed in the very middle of my room. I liked it because of its function. almost everything in my room was within reach without having to get off the bed....everything but the toilet.

As for that prospect-refuge thing. Assuming I am understanding you correctly, a simplified version would be being able to see others without being seen yourself provides a feeling of safety?

 

[Hawkeye]

people who have the high ground are often the safest as it is harder to attack uphill.

 

[WorkInProgress]

people who have the high ground are often the safest as it is harder to attack uphill.

Obi-Wan was ahead of the curve on this one.

 

[Hawkeye]

Obi-Wan was ahead of the curve on this one.

exactly the example I was thinking of - hahaha

 

[Kuu]

I completely agree, though I don't see a cot providing this.

Well, I doubt that whomever invented cots had maximum comfort as its ultimate goal in mind

Or you could make blankets drape over the bottom bunk and have an insanely comfortable fort. Fill it to the brim with pillows and the boogieman won't stand a chance

Like a four poster/canopy bed?

Spoiler

Who cares about the boogieman, the intimacy of these make them excellent for relaxing and keeping people in, not out I'm gonna get a nice modern one some day.

I'd love to have a hammock-type bed that I can fill with blankets and pillows, rather than a typical mattress. I think it would feel the most natural to me.​

Hammocks are the most underrated of all seating/sleeping devices! Sooo relaxing! I have been telling people for years that they should have hammocks in the university library! And my parents to put one in the backyard terrace... And they're so easy to put away too. Although more than 1 person on one can be... complex.

Also, I love what you did with your new style chime

I used to have a bed in the very middle of my room. I liked it because of its function. almost everything in my room was within reach without having to get off the bed....everything but the toilet.

Well.... there are always exceptions but in this case no, you're wrong. Nobody likes that.

You liked it because of its function, yes, but did you feel utterly comfortable and safe in it? A functional appraisal is different from an aesthetic, phenomenological one.

As for that prospect-refuge thing. Assuming I am understanding you correctly, a simplified version would be being able to see others without being seen yourself provides a feeling of safety?

Basically, yes. The potential of seeing/being seen.

 

[Fedayeen]

Well.... there are always exceptions but in this case no, you're wrong. Nobody likes that.

You liked it because of its function, yes, but did you feel utterly comfortable and safe in it? A functional appraisal is different from an aesthetic, phenomenological one

lol, I think my username was infact nobody when It was like that.

and no matter where I am in my room I feel perfectly safe.

 

[Lithorn]

Hammocks are great for lounging in, but too envelop-y for me to sleep comfortably. I can sleep almost anywhere, but I'd much rather be able to spread out. Plus, I tend to flail in my sleep. That could be a safety hazard in hammock.

 

[Reverse Transcriptase]

Spoiler

YouTube- Death Cab For Cutie Your New Twin Sized Bed

 

[Chronomar]

Out of curiosity, anybody else find beds to be an excessive waste of space?.

YES.

The rooms in my house are pretty small, so when I moved in the bed I had wouldn't fit, so I gave it to a friend and decided to just sleep on a pile of soft-ish stuff on the ground.

I love backpacking, camping, etc, so I assumed I would be just fine with it, and I was right.

Now, I am very happy I got rid of my bed because it took up a lot of space, I always hit my foot on the post, and I really prefer to sleep curled up anyway.

Edit:

Whoa, why is this controvertial again?

 

[Geminii]

Though a few years ago, for some reason or another, I fell asleep on the floor and felt fantastic the next day.

Holy crap, you too?

I have no idea why I feel better after sleeping on the floor than on a bed. Sometimes I feel a little creakier, but definitely better-rested overall.

 

[Mary]

I love sleeping on the floor with bunches of blankets in a nest. So cozy. Especially if I can get my dog to snuggle up with me.
That bunk bed-fort sounds amazing too.

 

[Lithorn]

I love sleeping on the floor with bunches of blankets in a nest. So cozy. Especially if I can get my dog to snuggle up with me.
That bunk bed-fort sounds amazing too.

I agree. It's great to have a dog to snuggle with...until he decides that you simply Must be awake and sits on your chest to accomplish this. With a sixty pound dog, that's not really something you can ignore.

 

[Hawkeye]

I agree. It's great to have a dog to snuggle with...until he decides that you simply Must be awake and sits on your chest to accomplish this. With a sixty pound dog, that's not really something you can ignore.

Dogs waking you up with a nice kiss after eating sardines isn't desirable either.

 

[Mary]

I agree. It's great to have a dog to snuggle with...until he decides that you simply Must be awake and sits on your chest to accomplish this. With a sixty pound dog, that's not really something you can ignore.

This is true. Or deciding you don't really want the pillow and slowly stealing it from you.
I enjoy slobbery kisses. They make me happy.

 

[Metsuki]

Where I or how I sleep does not bother me. What truly bothers me is the excessive time we waste while we sleep.

 

[Polaris]

I used to come home from school and fall asleep on the floor in the sunlight. I always doze on a couch. Sitting in a chair produces continous yawning and drowsiness. Put me in a bed and my eyes are suddenly like saucers and I start revolving relentlessly around like some planet in our solar system.

 

[Alice?]

Oh man, I'd love to have a hammock in my room. They're so comfortable, and I think the subtle swinging motion would lull me into sleep. I also sleep well on the couch in my living room.

But this would be the ultimate bed!!

Spoiler

It's called a Transport Perceptual Pod, and it's got light show setting and speakers built into it! I also like the enclosed space. I think it's amazing.

 

[Lithorn]

Oh man, I'd love to have a hammock in my room. They're so comfortable, and I think the subtle swinging motion would lull me into sleep. I also sleep well on the couch in my living room.

But this would be the ultimate bed!!

Spoiler

It's called a Transport Perceptual Pod, and it's got light show setting and speakers built into it! I also like the enclosed space. I think it's amazing.

I shudder in horror at the thought of sleeping in that thing.