Single, Double, King……and where are the top sheets?

Our flat came furnished.  That means that the linens were included.  Which a nice thing to have when you're moving in - not knowing what size your bed will be and knowing that it takes a couple of days to dry things around here.  Yes, I said a couple of days.  Energy costs are very expensive in the UK and therefore most homes do not have clothes dryers.  Instead you use a drying rack - for everything - even your pants (translation: underwear).  

The not so nice thing is that the linens that were included in our flat were pretty basic and not quite what we were used to.  Both beds were covered with a flat sheet and a comforter.  Hence the name of the blog - "where are all the top sheets? "  

So immediately I started looking for new sheets.   In the UK, TJ Maxx is called TK Maxx so I headed there hoping to find quality linens at a reasonable price.  With no luck.  Sheets at home are typically sold in sets - fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcases.  I assumed that is what I would find here - but this was one of my many incorrect assumptions.  Everything is sold separately and all TK Maxx had was fitted sheets.  

We finally decided to stop by the John Lewis which is about a 2 minute walk from our flat.  John Lewis is the major department store in the UK and is really nice.  Luke and I were under the assumption that we had a "double" bed or what would be considered full size in the US.  We found the items we needed and headed home.  Before throwing everything in the washing machine, I made the very smart move of confirming that the sheets would actually fit.  Guess what - they didn't.  They were about 6 inches too small.  Fail.

This will eventually bring me to an upcoming blog of "Things that I wish I would have brought with me" - a tape measure.  

So the next day I trekked up to Starbucks to use the internet (because it takes about 20 days before someone can come and hook it up after you order it) to do some research on bed sizes.  And come to find out we actually have a king size bed.  Now you're probably thinking to yourself, "Can't she tell the difference between a full size bed and a king size bed?"  I promise - the answer is "yes".  

Apparently what is considered a king size bed in the UK is actually closer to a queen size bed in the US.  I was actually very happy to hear that we have a king size bed because not only is my husband taller than a full size, but I have a puppy who likes to hog the bed at night.  A full size bed would have been extra crowded.  

	N. America	Australia	UK/Ireland	Continental Europe Latin America
Single Twin (USA)	39 × 75 in 99 × 190 cm	36 × 74 in 91 × 190 cm	36 × 75 in 91 × 190 cm	90 × 200 cm 35 × 79 in	97 × 195 cm 38 × 77 in
Double/full	54 × 75 in 140 × 190 cm	54 × 74 in 140 × 190 cm	54 × 75 in 140 × 190 cm	140 × 200 cm 55 × 79 in	140 × 195 cm 55 × 77 in
Queen King (UK/Ire.) Wide Double (Japan)	60 × 80 in 150 × 200 cm		60 × 78 in 150 × 200 cm	160 × 200 cm 63 × 79 in	154 × 195 cm 61 × 77 in
Olympic Queen Queen (Japan)	66 × 80 in 170 × 200 cm				170 × 195 cm 67 × 77 in
King Super King (UK/Ire.)	76 × 80 in 190 × 200 cm	72 × 80 in 180 × 200 cm	72 × 78 in 180 × 200 cm	180 × 200 cm 71 × 79 in	194 × 195 cm 76 × 77 in
California King King Long (Japan)	72 × 84 in 180 × 210 cm				194 × 205 cm 76 × 81 in

(The table didn't copy well - if you're wondering - Japan is on the end.)

So - I went back to the store and exchanged my sheets, washed them and a couple days later we were sleeping in them.  We're still missing a blanket inbetween the top sheet and the duvet but I think we'll survive until we can find one.

Stay tuned for the many more blunders to come in our future.

Love you all!

Aubs, Luke & Luther