I was getting ready to start a new post about easy-to-use gadgets in RV life when I realized most of the items on my current list were related to the time we spend in our RV bed. So a post on the specific things to make an RV bed more functional and more comfortable seemed like a good idea.

RV beds are notorious for not being comfortable. They aren’t nearly as uncomfortable as RV dining room tables but still most of us will spend a lot more time in an RV bed than anywhere else in the RV. So, making the experience as comfortable as it can be is essential. Below are a few products I’ve found helpful or that I have heard others rave about.

Fast, Easy RV Bed Making

I have read several versions of this funny truism on social media. The sentiment is that you work up a sweat simply changing the sheets on an RV’s bed. I laugh out loud every time I see it. Why? Because it is true.

Changing the sheets in an RV bed is hard and awkward and something you try to do as little as possible because of how much you dread it. There might be exceptions if your bed is fully able to be walked around like the bed in a sticks-and-bricks bedroom but those are less common in an RV than the beds that have two or three sides of the bed butted up against a wall. In other words, you have to crawl on to the bed in order to make it.

One solution is the bedding that makes itself. Recently I started seeing this solution advertised for home use. But, for years, I heard of it primarily as a solution for RVers.

It’s called Beddy (not an affiliate link and it isn’t sold on Amazon) and it is an all-in-bed bedding system where, when you make the bed each day, you do so simply by zipping everything up. It certainly makes the day-to-day making of the bed easier and faster. But be aware, you still have to get the system on the bed each time you wash it.

In other words, you’ll still work up a sweat now and again.

However…

In the case of the Oliver Travel Trailer twin bed option (which about 80% of buyers choose), a Beddy may not actually be a good option. Oliver calls it the twin bed option but it is far from the size of an actual twin bed. By 25%! A standard twin is 39 inches wide and a twin Beddy fits that. The Oliver twin bed, in fact, is what is called a bunk size bed at 30 inches wide.

The king option is closer to a tradition king bed so that one you would likely be able to make work. Keep in mind with either option that the rounded corners in the Oliver will give you bunching but that happens with regular sheets too.

Before you purchase any bedding for your RV, double check mattress dimensions to make sure the bedding will fit. RV beds don’t necessarily translate to the same bed sizes we have in our houses.

Better Light in the RV Bed

I used to be a before-bedtime reader. Reading for a few minutes (or until dawn when it was a book I simply couldn’t put down) before sleep was part of my nightly routine. I figured it would continue into RV life. In RV life, the bonus would be I could read into the night without concern for an early morning alarm clock.

Fast forward to RV life. It didn’t really work out that way. I found myself reading less. Now, in fairness, part of it was I discovered Netflix streaming and many wonderful YouTube channels. But the other part was that I hit the age where reading without the benefit of glasses and bright light was no longer easy.

When I customized my Oliver, I added reading lights above both beds as well as above the dining room table. Those give light, obviously, but I didn’t find them to be quite enough for night-time reading.

Enter a gadget that looks silly but is highly functional. The neck reading light.

The neck light focuses the light so it isn’t as bright for others who might be trying to sleep.

The bonus here is that the light isn’t just for reading. You can use it for the dark corners of the RV, for repairs or when you go outside in the dark. I have said this before, especially with kitchen gadgets, but it is always a bonus if you can find multiple uses for a single item. Doing so will often justify the space it takes up.

An alternative to the neck light and something that will give you a much stronger light and wider beam is a headlamp. Yes, the kind most of us use for walking or hiking in the dark. And, yes, you will look ridiculous wearing a headlamp in bed. But if it work, it works.

Bed Shelf

I didn’t know this until the box arrived but this gadget was a product started as a Kickstarter project. The BedShelfie is popular enough that now you can find it on Amazon. It’s quite a handy little RV bed item but I can see where it would be convenient in your house or apartment if you didn’t have a night table next to the bed.

Basically, it is a mini night table. There are two versions in terms of how it mounts. If you have something it can clamp on, there is this one (the one I use) or you can get one that slides under the mattress. When I bought mine two years ago, it was offered in black or white but, at this writing, it is only offered in black.

Back side of a BedShelfie showing how the screws are secured to a bed frame.
Backside of the BedShelfie. It is quite simple to attach to a bed frame.

There are several versions including ones with a cup holder, a round one and an extra large one.

They are definitely “mini” so won’t hold a bunch of stuff but it is nice to have your drink, phone and pens nearby. I can’t tell you how many times I knocked a drink from the kitchen counter that I previously used as a night stand.

BedShelfie attached to a bed frame with a few items on the mini nightstand.
BedShelfie in use. Notice the Oliver mug and the Oregon State Parks volunteer gift of a small notepad?

I attach mine to the bed I don’t sleep in so it is an arm’s length away but doesn’t get in the way of middle of the night visits to the restroom. In fairness, I do need to offer the one downside that I found with the bedside shelf. Since the shelf protrudes into the isle and the isle is already narrow, it is a squeeze to get by. But, for me, that minor inconvenience is worth the benefit of the space it creates.

BedShelfie attached to a bed frame with a few items on the mini nightstand from farther out than the photo above.
You can see there is room to get by the BedShelfie to get to the back window or the television (folded up).

RV Bed Foam Top

My trailer came standard with the couch cushions that serve as the bed. Similarly many dining tables in RVs can be converted into a bed, again using the cushions as the mattress. The problem here is that a couple inches of foam does not make for a very comfortable night’s sleep.

In my set up with the two twin beds, I have a couch on one side with the foam cushions and an upgraded mattress (feature image) I ordered from Oliver at the time of my trailer build on the other. The mattress is 6″ and quite comfortable.

But I wasn’t sure it would be when I ordered it and I’d read so much about uncomfortable sleep prior to picking up my trailer that I decided to purchased a foam top for extra comfort. Was it needed? Probably not but I liked the extra cushion. Like the issue with Beddy, I purchased a twin-sized foam top and then had to cut it down to fit the bed size and the curvature of the trailer.

I should say that the foam topper creates an added challenge when it comes to making the bed.

Pillow Talk

This is a much more recent discovery for me. Before RV life, I loved Black Friday. I think one of the reasons I loved it was because I wasn’t Christmas shopping. I just got up super early, wore a Santa hat or reindeer ears, drank free hot chocolate and enjoyed the fun of it all. My must-go store was Fred Meyer because they had half price socks which I loved. They also had buy one get one free pillows every year.

When I buy a new pillow, I write the date on the tag and two years later I replace it. They say you are supposed to replace pillows annually but that seems excessive to me since most are easily laundered. Since I have four pillows on my bed, it worked out perfectly. Every year I’d replace the two oldest ones.

But recently, I slept on memory foam pillows. I really didn’t think I would like it because I thought it would be too hard and hurt my neck. But it turns out, it lived up to the hype. Now I’m not sure I’ll ever use a regular pillow again. They are so comfortable and really support your head.

I purchased two different brands. Two Tempur-Pedic ones and then two knock off ones. While the Tempur-Pedic is synonymous with memory foam pillows, at nearly double the price I’m not sure they are worth it. I don’t notice a difference. However, if you want to try Tempur-Pedic, wait until Black Friday as you might get a screaming deal. I purchased mine during Prime Days and so it wasn’t actually twice the knock-off price.

In case you are interested, a quick internet search says a memory foam pillow doesn’t need to be replaced annually. It suggested every two to three years. Basically twice as long as a regular pillow. That, for me, helps justify the cost since they are quite a bit more than my Seally pillows from Fred Meyer.

Two pillows on a red blanket.
I have both king-sized ones and regular ones. I love these comfy pillows.

Other Helpful Gadgets

I talked about bed suspenders in a previous tips and gadgets post. But in a post about RV beds, I must mention them again. Bed suspenders are useful in keeping the sheets from coming off the bed. They are useful for all beds, RV and otherwise. Now, in fairness, they are a pain to put on. But for me the payoff is worth it.

They are designed to be used at the corners but I found myself using them another way as well. Even though I purchased bunk sheets they were still too large for the Oliver mattress. By flipping the mattress up and securing the fitted sheet with the bed suspenders across the width of the underside, you get a tight fit. One of the advantages of the small width bed is doing something like this is pretty easy since the mattress is fairly light.

In a very early post on this blog, I wrote about a mold issue on the mattress. This was only 30 days after I took possession of the trailer. The problem is airflow. Or, rather, lack of airflow. There are several options to choose from when it comes to creating circulation on the underside of your mattress. This one looks like a good option since the 1-foot squares would be easy to maneuver and work with. But, please note, I have not tried that one. I have heard positive things about the Froli system. It is the priciest option but people I’ve talked to love it.

I went with one from a company called Defender. The product is called Hypervent Condensation Prevention Matting. Yeah, it ‘s a mouthful. You have to purchase directly from them as they are not on Amazon. The cool thing is you pay by the foot so only order what you need. The hard thing is that it’s very stiff (as it must be to keep the mattress up thus allowing airflow) and you will have to cut it to fit your mattress.

A Few Words on Comfort

The next two tips are maybe not tips so much as to share my preferences. Regardless of whether you are laying your head in a luxury bed at a 5-star hotel, in your own cozy bed at home or in an RV, temperature is a key component to a good night’s sleep.

For me, I much prefer to use blankets to keep warm and a fan to keep cool rather than the furnace and the air conditioner. The sound of either kicking on wakes me up. This is especially true in a small RV. The bonus of the fan is it can serve as white noise. Of course, there are times where you have to use the heater or the a/c but I try to address temperature issues other ways first.

Would love to know if you have any tips, tricks or gadgets that help ensure a restful comfortable sleep in your RV bed.

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