Span-tastic!

While flicking through the Mx paper on the train ride home, I was a bit spun out to see a cat walk model sporting some spectacular spanner earrings. The caption below the image discussed the fashion shows intention to attract the interest of blokes. And what better way to get guys keen on high fashion than by throwing a spanner (or two) in the works!




Now, if you’ve been a Bear & Duck fan from way back you may recall we embarked on a similar male attention-grabbing journey last Valentines Day by teaming up our sheet sets with a free spanner (complete with signature purple bow). Who needs roses and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates? Well, most ladies do… But it seems a spanner is much better received by men than a cuddly bear the size of a small child.



Once again, Bear & Duck were ahead of the eight ball – spanners are so passé!

Let’s get organising – how to get the most out of your linen closet!

Do you have to try and avoid a linen avalanche every time you open your linen closet?
Whether you have a whole cupboard dedicated to your manchester or just a few shelves, it’s important to consider these smart storage solutions… courtesy of the Bear & Duck linen league.

No shelves? Make your own
If the setup in your cupboard is inflexible, customise some space with baskets, plastic bins or plastic-covered wire shelving.

Separate shelves for separate rooms
Obsessive compulsive disorder is a debilitating affliction, but nothing spells domestic law and order like meticulously-labeled shelf edges. If you’re storing a whole household of linen, keep separate shelves for bed linen, towels, napery and miscellaneous bulky house items, camping gear and winter clothes.

Keep sheet sets together
Sort sheets into sets (flat, fitted, pillow cases) if you launder and store them accordingly. Each set can be a separate stack.



Bulkiest items at the top
Extra pillows, quilts, woolen blankets and sleeping bags will take up the most room in your linen closet and you might only reach for them a couple of times a year. Move these items to the top shelf… out of sight out of mind?

Vacuum bags double your storage space
Vacuum bags reduce a guest room of soft furnishings down to a neat stack of packets in no time. Vacuum bags are perfect for pillows, quilts, and any winter clothes or ski gear that take up too much space in your wardrobe.

Extend some TLC to your VIP linen
Family heirlooms need to be treated with a little loving care. Antique lace needs to be professionally cleaned and stored in acid-free tissue paper to protect against discolouration. If you only break out your expensive napery for a couple of dinner parties each year, it’s important to make sure all items are spotless before they’re returned to the linen cupboard.

Laundry day...

Are you still pulling faded or streaky Egyptian cotton sheets off the line? Are your sheets not as good as they were when you first slept on them, even though you’ve only washed them once?

How irresponsible would we be if we provided you with the quality sheets but didn’t give you any quality tips on how to keep them looking and feeling their absolute finest?

Now, be sure to take notes… there will be a test on this later. Just kidding.



• First things first, before you do anything its worth knowing that it’s always an excellent idea to launder your sheets in a washing cycle by itself (launder – kinda sounds illegal, but we assure you this is all above board).

• If you have just purchased a new Bear & Duck sheet set, you might want to wash the set before using them. This is not imperative, although sometimes the fitted sheet does not fit as tightly over the mattress as some might prefer, so washing them to encourage a bit of shrinkage will ensure your sheet is wrapped around your mattress as snug as a bug… in a rug!

• Egyptian cotton is a natural fibre so washing your sheets in a hot temperature cycle can be devastating to the material and actually burn the fibre tips. It is wise to wash your sheets in cold or mildly warm water… but never hot, that’s a big no no.

• It’s recommended that you wash your sheets at least once a week or as often as you can (or be bothered). However with current water restrictions you can stretch your sheet set laundry day out to a few weeks.

• Show your sheets some lovin’ by ALWAYS using a Ph balanced laundry detergent. Try to avoid chlorinated bleach at all times, as chlorine is quite damaging to natural fibres. You may find that chlorinated bleach my damage the elasticity in your fitted sheet as well as the longevity, drape, gloss and sheen of your sheets. Non-chlorinated bleach is a safer option to use for fine linen and may be used occasionally if you absolutely must use it. However, your white or very pale coloured sheets, such as Bear & Duck sky blue sheets, should avoid coming into contact with these detergents at all costs.

Ok, there it is, sheet washing 101.