A double duvet compresses to about 60% of its loose volume in a vacuum bag — 40 litres down to 16 — and 30 cm of clearance under a standard bed takes 60–80 litres of that, which is a full seasonal swap for a couple. The rest goes on the top shelf at 40 cm, in an ottoman, or in the two dead corners nobody counts.
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How much space each item really needs
| Item | Loose volume | Vacuum bag | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double duvet, 13.5 tog | 40–50 L | 16–20 L | Under bed, 30 cm clearance |
| Single duvet, 13.5 tog | 25–30 L | 10–12 L | Ottoman, 76 × 38 × 38 cm |
| Duvet cover set, double | 8–10 L | 4–5 L | Shelf above hanging rail |
| 4 pillows | 30–40 L | 12–16 L | Top shelf, 40 cm |
| 2 winter coats | 35–45 L | not advised | Hanging, 60 cm of rail each |
| 2 blankets / throws | 20–25 L | 8–10 L | Bench storage, 110 L box |
Two adults swapping a full winter set typically need 110–150 litres of storage. That is one 110 L ottoman plus the under-bed space, or two shelves at 40 × 60 cm. Knowing the number stops you buying four boxes you do not need — or three you do.
Three zones, in order of usefulness
- Under the bed (30 cm): the best space in the house because it is cool, dark and free. Flat lidded boxes, not bags, or the dust wins. Nothing fabric directly on the floor if the room is carpeted over concrete — condensation forms underneath.
- Top shelf (40 cm): good for pillows and duvets in cotton bags, bad for anything heavy. Above 180 cm the average adult needs a step, and a step plus a 15 kg box is how shoulders get hurt.
- Ottomans and benches: 76 × 38 × 38 cm is about 110 L, which is one single duvet or four pillows. This is the right home for the things you swap monthly rather than yearly, because it opens in two seconds.
Humidity is what ruins bedding, not time
Store textiles between 45% and 55% relative humidity. Below 40% fibres get brittle; above 60% you are running a mildew incubator, and the smell does not come out in a normal 30 °C wash. A £8 hygrometer in the storage room is the cheapest insurance in this article. If the space reads above 65%, add a dehumidifier or move the bedding — no amount of cedar blocks fixes a damp loft.
Also skip the vacuum bag for anything with down or feathers for longer than a season. Compression is fine for the trip; six months of it flattens the loft and the duvet never quite recovers. Wool blankets and anything with elastic should never go in one at all.
The rotation that actually happens
Two swaps a year, same dates every year: early April and early October in the northern hemisphere, adjusted about two weeks either side by your climate. Label every box with season, bed size and room — "WINTER / DOUBLE / SPARE ROOM" written large on two sides — because the version written on the lid you cannot see is the version you will be hunting for at 11 pm in November.
Wash everything before it goes away, not when it comes out. Body oils oxidise over months and turn into the yellow patches that no detergent removes. Then leave one lightweight throw per bed out of storage: every October somebody has a cold night two weeks before they get round to the swap, and it is never the organised one.
Keep reading
More dimension guides are in the collection, and the full index is on the furnolio journal.
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