While I, Rachel, have so many fond memories of Christmas' past - carols, sweet treats, gifts, receiving my very first tape recorder - there was always one niggle when I was little. Giving up my bed. I get it. Children are resilient and are better equipped for sleeping close to/on the floor than adults, but my agreement to do so always came with a slight pout, the occasional eye roll and a bit of mini sulk. I'm not proud, I just loved my bed so much.
However, had we had one of these amazing spare beds or sleeping bags, I probably would have been happy to volunteer to give up my single bed for a night or two. It would have seemed like a fun sleepover rather than a night with little to no comfort. My children are lucky in that we have a spare room with a sofa bed to accommodate any unexpected guests this Christmas but it still hasn't stopped me from taking a closer look at these four options from GLTC just in case I need to whip up a spare bed in no time at all.
In case you find yourself in a similar position, let's find the perfect spare bed or sleeping bag for you, too.
THE BED IN A BAG
The priority here is maximum fun for your children and minimum fuss for you. You simply need to roll out this cosy mattress and hey presto, you have a comfy spare bed for friends or guests ... and of any age as it's large enough for adults, too. It comes with a zipped storage bag so is super easy to store, too. The cover is made from 100% cotton and the padded sections are polyester filled so there's no inflation required. Choose from grey stardust or navy stardust.
THE QUILTED SLEEPING BAG
GLTC's gorgeous sleeping bags make sleepovers as easy as pie. They're made from from cool, natural cotton and are long enough for teenagers and grown ups to use, too (I can personally attest to this as I used one at a festival in the summer). The integral handles make them easy to roll up, carry and store away, and the cover and lining are made from 100% cotton, with insulating, polyester wadding. Our children's sleeping bags are available in pink, grey, or navy.
This is such a great option - a chair that converts into a sleepover bed. All you need to do is unzip and remove the cover, fold out the mattress and there it is, a cosy bed. And it's just as easy to turn it back into a usable chair, with no need to store or hide it away. It's perfect for a children's bedroom or a cosy book nook in the corner of a playroom or living room. It's so useful. The seat cover is made from 100% cotton but we'd recommend the use of a sheet and/or mattress protector though, for a more comfortable night's sleep. Or how about the matching quilted sleeping bag?
THE UNDERBED TRUCKLE
Finally, a really practical extra for children's bedrooms, an underbed truckle drawer. It can be used as a spare bed, or as a storage drawer for toys, bedding or out of season clothes. It's easy to roll out from under the bed thanks to four hidden castors and can be used with the Star Bright beds. If this is the option for you, don't forget to add a truckle mattress to your order - it's slightly shallower than a standard single.
I hope this mini guide helped you in your quest to find the perfect spare bed or sleeping bag. And don't forget extra bedding and blankets, too!