The Bedside — Edition No. 2
Tuesday May 27th, 2025: On Doing Things Properly
The Bedside is a monthly-ish newsletter from founder Pip and our team at IN BED. With a focus on IN BED goings-on and a place to share things we love and that are bringing our team joy.
For the past year or so, I’ve been yearning to acquire some ‘useful’ skills. Embroidery, woodwork, quilting, growing vegetables—you name it, I’ve googled a short course for it (the “doing” bit has yet to manifest).
I know I’m not alone in this feeling. While we often chalk it up to the state of the world, I think it could be something more inherent—a quiet pull back to the things we once considered essential but have increasingly abandoned in the name of convenience and speed. The things we outsource or rush through are, in many cases, the ones that actually bring a sense of joy, grounding, and meaning.
I dream of slowly preparing a meal—leisurely slicing vegetables I’ve picked up from the market that morning, rather than the frantic chop of whatever’s still clinging to life in the fridge. I imagine planting a garden and learning what thrives with a little more sun, or shade, or care—not just choosing what survives neglect and time poorness. I’d like to learn how to drill a picture into a wall instead of relying on stick-on hooks (or, worse, leaving frames leaning until a gust of wind or my five-year-old son sends them toppling).
These are the things I “don’t have time for”—and yet, they’re also the things that quietly offer a sense of accomplishment. Purpose. Peace.
Lately, it seems many of us are trying to return to that place: where we stitch a flower, mend a hole, or write a letter by hand. We had a team catch-up recently to map out the rest of the year, and this feeling—of slowing down, of making, of simply being—was something we all shared.
We talked about AI and the fear that creativity and connection are being automated out of existence. And about how what we really crave, whether in the things we bring into our homes or the work we do, are objects and ideas that are tangible, imperfect, special, and most of all—real.
At IN BED, this ethos has shaped much of what we have been doing over the past few years. It’s why we’ve been quietly collecting our offcuts and unused fabrics and turning them into heirloom quilts, artist collaborations, and community-led projects like our Make IN BED kits. It’s why we launched Back IN BED, our take-back program that recycles pre-loved bedding. It’s why we keep producing in small batches, using certified natural fibres—GOTS organic cotton, European Flax certified linen—and why all of our bedding, bathroom and homewares are crafted in Europe, to ensure the highest possible standards.
We want to continue leaning into this feeling—because it’s what feels right, right now. We’re doing things because we love doing them, because they’re useful, beautiful, and made to be enjoyed. And we hope others find meaning in them too.
Pip
