So you have a new king size bed and now for the FUN part, choosing the right king size bedding. wow! Be warned, not all king beds are created equal. It is recommended to carefully measure the length of the mattress from head to toe, side to side, and especially the depth or thickness from top to bottom.

Most king-size mattresses measure 76 inches from head to toe and 80 inches from side to side. It is top down or depth that can cause a problem. Older king mattresses were pretty standard 8-12 inches. Due to new materials and competition from manufacturers, all of that has changed. There are regular mattresses, airbeds, waterbeds, foam-topped mattresses, and sofa beds. Some of these beds even move. These come in a variety of depths from the original 8 inches to 21 inches inclusive.

For the most part, the thickness of the mattress is only relevant for the fitted bottom sheet. Instead of just elastic in the corners, some fitted sheets have elastic all around for a better fit and ease of donning and doffing. Top sheets are pretty standard, usually 102 inches by 108 inches. Most other sheets, such as comforters, duvet covers, bedspreads, and blankets, are also standard. Wait, my mattress is 72 inches from side to side and 84 inches from head to toe. WHY? You have a California King size mattress. That needs a different size fitted sheet. Look at the size of the depth there too. The other regular king size items will fit the California king mattress. There are some California flat or king top sheets that add a couple extra inches to the length.

There’s another sneaky gimmick that the Simmons mattress company introduced in the 1990s, the Olympic Queen. This mattress is 66 inches wide, so you might be led to believe it’s a king mattress. It didn’t catch on, so there aren’t many of them left out there. It is still possible to find bedding in the right size for them. However, you may have to search for them online.

And then there is the king-size bed with a split mattress. They are the Craftmatic or TempurPedic type beds, where each side moves independently. The head moves up and the bottom of the bed folds up so the legs and feet are elevated. You need to decide if you need fitted sheets for each bed separately or one king size sheet to cover both mattresses. If one person is going to use the motion properties and the other is not, it would be wise to get separate double-sized sheets. Again measure to see if you need twin regular or twin XL sheets. From there you decide if you want to make each bed with its own top sheet, blanket, etc. or just use king size bedding to cover both. One more thing to consider, do you plan to add a solid or egg crate foam topper on the mattress? Be sure to keep that in mind when determining the thickness of the fitted sheet.

Using these steps to determine the right king bedding for your new bed should ensure a comfortable night’s sleep.