I was changing my sheets last night and was reminded that a dust ruffle covers many sins of housekeeping and creates private storage space at the same time, something that often wanting in small and shared bedrooms.

You can make an inexpensive dust ruffle from one old fitted sheet the size of your boxspring (or a flat sheet as large as the top of your mattress if you don't have a separate box spring) -- this one won't show, so it can be any old color -- and at least one flat sheet you want to look at for the part that will show.

Measure the distance from the bottom of your mattress to the floor (you may want to set your bed up on four bricks or concrete blocks to increase the available space before you measure -- just be sure everything is nice and solid). Add 1/2" to that measurement and cut strips that wide from the long sides of the pretty sheet(s) -- leaving the finished outside edge intact so you won't have to hem your ruffle. Put the fitted sheet on and use a pencil to mark the top rim of the boxspring on it and take it off again (for a no-boxspring bed lay the extra flat sheet over the mattress and trace the edge of the top onto it). Fold the cut edge over 1/2" and sew the edge of the fold on along the line you drew on the base sheet (you can sew it on flat or put little gathers in if you have plenty of material to work with and want a ruffly ruffle). You only need to put ruffle on the sides of the bed that show. If there are bedposts to work around, put a separate strip of ruffle on each edge of the mattress (hem any ends you have to cut) so there will be a slit down to the floor at each corner. Take the mattress off your bed, put the fitted sheet over the boxspring (or spread the mattress-sized base sheet over the springs or platform), arrange the ruffles, and put your mattress back on. Voilà!

These are great ideas! I actually used them back in high school and college at my mother's suggestion. She was way ahead of the pack and a very creative woman. In 1972 we had the twine and clothespin thing with tons of artwork hanging off it for our bedroom at home. She made almost all of our clothes, so we had patchwork quilts and pillows eveywhere. I had 4 sisters and 3 brothers so she was a very busy mom! Thanks for reminding me of these ideas. I will use them in my son's room. He and his friends will love to draw on the "walls"!