How to Keep Your Pillows Fluffy

I have flat pillows...yes, we keep them forever!  Why do we do that?  I know why, they aren't cheap and the ones that are...well, they are really bad, not even worth buying.  It seems like every time we buy new pillows our poor children, although kids can sleep on anything even the floor...remember those days when you could sleep on the floor and still get up without incident, no soreness, etc?  Anywho, the boys get the old pillows which means theirs are probably really bad!  Flat, stained, and gross!  We have company coming this weekend and I told them if there was room in their vehicle to bring pillows, hopefully they will have some I like.  Oh, I'm kidding but you never know.  I found this article on how to keep your pillows fluffy and I know it's a much needed remedy to the flat pillow dilemma.  Okay, I just actually read this article an it seems like a bunch of hogwash, I know that everytime I wash my pillows they become a clumpy good-for-nothing mess, all the stuffing goes to one side or the other and splits right down the middle; and memory foam, the one we have anyway, is hard and gives me a headache, I could never sleep on that thing.  Anyway, sorry, read on...

How to Keep Your Pillows Fluffy

By Christina Fernando, eHow Member

Keep Your Pillows FluffyGoogle Images User-Submitted Article

Don't throw away your flat, uncomfortable pillow before reading this article. Learn how to revive your flat, worn pillow and spring it back to life again. How to keep your pillows light and fluffy.

Difficulty: Easy (sidenote from me, Christy, this difficulty thing cracked me up)

Instructions.
1. It's important to replace your bedroom pillows a few times each year. You don't necessarily need to buy a designer pillow to get a good night's sleep but pillows that are badly worn, soiled and no longer functioning properly should be tossed out and replaced with something new. If your pillow is still fairly new but has gone limp there is hope for it.

2.  Start off by machine washing your pillow. Pillows need to be thrown through the washer cycle at least once every 2 months. Not only will this release and get rid of dust mites and dirt, but it will make your pillow fluffier, softer and will therefore give you a better nights rest. A limp pillow that does not properly support your head can lead to headaches, loss of sleep and neck pain. For even more added softness, don't forget to use fabric softener like Downy.

3. When placing your pillows in the dryer, try using one or two tennis balls in your load. The tennis balls will help to keep your pillows light and fluffy while drying.

4. Each morning, try to fluff out your pillow using your hands. Often the cotton or feathers inside your pillow can become compressed after sleeping for eight hours or more. It is your daily job to redistribute the weight of your pillow so that it remains balanced and comfortable.

5. Your sleep is important to you so maintain your pillows to optimize comfort and quality of sleep. Consider investing in a quality pillow like the ones with Memory Foam. Memory Foam will contour to your body and give you a more restful night's sleep.