How Many Crib Sheets Do I Really Need?

How Many Crib Sheets Do I Really Need?

oilo vintage safari crib sheet in crib

Today we’re addressing the age-old nursery question: How many crib sheets do I actually need? You’ve probably already guessed, but the answer widely varies. (Que exasperated sigh.) If this is your first baby, you can likely get away with just a few sheets. Many moms find that having one sheet to keep on the mattress while the other is in the wash is perfectly sufficient. But as your family grows, so will your nursery requirements. To make an accurate estimate, we find it helpful to evaluate your family’s current lifestyle and needs as well as your future plans. Here are some factors to take into consideration when deciding how many crib sheets to buy.


Consider Your Lifestyle and Needs:

How many kids do you have now? How many do you plan on having in the future?

Like we mentioned above, if this is your first baby two sheets can be totally doable! But this doesn’t leave much room for error if you miss a day washing. Especially if you have more kids or plan on having more babies, laundry likely won’t happen as reliably. With additional kids and the accompanying mountains of laundry, linens may not be washed more than once a week and sometimes even less than that. So the necessary solution is to have more crib sheets clean and ready for use in the closet. 

oilo nursery in safari theme with crib and quilt

How often will you wash and change your crib sheets?

You’ll want to wash your little one’s crib sheets just as you regularly change out your own bedsheets (about once per week). This standard routine is made more complicated since babies tend to drool, spit-up, sweat and have diaper leaks in their beds frequently. When this happens, you’ll need an extra crib sheet available for a quick change to keep your baby’s crib clean. That said, you’ll likely end up changing your baby’s crib sheets much more than the standard once-a-week wash. 

oilo nursery with muslin crib sheet in crib

It’s so important to check your baby’s crib and sheets regularly for any overlooked spots that might be soiled, and keep the crib clean and comfortable for you little one. The last thing you want is for your baby to be sleeping on a sheet that’s dirty or wet. Sleeping in unsanitary conditions can result in your baby getting ill, so it’s all the more important to make sure that your baby’s sheets are checked, changed and cleaned routinely. If you want to place fresh sheets in your baby’s crib once a week, plan for two or three crib sheets. But if you plan on changing your crib sheets out more frequently, we recommend having about five to seven crib sheets.


Do you have an in-house washer and dryer?
Your in-house laundry set-up is another hugely important factor to consider. If you have a washer and dryer in your home, you’ll have more time to throw your sheets in the wash as needed and you might not need more than a couple. But if you rely on the laundromat, you'll definitely need additional sheets to get through a week.

oilo rosette crib sheet with toddler in crib and mother handing him a toy

Do you swaddle your baby?
To swaddle or not is a complicated conversation for another post, but today we’re talking about swaddling in regards to crib sheets. If you do choose to swaddle, sheets remain cleaner for a longer period of time. With swaddling, your baby stays in a single position and the additional layer of fabric decreases the drool, spit-up and other wetness that dirties crib sheets. In this case, you may only need a few sheets since they’ll be changed just once a week or so.

pregnant mother and toddler in crib with stuffed animal

Does your baby have sensitive skin?
As you know, a baby's skin can be extremely sensitive — some more than others. If that’s the case for your little one, you’ll want to make sure that the crib sheets are changed more frequently than average. In instances of sensitive skin, washing sheets often helps your baby sleep comfortably and prevents potential rashes from developing. You’ll want to stock up on a few more sheets for the added laundry cycles.

oilo organic jersey cotton crib sheet with toddler smiling in crib

All this nitty gritty to say that the number of sheets you need depends on your lifestyle, but generally we recommend a minimum of two crib sheets and a maximum of seven. There’s no need to over-buy sheets, but you do want to make sure you’re happily prepared for whatever comes your way. 


At Oilo, we believe beautiful nurseries make all the difference. There’s so much that goes into choosing the right crib sheet, but we think the secret is to choose sheets that are high quality, beautifully designed and spark joy. So go ahead and explore our most popular crib sheets. We’re positive you’ll find one (or two, or five) that bring a much needed smile to your face through all your nap-times and bedtimes to come. 



← Older Post Newer Post →

Leave a comment