A twin bed is 75″ (190cm) by 39″ (99cm) in size. If you’re stuck having to use a twin bed but the sleeping space is just too small, this article will dive into some super clever tips on how to make a twin bed look, feel and actually be bigger. We’ve looked here at practical solutions that help you sleep better. They may not always look prettier, but that’s a whole different article. Here we’re going for more sleeping room first, and aesthetics second.
1. Add a Bedroom Bench
Adds up to 10 Inches in Length
A bedroom bench is sometimes called an end-of-bed bench and can sometimes even be used for storage. It sits at the foot of your bed and effectively extends the length of your bed, where your feet are hanging over. You may still need to add a pillow to raise the height to match the bed height, but if done right, you’ll sleep like a baby with this extra long twin bed solution supporting your feet. Try to get one that’s softly padded for extra comfort and make sure it isn’t wider that a twin.
2. Get a Mattress with Great Edge Support
Adds up to 6 Inches in Width
A twin mattress with poor edge support will leave you feeling much more cramped. This is because, when you move close to the edge, the mattress sags and “pushes” you off the bed. This is not a great feeling. On the other hand, with great edge support, the usable area on a twin mattress is much larger and you’ll definitely feel the difference. This isn’t just an illusion of space. You actually gain a few inches of useable sleeping room. We’ve created a list of the best twin mattresses for adults here.
3. Position the Twin Bed Up Against a Wall
Adds Support on One Side
By placing your twin bed against a wall, you can prop yourself against the wall while sleeping to avoid rolling over and falling off. The effect is similar to that of a sleeping cot, where you’re comfortably nudged towards to the center of the bed while you sleep.
You could even place a bed bumper (long thin pillow) along the side of the wall for extra comfort.
4. Buy a Trundle Bed
Can Create a Full Sized Bed
Trundle beds, and especially pop-up trundle beds can literally double your twin bed sleeping area. If you make sure that the pop-up trundle has the same mattress height and matches the height of the twin, you can place the side-by-side and you’ll have a perfect king sized bed! See our curated list of the best trundle beds here.
You could place a bed bridge between the two to tie them together and make the experience more seamless.
5. Use Decluttered Side Tables as Arm Rests
Adds up to 8 Inches in Width
Side sleepers often stretch out their lower arm when sleeping. In a twin bed, this will usually hang off the edge of the mattress and place a lot of strain on the elbow joint. By removing all the clutter from your side tables, you can create an extra support surface for your extended arm to rest on. You can even place a thin pillow on the side table to rest your arm comfortably. Make sure there are no bed lamps, water bottles or other knick-knacks which you can accidentally bump over in the night.
6. Oversized Platform Bed Frame
Adds up to 6 Inches All Around
By using an oversized platform bed frame, you can extent the area around the twin bed by about 10 inches. All you need now is to strategically place some mattress extenders or throw pillows next to the mattress to give you the required support while sleeping. Bear in mind, you only need to support the occasional limb that hangs off the bed. You don’t actually have to create a perfect sleeping area all around the entire bed. Throw pillows can be wedged between the mattress and some side tables to keep them in place.
7. Upgrade to a King Pillow
Better Side Support
A king pillow (36″) is much wider than a standard (26″) pillow and will still fit perfectly on a twin (39″) bed.
This creates more head support to when sleeping on the sides of the twin bed, effectively creating a wider sleeping surface.
8. Tuck In a Full Sized Comforter
Adds up to 5 Inches All Around
You can tuck a full sized comforter under the sides of your body and it will create additional support when you hang a tiny bit over the edge of the twin bed. Let me explain…
By wrapping the comforter around and under your body, you’re effectively creating a wider, more comfortable sleeping bag. The tension in the design will help support any extremities which are hanging over the edge of the twin bed and it will feel a lot like you’re still being supported by the mattress itself. This will also work if you simply tuck the comforter in under the mattress as it will “catch” any parts of your body that feel like they’re falling off the bed.
9. Twin Extra Length
Adds 5 Inches in Length
Did you know that you can add a whole 5 inches in length by buying a twin xl mattress? The regular twin mattress (75″) can become a comfortable (80″) simply by selecting the xl version. Since growing teenagers are getting taller, this is the perfect way to accommodate them during this transitional period of the life. It works perfectly for guests too as they will most certainly appreciate the extra foot room while sleeping over. Combined with an bedroom bench, you can create a bed length to accommodate even the tallest sleepers.
10. Twin Bunk Beds
Perfect for Two People
Granted, this will only work if you’re having to squeeze two people into a twin bed. If the room will only allow a twin bed, perhaps you can fit a twin bunk in the same flor area. This might not make it bigger but will allow two people two sleep pretty comfortably on the same footprint. If you’ve ever tried to squeeze two adults into a twin bed, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Some twin bunk beds will also come with trundle which you can pull out to create extra support on the side of the twin. (Use pillows to prop up the trundle and allow some extra limb support on the side.)
Conclusion
That’s it for our list of practical ways to make a twin bed bigger. There are several more tips and tricks that didn’t make it onto the list as they we’re not really as effective as the ones above.
As a last little bonus tip, by placing two smaller pillows side by side, you can create the illusion that the bed is wider than it is. This doesn’t actually create more space but the visual trick will make a difference in the overall aesthetics of the bedroom.