How to read in bed?

May 7, 2020 4:48 PM

I recently rearranged my apartment to better fit current times --- I now have an office space and a sanitizing station near the entry. And, even better, I finally have space for a lovely bedside table, which means that I should be able to at long last read in bed. BUT to make that happen, I need to find a way to sit up in bed. More specifically, the top of my bed is up against a window and my bed does not have a headboard. When I try to prop up on pillows, I just end up pushing them into the blinds and making a horrible noise. What else should I try?

Here are the ideas that I've considered:
(1) Move the bed. Given the other ways that I also need to use my space, moving the bed is just not possible at this time.
(2) Make a headboard. This is an interesting possibility. Money is definitely a consideration, though, so I need very cheap ideas if this is going to work.
(3) Buy a reading pillow. I'm concerned that I will just end up pushing an even bigger pillow into my blinds. But maybe there is a reading pillow that would work for this? I'm certainly open to suggestions.

What other options am I overlooking?

posted by ASlackerPestersMums to Home & Garden (12 answers total)

Can you open the blinds so that they are well above the pillows while you read and use something else in the window for privacy?
posted by Jane the Brown at 4:59 PM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

This may be harder to arrange in the pandemic, but you should definitely be able to get a free bedframe with a headboard on Craigslist (and probably also just a headboard).

I read in bed lying down on my side, which is hard to do with big books, but otherwise workable.
posted by pinochiette at 5:00 PM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

I once had a bed right up against a window, with noisy renter blinds, so Wd slept with our feet to the window and wedged a dresser against the head of the bed as a headboard/backrest. Had to shove the dresser closer to the bed every couple of weeks, but it was comfy and space efficient and we woke up looking out a window.
posted by clew at 5:03 PM on May 7, 2020 [2 favorites]

Maybe look for a large wedge shaped pillow. You wouldn't need to lean it against the window at all, and could probably put your bed pillows against it for more cushioning.
posted by LaBellaStella at 5:05 PM on May 7, 2020 [2 favorites]

I have a reading pillow, the giant triangle things, and they are fairly free standing and would be the answer if you read sitting up. I however read 90% of the time curled up under a pile of blankets in the fetal position.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 5:38 PM on May 7, 2020 [3 favorites]

Can you just get used to reading lying down? I lie on my back, with the book balanced on my chest and tilted towards my face. If that's hard on your neck, you can prop your head up on an extra pillow (sometimes I put one under my shoulders and two under my head, to create a kind of slope).

Another option to make reading lying down easier is something like a kindle, which is light enough to hold in the air for a while.

Or, these kinds of glasses, which use mirrors to allow you to see a book while looking at the ceiling. I find them uncomfortable, but I have a friend who loves them.
posted by lollusc at 6:05 PM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

Is it possible to open the blinds and use something else as curtains that are okay to be pushed up against? I am a "lie down in bed" reader but I know many people aren't. Another option is just reading on your side, takes some getting used to but can be kind of relaxing especially if you've been working at a computer or some other kinda stiff-neck position all day.
posted by jessamyn at 8:20 PM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

I'm nor sure what your budget is, but you can buy an inexpensive headboard for less than $100 on Wayfair and similar sites. Here are options under $150.
posted by Mouse Army at 8:20 PM on May 7, 2020

I read in bed with my head propped up on pillows but not sitting up. I have a MyPillow and it gives me a bit of height when combined with a sham or another pillow. I plop a flat sham on my abdomen and prop my book up on that.
posted by radioamy at 9:21 PM on May 7, 2020

One of my friends has a headboard that is just an old door that they mounted to their bedframe using big bolts! you could probably find a free old door!

I use a.. I've always called it a boyfriend pillow but that gives mixed results on image search but I would need to rest it against a surface I think, so it would definitely push into your blinds.

what about just getting like a roller shade as blinds, then it doesn't matter if you push stuff into it? The bamboo or blackout ones are both pretty affordable and it's easy to get custom sizes made online!
posted by euphoria066 at 9:24 PM on May 7, 2020

Open the blinds enough so that the pillows won't hit them. Then use painter's tape to attach tissue paper or other kind of paper to the exposed part of the window. Or just get rid of the blinds and do that to the whole window if privacy is an issue.
posted by mareli at 7:38 AM on May 8, 2020

Where is the rest of the bed situated? If it's in a corner, prob up against the side instead of the head. And following on to the dresser idea above, if a dresser doesn't work at the foot of the bed, will it work on the side?

What about the floor - if you put a cushion on the floor and one of the boyfriend pillows up against the bed, you could read there.

I will also mention (again, sorry) that I have a bedside book/tablet holder on a stand. I set it up so that I am lying almost flat on the bed and the tablet is overhead facing down at an angle. It works better with a tablet so you don't have the physical burden of turning pages while attached to a holder.
posted by CathyG at 12:46 PM on May 8, 2020