If you leave your bed unmade in the morning, psychology says you have these 7 common traits
A small domestic decision can hold clues about your personality, habits, and emotional state.
For many people, getting up early is already a daunting enough task – let alone making the bed. Straightening out the sheets and fluffing the pillows is hardly a morning priority for everyone. For some, it’s a comforting ritual. For others, it’s a pointless chore.
Psychologist Leticia Martín Enjuto believes that “behind the simple act of leaving the bed unmade in the morning lie stories and nuances.” A decision as small as whether or not to make the bed can reveal surprising insights into a person’s personality and mindset.
“Everyone is different,” Enjuto explains, “and our daily habits can reveal far more than what’s visible at first glance.” According to her, the aim isn’t to judge but to understand what drives us – how we interact with our environment and with ourselves. She identifies seven key traits commonly linked to the reasons people either make their bed or leave it messy.
If you don’t make your bed, you might be…
Prone to procrastination
Promising yourself every Sunday night that this Monday you’ll start making your bed again – and then failing to follow through – is more common than you’d think. Enjuto says procrastination is one of the most frequent patterns she sees in her practice.Leaving the bed unmade can be a small but telling sign of a wider tendency to put off tasks – whether they relate to home, work, or school. Sometimes, the sheer size of a chore can be paralyzing.
One way to tackle this is by breaking tasks into smaller parts. Cleaning the house, for example, can be done room by room, with short breaks in between. The same principle applies to studying or work-related goals.
Living with a flexible routine
People who make the bed daily often do it out of habit – part of a fixed morning routine. Those who don’t tend to have a looser approach. They’re usually more adaptable and unbothered by breaking patterns in order to respond to whatever the day brings. “People who skip bed-making usually show a less rigid attitude toward daily order and rituals,” says Enjuto. “They tend to be more open to improvisation and change.”
Pushing back against social norms
For some, the unwritten rule that beds must be made every morning is reason enough to ignore it. That quiet act of rebellion may stem from “expectations imposed during childhood,” Enjuto explains. Instead, they create their own rules – ones that feel authentic and affirm their sense of identity.
Seeking control over their own life
A bedroom is often a personal space, a domain we control. But that sense of control can feel undermined when other people hold power over our daily decisions.Choosing not to make the bed can become a symbolic act of reclaiming autonomy – a small but firm expression of “I decide.” According to Enjuto, it’s a sign of someone who “prioritizes their own judgment over external expectations.”
Creatively inclined
Disorder is often seen as a flaw, but for some, it’s a sign of imagination. That rumpled bed might be part of a larger kind of “organized chaos” – a setting that fuels creative thought.These individuals “find inspiration in disorder,” says Enjuto. They tend to value originality and flexibility more than neatness or routine.
Struggling with motivation
If an unmade bed is just one part of a broader pattern of neglect, it could be a red flag. In these cases, it may reflect “a state of low motivation, fatigue, or even emotional distress,” Enjuto warns.This interpretation only holds if the lack of care extends into other areas of life. If so, it’s worth paying attention to mental well-being – and seeking help if needed.
Craving personal freedom
Finally, skipping the bed-making ritual can be a quiet declaration of independence. “It’s a subconscious way of saying you want to live by your own rules, not the ones imposed by society,” says Enjuto. It’s not necessarily about being messy – but about reclaiming control in a deeply personal way.
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