One of the things on my to-buy list when I got here were bedsheets. I wanted to wait to see what size bed I would have and buy sheets to fit it, then I’d buy that size of bed when I got a house. I determined that I have a full size bed (matrimonial) and off I went to price good quality sheets in 100% cotton that wouldn’t pill.
I didn’t have much luck. Even though fabric is super cheap here, decent sheets were over 100CAD a set at places like Sears, Liverpool, and Costco!
So I placed an ad on a local classifieds Facebook group describing what I wanted. I actually wouldn’t mind gently used sheets because then I’d know for sure they wouldn’t pill.
Tuesday afternoon, I got a message from a gal saying that she had a lot of used linens from a hotel that shut down, all in good condition, and she happened to have two sets of full size sheets (the rest were queen and king). My ad said I preferred dark coloured sheets, but these were white. Otherwise, they were everything I wanted. Moreover I’d said I’d be willing to pay $250 for a set in my ad, but I could have both sets for $300, plus five big face cloths for just $35. Was I interested? Um, yes!
We made arrangements for me to meet her in Fraccionamiento Las Americas, on the north side of the perificico coming into Mérida. This is a new neighbourhood in the cookie cutter, American suburbia, car-centred style that sounds like my idea of hell.
She said to meet her at the Oxxo coming into the neighbourhood and send her a text when I arrived. I told her I’d be there around ten and was there right at ten, so I expected to have to wait for up to an hour for her to show up. I don’t know when I’ll get over my pathological need to be on time when it is an impediment here! At any rate, she texted me right back to say she’d be five minutes and almost exactly five minutes later, there she was!
The sheets were absolutely fantastic, lovely thick cotton that will wear well and be easy to wash. There are a few tiny spots, but nothing alarming, and they are plenty good enough for a guest bed, hence why I wanted two sets. The only thing I’m not nuts on (and why they are so cheap) is that they are all flat sheets. So they’ll be a bit more work to make the bed. However, I had no trouble at all getting the flat bottom sheet to stay in place in Hebden Bridge so it really isn’t a big deal. The face cloths are brand new and amazing quality.
Transaction complete, I was able to drive around that glorieta (pauses to translate that into English, having forgotten the word, LOL), I mean roundabout, you see in the picture to head back to the highway, and then take advantage of a retorno almost right there to head back north. I ended up being gone about 75 minutes total.
I am going back next week to pick up giant bath towels, more face cloths, and bathrobes. I better have guests at some point to put this stuff to good use! 😀
Post edited to add: all the spots came out with a bit of bleach, detergent and sun! Don’t they look great?!
Looks like you got a good deal. Smart shopper, you. 😉 🙂
Aren’t I?! Language skills helped immensely. 😀
Great deal! White is great because you can bleach the #$%^& out of them! The flat sheet can easily be made to a fitted by doing a mitred corner then adding elastic.
I had the same thought about bleach!
Making a hospital corner is easier than anything involving sewing! 😀 But if I ever find myself a seamstress here, I’ll definitely get a quote for having it done. Might negate my savings, though.
There was a time when none of us had fitted sheets and somehow they stayed on the bed 🙂 but you are probably too young to remember that – I think you “done good”.
There was also a time when you had to write papers with footnotes on a typewriter. Don’t feel nostalgic about those days either. 😉 And thanks, I think so too. 😀
I concur, good sheets are almost impossible to find in Mexico and when you do find them you almost need to take out a bank loan.
Good job on finding these. I will be most happy to sleep in them when I visit.
They feel SO NICE and really expensive. If they’re not good enough for my guests, they can pay for a hotel and get similar sheets there. 😀
Suggest getting a seamstress to make them into fitted – shouldn’t be expensive at all, honestly.
So glad you got a great deal – they do look lovely.
Based on my experience in Mazatlán, it might be about $500 pesos for the job. Would still make amazing savings on the sheets, but be a bit pricy. We shall see. I did a good job making my bed last night, took all of five minutes, and the sheet was still taut in the morning! 🙂
They’re just so lovely and stiff. 🙂
Rea, I’ll bet a local lady can turn two of the flat sheets into fitted for a very low price. Really all it will take is a few yards of elastic and bias binding.
I’m sure of that, too, but it’s really not a priority right now. My hospital corners are still holding! 😀
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