Adults use twin beds when a room is small, couples have difficulties sleeping in the same room next to each other, when single sleepers are on a budget or temporarily crashing at friends or family, and at boarding houses and camps.
While married couples may not have reflected the reality of the time with regard to sleeping arrangements, there are some reasons why you might decide to follow their example in the modern-day.
Why would an adult choose to sleep in a twin bed? It turns out that there are quite a few reasons why it might make sense. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Twin Beds Are Cheaper
I have definitely had times in my life when money was tight, like, seriously tight, but I still needed some furniture. As it happened, I was single, so foregoing a queen- or a full-sized bed was a pretty simple choice.
In fact, twins are just cheaper all the way around. From the frame to the mattress and from the sheets to the quilt or comforter, you will save a great deal of money if you’re willing to compromise on size.
When your budget is tight, a twin-size is the way to go. For example, I used a twin metal platform frame and it worked just fine for me (200 lbs) and it was only $82 here on Amazon.
You’re a Petite Adult
Let’s say that you’re on the smaller size. You might feel lost or swallowed up when you’re sleeping on a vast, king-sized mattress. The twin-sized frame just feels more manageable and approachable.
Your Bedroom Is Tiny
I don’t know about you, but I’ve lived in some super-tiny apartments. Occasionally, those apartments were one-room studios that forced me to do everything in one small space.
If you try to put a queen- or king-sized bed in a studio apartment or just an apartment that has really small bedrooms, then that bed will dominate the entire space. You may not be able to walk around it. There may not be room for any other furniture.
When your square footage is extremely limited, then you have to make compromises somewhere. A twin-size could be an ingenious solution.
For a cheap twin beds for adults I recommend the below models:
Scott Boyd, April 19, 2023
Boarding House
I once rented rooms out to pilots who would come to my little village from other provinces to fly for a few days at the nearby international airport. These guys worked for the same company so they knew each other and did not mind sharing a bedroom since they worked opposite shifts.
I purchased many twin sized and put two in each room. Even though the pilots were never in the bedroom at the same time I decided to provide each with their own twin. I never heard one complaint about the beds being too small.
Couples Can’t Sleep Together
I am a restless sleeper and many days it takes me hours to get to sleep. I find it even more difficult with someone else next to me. So having two twins in the same room has been a solution for me in the past.
My grandparents had a similar situation, except that it was my grandfather’s snoring that finally resulted in my grandmother punting him from the bedroom.
They each had twins at the main house, but when they spent time at the summer home in their childhood village they slept in twins. This was because the 150-year-old house had tiny bedrooms, but they were perfectly comfortable with smaller beds.
And the rest of the family were perfectly comfortable in the guest bedrooms while sleeping in twins. I miss that old house.
Your a Nomad
If you are a nomad like I am you want to travel light. It is important to us to be able to pack up and move quickly, and without the need to rent a 26′ U-Haul truck.
A perfect combination for nomads is a twin frame that folds closed can be disassembled quickly and without tools, Top the platform frame with a thin foam mattress and you can toss it into a small car in minutes when you feel the need to move on.
I crashed in the bunkie of my cube truck in another province for about six months. Although it did not have a bed frame I was perfectly comfortable on a twin foam mattress.
You Appreciate a Minimalist Aesthetic
Some people appreciate a less-is-more approach when it comes to interior décor. Perhaps you’ve just completely decluttered your house, and you now realize that you just don’t need so much stuff.
While I was renting most of the rooms in my house out (I even converted the dining room into a bedroom) I moved out to the garage.
Obviously, a twin worked best for me as it was only a single-car garage. I am a minimalist and did not mind it at all. Then then I don’t mind sleeping on sofas and the floor so take it for what it is worth.
In a larger space, a small sleeping area provides you lots of open areas for a desk and workspace, additional closet and furniture space, a sitting/reading area, etc. This can mean that your rooms have much better flow, and a bit of negative space can be really restful, which may mean that you get better sleep.
Look for a twin bed frame with built-in storage to keep your space clutter-free like this one with 16″ clearance underneath.
Scott Boyd
Additionally, if you keep your sleeping area compact, then you may be able to ask your bedroom to multitask as a home office or gym.
What Exactly Is a Twin Bed?
Sometimes also referred to as a “single,” a twin mattress measures approximately 38 inches wide by 75 inches long. Next to the crib mattress, this is the smallest available size.
Accordingly, many parents often purchase a twin-size when their child outgrows their crib.
Given the 38 inches by 75 inches dimensions, it’s clear why a twin bed is appropriate for a child or young teen but not necessarily for a full-grown adult.
TIP: If you’re a taller person, consider opting for an XL twin, which has dimensions of 38 inches by 80 inches. That’s a full five inches longer than a standard twin. XL twins are commonly found in dorms and hostels, but you can get one for your home.
The next size up that you might consider is full-size. While the full sizes generally are 53 inches wide, they are still only 75 inches long, which may be a problem for taller adults. Still, if you’re petite and want a little extra width, then a full-size may be a good choice.
TIP: It’s virtually impossible for two adults, or even an adult and a child, to share a twin because of the limited space. Accordingly, if your space and budget are tight but you expect to occasionally have an overnight guest, it might be worthwhile to spring for a full-size.
Choosing Bedding for a Twin Bed
As you might expect, you’re likely to find a wider range of more sophisticated bedding choices when you’re shopping for a full-, queen- or king-sized. Nonetheless, you do have bedding choices with twin size, and you don’t have to settle for one that looks like it’s intended for a five-year-old.
Here are just a few of the possibilities:
- Alvine Kvist duvet cover from Ikea
- Anton duvet cover from Area
- Or a hammock Like I sometimes use and you can read about here.
All of these options are simple, elegant, and sophisticated, just what you’d want to see in an adult’s bedroom.
What About the Twin Bed Frame?
You’ll have plenty of options here, and they don’t have to include a frilly canopy (Unless you’re into frilly canopies. No judgment here).
The Seaborn Twin Platform Bed is perfect for anyone who’s into industrial chic.
If your aesthetic is more farmhouse, then the Weldon Platform Bed is ideal.
Dialing up the sophistication is possible in any bedroom with the gorgeous Atwater Living Ryder Twin Velvet Upholstered Bed Frame.
Clearly, you can get almost any style that you prefer, from the absolute plain and simple to the luxurious.
Do Adults Use Twin Beds?
The short answer is that, yes, adults do use twin beds. Granted, they typically only do so when they are single and working with a really limited budget and a small room, but they do use them.
In fact, a twin can be a smart, comfortable, and economical choice for any adult.
