March is a good time to change your bedding for the first time after winter. Put your winter comforter away in the closet and bring out a lighter one—either an all-season or spring comforter. It’s best to do this in the first few days after the temperature in your home stops dropping below 18°C at night. There’s no set date—it’s the temperature in your bedroom that matters, not the calendar.

Before putting them away, it’s a good idea to hang pillows and comforters out in a well-ventilated area for a few hours. It’s best to do this on a cloudy day—direct sunlight accelerates fading and damages fibers, both natural and synthetic. Two or three hours in the shade with a good breeze will suffice.

While you’re at it, it’s a good idea to check the condition of your pillowcases and comforters—look for discoloration, thinning fabric, or clumping filling. It’s easy to overlook these things over the winter when you use your comforter every day.

Bedding should be changed every 1–2 weeks throughout the year. In the spring, when we open the windows more often, dust and pollen will settle on the bedding more quickly. In homes with people who have allergies, it’s a good idea to shorten this cycle to once a week—especially in May and June, when pollen counts are at their highest.