Bartender Geek

Having lived in Europe: closets are mostly an Americanism. European homes use wardrobes, presses, hanging racks with hooks, etc. Europeans generally also own (ed) far fewer changes of clothing, so needed less storage space. And yes, the top sheet also seems to be an Americanism. Duvet covers are available in the states, but most people I know don't use them, but have various quilts, blankets, and/or comforters they use over the top sheet. I would add that in Germany in the 1950's, many beds did not have standard-sized mattresses at we know them in the USA, but were made up of sections assembled on a wooden bed frame. These was covered by various featherbeds and down comforters, each with a washable cover. On bright clear days featherbeds were hanging out everyone's windows for airing. In hotels in France and in Luxembourg there were often very thin mattresses, but as many as 8 or 7 featherbeds, and nothing I would describe as sheets, but washable duvet covers on the featherbeds and washable covers on the many feather pillows.. Depending on how cold it was, you adjusted yourself in the bed with more or less featherbeds under you and over you. When we first moved to Germany we discovered that the few household goods we'd brought did not include pillows, my mother having decided those would be bought new there. My father asked the landlord where he could buy pillows. The landlord directed him downtown, where in a storefront the staff showed him various options with down and feather combinations of various firmness. My father chose pillows, and the staff vanished, leaving him sitting on a chair at a small table. One person returned bearing a tray with coffee and cake. My father was confused, but thanked them and drank the coffee and ate the cake. Only then did he realize that they were MAKING the pillows to order in the back room.