April Fool the Furniture

Those of you who are busy working mothers and fathers may be pressed for time to pull of a really memorable April Fools' prank. While pranks at the office or work are certainly good for morale and a little midday entertainment, they're not quite as satisfying as one that fools your kids, partner, or other family members. Originating from the Medieval celebration, "Feast of Fools," April Fools' Day is enjoyed by countless countries who all get in on this national day of jokes and hoaxes. At Bel Furniture, we love a practical joke that's both harmless and memorable.

One great prank to play on your kids and partner (there's still time!) is short sheeting their beds. When this simple prank is pulled off correctly, the bed appears to be normally made. But when the unlucky person tries to get in and settle down for the night, they discover that they can't even get their legs in. For a step-by-step short sheeting guide, click here. And, while we're on the topic of beds, how would you feel if you started to get ready for sleep and discovered a "hamburger" instead of a bed?

They kids would probably love a hamburger bed, but we're not so sure your partner would. If short sheeting isn't enough to satisfy your April Fools' hunger, we have yet another tip. Changing out the drawer knobs of dressers and night stands, or swapping the knob on a closet door is an easy prank you can do in literally minutes. Change them out in the kitchen to throw off your husband's routine in the morning, change them in the bathroom to shock your wife or teenage daughter, or simply replace every single dresser drawer knob with substitutes the little ones will love. We love this example:

Sometimes, altering a person's routine just enough to make them run late or irritate them, is enough for a triumphant joke. Keeping in mind that we want our April Fools' prank to be lighthearted, we thought of a few ways to "play" with our loved ones' routines:

• Put the shampoo in the conditioner bottle and the conditioner in the shampoo bottle
• Hide the left shoe of every pair around the house
• Re-park the car in a different spot that is further away
• Move the sprinklers closer to the front door and walkway
• Put the salt in the sugar bowl for a "unique" cup of coffee
• Rearrange the items in any single room

Chances are, your April Fools' victim will fee so discombobulated, they may not even realize they are part of a larger prank. If this seems too elaborate, you can always "April Fools" the dog!

Our last April Fools' tip is to take advantage of the lovely spring weather and move your prank outdoors. If you are lucky enough to have decent sized hedges and other low-growing foliage, we have the perfect joke for you. Warning: this may require waking up a littler earlier next year with a pair of shears. The hedge below has been shaped to look like a sofa, but we think the shape can be a little more elaborate and silly. How about a giraffe? Or, a "portrait" of your wife, husband, or child? If you have any hedge suggestions, we'd love to hear from you! Simply leave a comment for Bel Furniture below.