<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 31.1

                     CERTIFICATE OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                     --------------------------------------

I, Charles R. Eitel, the Chief Executive Officer of Simmons Company (the
"registrant"), certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of the registrant;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
     report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
     the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

        (a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
        disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
        to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,
        including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
        within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
        report is being prepared;

        (b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
        and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
        effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end
        of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

        (c) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
        control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's
        most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in
        the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is
        reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal
        control over financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on
     our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
     the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
     of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

        (a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
        or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
        reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
        record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

        (b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
        other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
        control over financial reporting.

                                   Dated this 11th day of August 2003

                                   /s/ Charles R. Eitel
                                   -------------------
                                   Charles R. Eitel
                                   Chief Executive Officer



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<PAGE>


                                                                    Exhibit 31.2


                     CERTIFICATE OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                     --------------------------------------

I, William S. Creekmuir, the Chief Financial Officer of Simmons Company (the
"registrant"), certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of the registrant;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
     report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
     the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

        (a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
        disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
        to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,
        including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
        within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
        report is being prepared;

        (b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
        and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
        effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end
        of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

        (c) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
        control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's
        most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in
        the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is
        reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal
        control over financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on
     our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
     the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
     of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

        (a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
        or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
        reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
        record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

        (b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
        other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
        control over financial reporting.

                                       Dated this 11th day of August 2003

                                       /s/ William S. Creekmuir
                                       -------------------
                                       William S. Creekmuir
                                       Chief Financial Officer


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