Welcome to Your Weekend Project, featuring how-tos and ideas from our archives for an organized and inspired home.
No doubt about it, when it comes to domestic efficiencies the fitted sheet is a dream invention. Yet, too often it’s an absolutely nightmare to fold. All those elastic edges just refuse to be tamed. Fortunately, there is a way.
With the help of my husband, Chad, here’s how to properly fold a fitted sheet.
1. Hold the sheet with the elastic facing you.
Above: With the elastic side facing you, place your hands inside the top two corner pockets of the sheet.
2. Turn one corner pocket inside out and slip the other corner pocket inside of it.
Above: Turn the corner that’s in your left hand inside out, bring the ends together, and insert the right corner into the left pocket. Use your middle finger to make sure that the two corner points fit snuggly within each other. (Alternatively, you can fold the sheet in half. without turning the corner inside out, and then tuck one corner over the other.)
3. Run your hand from that doubled corner pocket to the next corner pockets.
Above: Keeping one hand inside the first corner pocket, run the other hand along the elasticized seam until it reaches the next corner pockets, turning your sheet as you go, and tucking one corner pocket inside the other. The sheet should now be folded in half, with the corner pockets tucked into one another at the top of the sheet, one hand in each.
4. Tuck the remaining elastic corners into the final corner pocket.
Above: With one hand in each doubled corner pocket, repeat Step Two: Turn one of the doubled corner pockets inside out, fold the sheet in half again, and tuck this corner pocket into the corner pocket you’re holding in your other hand. Now all your elastic edges should be in one neatly tucked corner.
5. Lay the sheet on a flat surface.
Above: Lay the sheet on a flat surface with the single corner pocket and elastic edges folded over so that the sheet is square. Smooth the sheet. Having eliminated the awkward shape caused by the elastics, you may proceed to fold your sheet as you normally would.
6. Fold the fitted sheet lengthwise.
Above: Using a neatly folded flat sheet as a size guide, fold the now-square fitted sheet lengthwise into thirds or quarters. Above: Folded into thirds.
7. Fold the fitted sheet again.
Above: Fold the sheet neatly along the length, perhaps using a folded flat sheet as a guide so that they match size-wise.
Final Results
Above: Properly folded, your fitted sheet should perfectly match your folded top sheet. Above: The finished product: properly folded fitted sheets are no longer an eyesore in the linen closet.
N.B.: This post is an update; it was first published on Remodelista on March 16, 2018.
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