You wash your fitted sheet, dry it and then comes the worst, most dreaded part. The fitted sheet is one of the most frustrating linens to fold, thanks to its elastic border and rounded corners. But fear not: There’s a simple way to fold the fitted sheet that won’t leave you annoyed and with a bunched-up sheet thrown in your linen closet.
To help you fold your fitted sheet and avoid a breakdown, we outline exactly what you need to do — step by step and with images.
The best way to fold a fitted sheet
First, lay the sheet out on a flat surface like your bed or the floor. Then, grab one edge and tuck it into the edge directly across from it.
So, if you grab the right edge, tuck it into the left edge. It doesn’t matter if you’re tucking horizontally or vertically — just don’t tuck diagonally. Also, as you tuck, make sure the corner seams line up.
Tuck it in, smooth it out.
Alina Bradford/CNETIf you do this part right, the elastic will be folded down, and the new edge of the sheet will be smooth, with right angles. Do the same thing to the bottom corners.
When you’re done, your edges should look something like this.
Alina Bradford/CNETThe last (and easiest) step
The hardest part is now over, and you just need to smooth out the edges and corners. If the sheet won’t lie perfectly flat, don’t panic. The bumps will be hidden by the time you finish folding it.
Now, you should have a rectangle-ish shape to work with. Fold the sheet in halfso that the elastic edges are hidden, smooth out the corners and fold the sheet in half again. Continue folding it in half until you have a neat, compact bundle.
This will probably take some practice — it definitely took me a few times to perfect. Give it a few tries and you’ll have folded linens that you can easily store without all the hassle.
A tidy fitted sheet can be achieved.
Alina Bradford/CNETBonus: A quick shortcut
There is another, albeit lazier, way. You can simply fold your sheets however you want, then stuff them into a matching pillowcase. Your linen closet will still look tidy, and no one will ever know.
Fitted sheet FAQs
The difficulty with folding fitted sheets lies in their design. This type of bedding has a stretchy, elastic edge and curved corners made to snugly fit around a mattress. It means when you lay one flat, it’ll always curl inward rather than stay in place, making it as if you’re folding a round sheet rather than a rectangle or square.
While fitted sheets can be a task to fold, they are some of the best bedding options on the market. If you toss and turn in bed, these will help by not bunching up beneath you. And their elastic corners make it really easy to quickly change your sheets when it’s time for laundry.
If you don’t have a fitted sheet for any reason, a flat sheet works just as well. As long as it helps cover your mattress, you’ll be able to use whichever sheet suits you.
One common mistake when folding a fitted sheet is not aligning the corners correctly before folding, so ensure your corners are tucked and smoothed out properly before proceeding with the final steps.
