A Fitted Sheet
– Easy to Use, Tricky to Store
A fitted sheet stays nicely in shape and doesn’t wrinkle in use like a regular sheet. However, folding it neatly isn’t exactly simple and requires a bit of puzzling.
When I moved to the United States in the early 2000s, I probably hadn’t even seen fitted sheets before. Today they’ve become much more common and are already in use in many homes, as they are wonderfully easy. You can just stretch them under the edge of the mattress, and they’ll stay neatly in place until it is time for the next sheet changing.
The downside of a fitted sheet comes when it’s time to change, wash, and fold it for the closet. At this stage, many people get flustered and wonder why it has to be so difficult and why the end result is more of a ball or a lump than a neat, square bundle.
After spending some time staring at this ball of fabric, I decided to check YouTube to see how Martha Stewart and others folded this type of sheet. After watching a few videos, it finally clicked in me how it’s done, and now I want to show you as clearly as possible how to fold a fitted sheet.
Folding a fitted sheet
1. Grab the corners on the long side of the sheet from the inside so that the seam side is facing outward.
2. Bring your right hand to meet your left hand.
3. Slip the right-hand corner of the sheet over the left-hand corner and switch the right hand into the left hand’s position.
4. Now use your free left hand to grab the corners hanging down on the left side.
Straighten the sheet if necessary.
5. Hold the corners the same way with both hands so the sheet is hanging straight from hand to hand.
(Just like in step 1, but doubled over.)
6. Bring your right hand to meet your left hand and repeat the step 3.
7. Lay the sheet on the bed and smooth it into shape.
8. Fold it into thirds by bringing the bottom edge up toward the center first, then folding the top edge over that.
9. Finally, fold the sheet side to side into three or more sections.
10. Now you should have a neatly folded fitted sheet.
I hope this little guide made your laundry day a bit easier. Let me know in the comments if the photos and instructions were clear—I'd love to hear your thoughts!
