Why You Can Trust CNET Folding Your Fitted Sheets Is Easier Than You Think -- Just Try This Trick
This foolproof method will have your fitted sheet folded neatly with no hassle.
- Macy has been working for CNET for coming on 2 years. Prior to CNET, Macy received a North Carolina College Media Association award in sports writing.
It's not magic, but it does take some practice.
Many people think folding a fitted sheet is an impossible task that takes a team (or at least several hands) to complete. But it's not that hard once you know how to do it the best way.
The reason why fitted sheets are so dang hard to fold is that they have stretchy, rounded edges. It's obvious how to fold a square object, but folding a rounded one? That's a little tougher. There's a lot of tutorials online about how to properly fold a fitted sheet, but here's a fool-proof way that's a little less complicated. Here's what to do. (For more tips, learn how to best wash your sheets and bedding, and learn about these laundry symbols or you might ruin your clothes.)
How best 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, be sure to make the corner seams line up.
Tuck it in, smooth it out.
If you do this part right, the elastic will be folded down and the new edge of the sheet will be smooth right angles. Do the same thing to the bottom corners.
When you're done, your edges should look something like this.
Final steps
You can breathe a sigh of relief: The hardest part is over. Just 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 half so that the elastic edges are hidden. Smooth out the corners and fold the sheet in half, again. Keep folding it in half until you have a nice, neat bundle.
This will probably take some practice to get the hang of it -- it definitely took me a while. But give it a few tries and you'll have folded linens that you can easily store.
A tidy fitted sheet can be achieved.
Bonus: A quick shortcut
There is another, albeit lazier, way. You can just fold your sheets however you want, then stuff them into a matching pillow case. Your linen closet will still look tidy and no-one will ever know.
More laundry tips and tricks
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