How To Fold A Fitted Sheet

6 min read

A fitted sheet is a sheet that has elasticized edges in order to help it stay in place and keep a snuggly wrap around your mattress.

Using a fitted sheet instead of a flat sheet as your mattress cover gives your bed a better chance at staying bundled up. We want to avoid having that bottom cover wrinkle up when we toss and turn throughout the night - a fitted sheet stands the best chance. A regular sheet would work too, but it's more likely to come loose and create wrinkles that you'll then be lying on.

If you're a stickler for getting that perfect night's sleep, you probably already know that the devil is in the details - having breathable sheets, cool pillowcases, and a smooth surface underneath you is crucial.

Choosing your fitted sheet

When purchasing a fitted sheet, it's important to know the dimensions of your bed so you can be sure to get the correct size. A sheet that's too big will result in the extra fabric bunching up and creating wrinkles, which completely defeats the purpose of a fitted sheet. A sheet that's too small won't be able to reach the bottom edges of your mattress to grab onto, meaning it will probably slip loose (if you can even get it to the edges, that is) and a corner will likely pop off with any big or sudden movements.

Most companies will offer different sizes for each size of bed; make sure you're selecting the right one.

Why bother learning how to fold a fitted sheet?

Other than the fact that this skill is guaranteed to impress your mother-in-law?

Your sheets will stay wrinkle-free.
Sheets will stay cleaner.
It will feel fresher - keeping that beloved crisp sheet feeling each time you reach for them.
Properly folded sheets will save space in your linen closet.
It will be easier to sort out your linen closet - you'll save time the next time you go looking for a particular sheet (pulling out all the sheets from the closet to see which is which will become a thing of the past).
Folding sheets properly will help them last longer. Sheets that are properly tucked away in their correct place protects them from inevitable day to day wear and tear - they'll gather less dust and they're less likely to fall out each time you open the closet.
Having properly folded sheets just feels better. It's like opening up a perfectly organized fridge--drinks in the top right corner, vegetables in the vegetable drawer. Something about it just feels right.

Folding a fitted sheet can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be! Once you find a technique that works for you, it's easy, fast, and can even be enjoyable (any Marie Kondo fans out there?).

There are a few different methods.

There are different techniques that can help you get that perfect fold. The ones we've chosen to tell you about are our personal favorites, but try them out and see which one works best for you.

Let's do this!

Folding a fitted sheet is easiest to do on a flat surface. If possible, use a counter top rather than attempting this task on a soft surface, like your bed. It may be tempting to just use the floor, but your sheet is clean and floors are usually... not so clean. Especially if you have a furry friend living with you.

Don't worry, we're going to walk you through all of these methods, step by step.

The Marie Kondo Method

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Lay the sheet on a flat surface, elastic edges facing upwards.
Fold the sheet lengthwise into thirds. Fold one side slightly past the center, and then the other side over top of that one.
Flatten any wrinkles so that you're looking at a nice, long rectangle.
Fold the rectangle in half (lengthwise).
Flatten out this rectangle. (Remember, Marie Kondo is all about the details; flattening creases after each step will help ensure a perfect final product).
Roll the rectangle into a nice cylinder shape.

The Women's Day Method

Place the sheet lengthwise on a flat surface, so that the elastic edges are facing upwards.
Reach your hand into the left side bottom corner and grab that corner.
Bring this corner over to the right side bottom corner and tuck it inside.
Do this again for the top, grabbing the inside top left corner and bringing it over to the right side, tucking it in.
Give this now rectangle a 90-degree turn so that it's lengthwise again.
Do this process one more time - tuck the two corners from the left into the two corners from the right.
All four corners are now on one side.
Fold the side that has the elastic edges inwards, creating a straight edge along that side.
You're now looking at a rectangle so you can go ahead and fold this like you would with a regular sheet.
Choose a side and flop it over once or twice, and voila! Your sheet should be an almost perfect square.

Get lost somewhere along the way? Here's a quick video that you can follow along.

The 30-Second Folding Method

Lay your sheet on a flat surface, elasticized edges facing up.
Orient the sheet so that the short end is closest to you.
Grab the two bottom corners in front of your hips, bring your hands forward, and push the sheet inside out.
Bring these corners to the top of the sheet and tuck them into the top two corners - keep your hands tucked in with them!
Lift your arms up so that the sheet hangs down, and give it a good shake out before placing it back down on the table (elastic facing upwards and towards you). It should now be an almost square shape.
Fold the top into the middle.
Fold the bottom into the middle.
Bring the outside edges to meet in the centre and then flop one side over the other.
If your sheet is big enough, feel free to fold over one more time.

Feeling a little intimidated? No need to be. Here's another quick video walk through.

The Simple Method

If all of these corner tucks aren't working out for you, the Simple method may be the one for you.
Lay the sheet down, elasticized side facing upwards - either orientation will work for this technique.
Fold the left side into the middle and then the right side on top of the fold that you just created.
You should now have a long rectangle, all elastic edges hidden.
Bring both sides inwards, folding the rectangle into thirds.
You'll now have a flat, small rectangle.
If your sheet is small enough, feel free to roll it up.

Whichever method works best for you, try to smooth out any wrinkles after every step (if applicable). The fewer wrinkles there are, the flatter the final fold will be. And the flatter the fold, the less room the sheet will take up in storage and the prettier it will be when you go to get it out again. (We wouldn't dare suggest you spend time ironing this sheet - we know you have better things to do).

And remember, if all else fails, as Martha Stewart says, "For all of you who are fitted sheet impaired, I suggest that you wash your sheets, dry them, and put them right back on the bed."

Little changes can make a big difference !

It may not seem like knowing how to fold a fitted sheet is that important, but little details add up. And in this case, nicely folded fitted sheets will stack up perfectly. Your linen closet shouldn't look like a pile of giant crumpled up tissues, and it doesn't have to. We're sure that you'll take a liking to at least one of these methods. And once you get the hang of it, it may even be fun!