How to Fold a Fitted Sheet Once and For All

Say goodbye to crinkly, balled-up linens with this quick and easy guide to folding a fitted sheet.

Learning how to fold a fitted sheet is like riding a bicycle: It can seem overly complicated at first, but once you've done it smoothly, it becomes second nature. We're here to provide those figurative training wheels.

Folding a fitted sheet may not seem like a high-priority skill, but it can do a lot to keep your sheets neat and crisp. If you're investing in only the best bed sheets, you'll want them to last as long as possible—and one step of proper care is putting sheets away neatly, in a place where they won't be exposed to life's typical disasters. Spoiler: Balling the sheet up in the top of your closet is just asking for a tear or dust pile-up.

Keeping your fitted sheets (and the rest of your bedding) in tip-top shape is easier than you think. Here are the four steps that will take you from a crinkled heap to crisply-folded fitted sheets in no time.

What You'll Need

Materials

  • Fitted sheet

Instructions

How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

  1. Drape Sheet Over Your Hands

    With the top two corners inside out and the elastic edge facing you, hold the fitted sheet with one hand in each of the top corners.

  2. Fold in Half and Tuck in Corners

    Fold the fitted sheet in half vertically, flipping the right corner over the left to create a pocket. Turn the bed sheet 180 degrees and create a second pocket up top. (If your folded sheet has gathered sides, tuck them into each other.)

  3. Fold in Half Again

    Readjust your hold so there are two corners over your left hand and the other two over your right, with the folded seam at the bottom and the tucked and gathered edge facing you. Fold the sheet in half once more so that all four fitted corners meet, and flip the right set of corners over the left set.

  4. Lay the Folded Sheet on the Bed

    With the gathered edges facing up, fold the longer part of the curved edge toward the center a few inches to create a straight edge. The sheet should now be a rectangle. Fold in half lengthwise, then fold into thirds.

    To prevent wrinkles, fold your fitted sheets right out of the dryer while they're still warm. You can also prevent wrinkles with a little gadget that holds the fitted sheets taut.

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