The Easiest Way to Fold a Fitted Sheet

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While the elastic corners on a fitted sheet are helpful for keeping them on a mattress, they make folding the sheets a real pain. If you've ever gotten frustrated and stuffed your fitted sheets in your linen closet in a big wad, you're definitely not alone! This is actually next to impossible, but don't worry, we're here to fix that. With a little practice, it's possible to get perfectly-folded fitted sheets that will stack neatly on a shelf—no wadding required!

Folding Fitted Bedsheets: A Quick Overview

  1. Hold up the sheet so it's lengthwise and inside-out.
  2. Fold the corner in your right hand over the corner in your left hand.
  3. Fold the front bottom corner and join it with the other 2 corners.
  4. Add the last corner and straighten out the sheet's edges.
  5. Lay out the sheet corner-side-up and fold in the sides.
  6. Smooth away any wrinkles and fold the sheet into vertical thirds.
  7. Complete the process by folding the sheet into horizontal thirds.
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

How to Fold the Corners Together

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  1. Place your hands inside 2 adjacent corners of the sheet so that the shorter ends of the sheet are hanging down and the longer sides are stretched horizontally. As you're arranging the sheet in your hands, turn it so the top of the sheet is facing your body and the bottom side is facing outward. [1]

    If you look at the seams on a fitted sheet, you'll see that they're sewn in a neat crease on one side and have a more visible hem on the other side. The side with the visible seam is the inside of the sheet, and is meant to go face-down on your mattress. This is the side that should be facing away from you.

  2. Bring the 2 corners you're holding together in front of you so the seams are lined up with each other. Then, turn the right corner right-side-out so it wraps around the corner in your left hand. [2]
    • It may help to think of this as similar to folding one sock over another.
    • At this point, the elastic from both sides should be lined up neatly together.
    • If you're left-handed, fold the corner in your left hand over the corner in your right hand instead.
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  3. Pinch the corners together with your left hand, then reach down the sheet with your right hand and grasp the corner that's closest to you. Bring it up to the 2 corners you just folded together, and tuck it in so all 3 are folded neatly together. [3]
    • By folding the bottom corners one at a time, you'll end up with neater creases.
    • If you prefer, you can fold the bottom 2 corners together, then bring them both up and fold them into the first 2.
  4. At this point, you should have 1 corner left hanging down, with the other 3 corners all in your left hand. Fold the last corner in so it's lined up with the other ones, and use your hand to smooth out the edges that are hanging down. [4]
    • An easy way to smooth the sheet is to slide your fingers into the fold at the bottom of the sheet, then gently pull and shake the fabric until the edges are lined up.
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Part 2
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How to Create a Neat Rectangle

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  1. After you've lined up all 4 corners of the sheet, you'll need to spread folded sheet out on a solid, flat surface, like a table top. The 4 folded corners should be face-up in one corner, but it's okay if the sheet still looks a little messy at this point. Just try not to let the corners unfold as you're laying the sheet down. [5]
    • If the corners do unfold, you may have to shake out the sheet and start over.
  2. Arrange the sheet so the seams of the corners create a new corner. Then, fold in the 2 sides on either side of that corner so the sheet has neat, squared-off edges. [6]
    • When you're finished, you'll see an L-shaped fold running along 2 edges of the sheet, with the elastic on the inside of the fold.
  3. Having the sheet on a solid surface will allow you to create nice creases as you're folding the fitted sheet. Once you've folded the elastic edges in to create a rectangle, run your hands over the sheet, including the new creases you made, to get rid of any bumps or wrinkles in the fabric. [7]
    • If you're doing this on a mattress or a carpeted floor, you might not get the same sharp creases you would on a hard surface.
  4. Fold the top third of your sheet down so the corners are tucked inside the folded sheet. Smooth out the fabric with your hands, then fold the bottom third up so the sheet makes a long, thin rectangle.
    • All of the folds, corners, and elastic should be completely hidden inside of the sheet.
  5. Once you have a neat rectangle, all that's left is to fold your sheet into a square. Fold one side of the sheet in about a third of the way toward the middle of the rectangle. Then, fold the last side over to finish your neatly-folded fitted sheet!
    • If you have a king-size bed, you may need to fold the long rectangle into quarters rather than thirds. To do that, just fold the sheet in half lengthwise, then in half again.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I perfectly put a fitted sheet on a mattress like in a hotel?
    Raymond Chiu
    House Cleaning Professional
    Raymond Chiu is the owner of Maid Sailors Cleaning Service, offering affordable residential and office cleaning services. Since its founding in 2014 in New York City, Maid Sailors has expanded to several cities, including Boston, Chicago, and Austin. The company has earned a reputation as one of the most reliable and best cleaning services in the industry.
    Raymond Chiu
    House Cleaning Professional
    Expert Answer
    Start with placing the fitted sheet loosely on the top of your mattress so that the corners are aligned in a way that they follow the corners of your bed. Tuck and pull the sheets tight around the corners at the edges to remove all the wrinkles. Once all corners are fitted, add your blanket or comforter on top. Lastly, tuck the bottom of the blanket under the mattress for a more polished hotel style look, or you could let it drape loosely for a more relaxed style.
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    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
  • Question
    Can you tell me what a crisp sheet is?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    A crisp sheet is one that's fresh and clean, with sharp creases. It may also refer to sheets made of fabrics like high-thread-count cotton, as opposed to softer sheets like flannel or satin.
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  • Question
    How do I fold a flat king sheet?
    Community Answer
    The same as you would fold any other flat sheet, towel, etc. Keep matching up corners and folding until it is a size you like.
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      Tips

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • If your bedding came in a plastic zipper bag, reuse the original bag to store sheets and pillowcases together. This keeps them organized and helps protect them from dust. Keeping the original product insert in the inner pocket also identifies the size, fabric content, vendor, etc. for future reference.
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      Tip

      • Place your folded fitted sheet and top sheet inside a matching pillowcase for an easy way to keep them together in your linen closet!
      • If you don't have a table that's big enough, spread the sheet out on your mattress, or even the floor!

      Things You'll Need

      • Fitted sheet
      • Flat surface

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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about cleaning, check out our in-depth interview with Raymond Chiu .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sheets/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet
      2. ↑ https://www.aarp.org/home-family/your-home/info-2021/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet.html
      3. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/video/view/home-garden/bath/74731173001/folding-fitted-sheets/
      4. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/video/view/appliances/laundry/4984113660001/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet/
      5. ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sheets/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHEtLyZTwwM
      7. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/video/view/appliances/laundry/4984113660001/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To fold a fitted sheet, hold it lengthwise and inside-out. Put your hands inside the top two corners of the sheet. Next, bring your palms together. Fold the corner in your right hand over the corner in your left hand. Change hands and place your right hand in the corner where your left hand was. Now, straighten the edge of the sheet with your left hand until you reach the opposite corner. Then, put your left hand inside that corner. Bring your hands together again and fold the corner in your right hand over the corner in your left hand. Straighten the edges of the sheet. Now, lay the sheet down with the folded edges up. Fold the top side in so the sheet is rectangular. Fold the sheet into thirds lengthwise, then into thirds horizontally.

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Andrew Huggett

        Aug 11, 2017

        "After trying to follow the YouTube video on this which seems to 'skip' a step & return when the sheet ..." more
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