No doubt about it, when it comes to domestic efficiencies the fitted sheet is a dream invention.
1. Hold the sheet with the elastic facing you.
With the elastic side facing you, place your hands inside the top two corner pockets of the sheet.
2. Turn one corner pocket inside out and slip the other corner pocket inside of it.
Turn the corner that’s in your left hand inside out, bring the ends together, and insert the right corner into the left pocket.
3. Run your hand from that doubled corner pocket to the next corner pockets.
Keeping one hand inside the first corner pocket, run the other hand along the elasticized seam until it reaches the next corner pockets, turning your sheet as you go, and tucking one corner pocket inside the other.
The sheet should now be folded in half, with the corner pockets tucked into one another at the top of the sheet, one hand in each.
4. Tuck the remaining elastic corners into the final corner pocket.
With one hand in each doubled corner pocket, repeat Step Two: Turn one of the doubled corner pockets inside out, fold the sheet in half again, and tuck this corner pocket into the corner pocket you’re holding in your other hand.
Lay the sheet on a flat surface with the single corner pocket and elastic edges folded over so that the sheet is square.
5. Lay the sheet on a flat surface.
6. Fold the fitted sheet lengthwise.
Using a neatly folded flat sheet as a size guide, fold the now-square fitted sheet lengthwise into thirds or quarters.
7. Fold the fitted sheet again.
Fold the sheet neatly along the length, perhaps using a folded flat sheet as a guide so that they match sizewise.
Final Results
Properly folded, your fitted sheet should perfectly match your folded top sheet.
The finished product: properly folded fitted sheets are no longer an eyesore in the linen closet. Not long ago, we tackled another vexing bed-making problem: square (or hospital) corners.