Fitted sheets have a reputation for being one of the most frustrating items in the laundry pile. Unlike flat sheets, their elastic edges and rounded corners refuse to cooperate, bunching and curling no matter how carefully you try to tame them. Even if you’ve mastered perfectly folded shirts or towel stacks that look straight out of a catalog, this one piece of bedding can still feel impossible.
The struggle comes down to geometry: folding a square is simple, folding something with curves is not. But with the right technique, and a little practice, you can turn that crumpled mess into a neat, compact rectangle that saves closet space and looks just as tidy as the rest of your linens.
If you’ve been stuffing your fitted sheets into the back of the closet, it’s time to stop settling. There’s an easy, foolproof method that works every time, no acrobatics required. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.
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, make sure 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
The hardest part is now over, and you just need to 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 — it definitely took me a few times to perfect. Give it a few tries and you’ll have folded linens that you can easily store without all the hassle.
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.
FAQs
Why are fitted sheets hard to fold?
The difficulty with folding fitted sheets lies in their design. This type of bedding has a stretchy, elastic edge and curved corners made to snugly fit around a mattress. It means when you lay one flat, it’ll always curl inwards rather than stay in place, making it as if you’re folding a round sheet rather than a rectangle or square.
Do fitted sheets have any benefits?
While fitted sheets can be a task to fold, they are some of the best bedding options on the market. If you toss and turn in bed, these will help by not bunching up beneath you. And their elastic corners make it really easy to quickly change your sheets when it’s time for laundry.
