Why Fitted Sheets Are Tricky

The elasticated curved corners are what make fitted sheets hard to fold — they resist lying flat. The trick is to use the corners structurally: tuck them inside each other to create flat right angles, then fold like a normal rectangle.

  1. 1

    Hold with hands in the short-end corners

    Hold the sheet in front of you with one hand in each of the two corner pockets at one short end of the sheet. The sheet hangs between your hands with the inside of the sheet facing you.

  2. 2

    Bring right corner over left and tuck inside

    Bring your right hand toward your left hand and tuck the right corner completely inside the left corner — like a hand slipping into a pocket. Your left hand now has one corner nested inside the other.

  3. 3

    Walk to the other end and repeat

    Keeping the nested corners on your left hand, use your right hand to reach down to the other short end of the sheet. Pick up one of those corners, then walk your left hand down to meet the last corner. Repeat: tuck one inside the other. You now have all four corners nested together.

  4. 4

    Lay flat and adjust

    Lay the sheet on a flat surface — bed or table. It should form a rough rectangle with curved corners. Straighten it out so the curved edges are along one side and the flat fold is along the other.

  5. 5

    Fold the curved edges in

    Fold the curved/elasticated edge in toward the centre so you have a straight edge. This is the key step — you are converting the irregular curved shape into a neat rectangle.

  6. 6

    Fold into thirds or quarters

    Fold the rectangle into thirds (fold one third over, then the other third on top) or quarters (fold in half, then in half again). You should have a tidy, stackable rectangle with no elastic or curved edges visible.

Store inside the matching pillowcaseFold the fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcases together, then store them all inside one of the pillowcases. This keeps the set together and makes linen cupboard organisation much simpler.

Frequently Asked Questions

The standing method: hold with hands in two corners, nest them together (step 2-3), then drape the sheet over one forearm. Fold in half by bringing the other end up to meet your forearm. You can then lay it on a surface for the final folding steps. Folding while standing alone takes practice but becomes easy with repetition.
Fitted sheets are sized by mattress dimensions. Check the label on your sheet for the fitted size and compare to your mattress measurements. Deep-pocket fitted sheets are available for mattresses with thick toppers or pillow tops. A sheet that is too large will not stay on and cannot be adjusted — you need the correct size.