How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger

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!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

How to Fold the Corners Together

1
Hold the sheet lengthwise by the corners so it's inside-out. 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]
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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
Fold the corner in your right hand over the corner in the left. 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]
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- 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
Add the front bottom corner to the top 2. 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]
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- 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
Bring the last corner up and straighten the edges of the sheet. 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]
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- 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.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

How to Create a Neat Rectangle

1
Place the sheet on a table with the folded corners up. 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]
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- If the corners do unfold, you may have to shake out the sheet and start over.
Tip: If you don't have a table that's big enough, spread the sheet out on your mattress, or even the floor!
2
Fold the sides in so the sheet is rectangular. 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]
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- 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
Smooth out any wrinkles with your hands. 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.
- 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 flattened sheet into thirds vertically. 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
Finish by folding the sheet into horizontal thirds. 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.

Community Q&A

Question

Can you tell me what a crisp sheet is?

Amy Gremillion

Community 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.
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.
Question

Do I tuck in only 3 corners?

Community Answer

The goal is to have all of the four corners in the same place so that it creates a square, then folding it like a normal sheet.