If you ask 10 people if they know how to fold a fitted, 9 of them will have no idea. My friend, Peggy who is very fun and funny asked, "Don't you just roll them up and stick them in a closet?" Tragically, Peggy is not alone. There are millions of fitted sheets that have been rolled up and thrown in closets.
One day I was making a bed with my sister-in-law, Chris Steckel, and I noticed that she was masterfully folding a fitted sheet. I asked and she showed me how to perform this difficult feat. I will say that after all the practice I've done, my fitted sheets still don't come out perfect, but they look a heck of a lot better than they ever have! Below I have made a video for your viewing pleasure:
Step 1. Put your hands in two corners making sure that the sheet is running lengthwise. Step 2. Put your hands together and flip the left corner over the right. Step 3. Put the two corners in your left hand and with your right hand find the inside bottom corner. Then pinch the inside bottom corner so that you don't lose hold of of it.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4. With your right hand tuck the inside bottom corner into the the outside bottom corner. Step 5. Bring all four corners together, and again flip the left corners over the right corners. Step 6. Next lay the sheet down on a table or bed and smooth things out a bit. There should be a corner that is entirely elastic on the left that forms what looks like a big upside down smile. Then fold the top of the sheet down about 6 inches.
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7. Fold the bottom all the way to the top. Step 8. Fold the right side to the middle then the left side to the middle. Step 9. Fold the left side over and smooth it down on the top and the bottom. You now have a folded, fitted sheet!
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
FYI: Folding the type of fitted sheet that has elastic all the way around is a more complicated animal. We will tackle that one another day.