Who taught me how to fold a fitted sheet? Martha. Who else? For some reason I was discussing how to fold a fitted sheet with some friends a while back (yes, stimulating conversation, I know. Don't you wish you were my friend so we could sit around talking about folding sheets all day? Snore...) and several of the girls joked that they STILL didn't know how to fold a fitted sheet properly. So, a tutorial was born. I believe the hardest part about this will be in the explaining.
How to Fold a Fitted Sheet
Begin by holding your sheet inside out, long side on the top and bottom, short sides facing the sides, with your hands inside the pockets. Like this.
Now put your palms together, like this. (It's almost like you're praying your sheet will fold itself.) Your fingertips should be in the points of the corners and the elastic down by your wrist.
Flip one corner over the opposite hand, turning the corner right side out in the process. The two corners are now nested together.
Do the same to the other side and then insert your hands back into the corners again. See how the sheet is folded in half lengthwise, with both ends of the elastic corners nested together over your hands? At this point your hands are in the corners of the short side.
Now put your palms together again
Flip one corner over your other hand again, and your sheet is folded in quarters.
At this point lay it down, elastic side facing up. Flip the edges from across the top and side into the center, allowing the elastic corner to lie flat. Like this:
Fold it in thirds like this:
You will end up with a nice, neat, square, folded sheet. Martha would approve. She might even slap you high five while telling you it's a "good thing". Then you could both sit down to a cup of herbal tea she grew in her garden...sigh...
Have you noticed that anything can be a tutorial as long as you explain how you did what you did? Your weekly opportunity to link up your own tutorials will be debuting near the end of March, so keep your eyes open! If you are interested in sponsoring a Tutorial Tuesday party, click here for details.
Martha taught me too...Have been using that technique for years..another hint is to put both top, fitted and a pillowcase(if you have 2) inside the second pillowcase..then into your closet. They all stay together that way. I love tutorials! Well done JJ
ReplyDeletemy mom taught me how to do this! it took me a while to get it right though! lol
ReplyDeleteLook for my tutorial "how to roll a fitted sheet into a ball". Coming soon!
ReplyDeleteMartha has never been proud of me.
It like I know the process but it never comes out right anyways. The pictures help and I will keep trying!
ReplyDeleteStupid fitted sheets!
ReplyDelete;)
I love it! Martha taught me too :) I recently taught one of my friends how to nicely fold a towel...so I know what you mean about the super-exciting conversation.
ReplyDeleteOh how I LOATHE fitted sheets!!! (Mine are either a wadded mess or still in the bottom of the clothes basket!!!).
ReplyDeleteI totally did a tut. This week thinking I'd have one for you! (Since I missed your last link up;)) At least they don't expire!
What would we new brides have done without Martha! - she taught me how to fold sheets and so much more!
ReplyDeleteI also learned from Martha!
ReplyDeleteI was folding sheets yesterday and I thought to myself "I wonder if my readers would like this".
Most of my sheets have elastic around the whole thing and those are such a pain to work with, the few sets I have that are 'normal' are much easier to work with.
I watched Martha perform this household challenge one day and sort of learned from her too. Great share. You're ridding the world of balled up fitted sheets!
ReplyDeleteI gave up folding sheets a long time ago, now, I just take it from the bed wash it, dry it, and put it back on the bed again, see simple, no folding required :)
ReplyDeleteHa! I was having the same interesting conversation with friends recently and was trying to explain this -without a sheet- at Panera! Now I will send them to your tutorial instead!
ReplyDelete~Nancy
I learned to fold a fitted sheet back when I was 18. I was working on my CNA license the instructor refolded the sheet so each of us young girls could show we knew how to make a bed. I was shocked at how nice it looked and commented on it, so she taught us all how to do it. It is a little thing that is nice to know. Great tutorial!! Saving fitted sheets of the world.
ReplyDeleteha! I learned that from Martha, too! Showed my mom and impressed her to no end. :)
ReplyDeleteTruly an inspired tutorial. I love it.
I'm a nut who cannot stand for things in my linen closet (or any closet) to not be folded neatly. When I found how to do it on Martha's site I was way too happy! Your photos make it so much clearer that just her explanations do!
ReplyDeleteI SO needed this lesson. Thanks for the advice.
ReplyDeleteLearned in Girl Scouts...mom was the leader. Martha Stewart jumped in later and I thought...."doesn't everyone know how to fold a sheet?" No, they don't. If you saw some of mine you'd know I need practice myself!
ReplyDeletei love your tutorial. i once spent a summer working at an industrial drycleaners - i spent 3 months folding hotel sheets! (worst job ever.) but i am quite good at this - also best done while still warm from the dryer.
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by my blog too - wine cellar shots were taken from my use-what-i-can-find tripod, this time a wine keg. i've used mailboxes, shoes, bus stop benches... lol.
OMGosh, you are a lifesaver! I was just complaining the other day how plain annoying fitted sheets are. You have made my linen closet a happy place!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this! I can never fold a fitted sheet right! Hopefully I can now:)
ReplyDeleteHave a great Tuesday!
That's how I do mine too. My Mom taught me.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer! I didn't know how to do this either, but as a newlywed, I guess I should learn now, huh?! Thanks for commenting on the link up I did with you for "what I'm into". Pure Barre is such an awesome exercise! I'm an instructor at the PB studio here in Bham and I've lost 10 lbs in 2 months. I feel incredible, I hope you can check it out sometime!
ReplyDelete-Heather @ www.savingmoneylivinglife.com
I never change our sheets, so I don't have to fold them.... HA... dreaming again! My mom taught me years ago how to fold sheets. With a family of 7 I was doing laundry at a very early age.
ReplyDeleteYou know, my husband had to teach me this after we got married (almost 13 years ago). I just wadded up my fitted sheet and tossed it in the closet. Now I do it right :)
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!! I knew there had to be a trick out there somewhere, I'd just never thought to look for it!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! Along w/ so many others, it is frustrating beyond belief folding those things!
ReplyDeleteShellagh
I swear I'm going to try this but I know it's still going to be a tangled mess of cotton!
ReplyDeleteAnd i thought the only way to deal with a fitted sheet was to fold it in half and roll - who knew? ;). of course if i wash them and put them stright back on the bed i don't have to fold them at all - I like that plan.
ReplyDeleteNow I will try this one out and when i show my mum she will fall off her chair too and run to her linen cupboard to grab a sheet to try it.
That's the way I do it too......although I have no idea where I learned how??????
ReplyDeleteMine never turnout like that! I am going to have to try again... step by step with your tutorial! Thank you!! :)
ReplyDelete~Jennifer
www.studiojru.com
I hate fitted sheets. I need a hands on demonstration.
ReplyDeleteAs a Single Nester, this will come in handy. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWOW. It was that simple?! Honestly? I've tried everything...crumpling into a ball....cutting off the elastic....sleeping on a box....banging my head against a wall....while those all temporarily made me feel better, I think I should go home and try this. I am so excited! haha AND...so glad you found me! Your blog is darling and will be addicting.. I can already tell!
ReplyDeleteIs it wrong that I don't care? Fitted sheets can just be rolled into a somewhat square shape and then jammed into my closet. Maybe this is too much information....
ReplyDelete