How to Fold a Fitted Sheet
February 2, 2010 at 12:45 am Chad Upton 6 comments
There are not many household items that are more frustrating than elastic border fitted sheets. On the bed, they work great. In the closet, they’re a nightmare.
Trying to fold a fitted sheet is the adult version of the kids toy that teaches you a square peg doesn’t fit in a round hole. It’s designed to test patience, induce anxiety and destroy self-confidence.
Folding a deformed oval into a tidy rectangle is not meant to happen. The closest I ever got was a triangle and I was pretty happy with it. Usually, it’s a big mess that doesn’t fit the description of any defined shape. Conveniently, that makes it very easy to spot in the closet when you need it.
The scale of this problem got me wondering if there are scientists somewhere, working on a mathematical model to describe the shape of a fitted sheet, so they can ultimately solve the problem of folding it. If there are not, there should be. I like to believe our brightest minds in our best schools are solving our greatest mysteries; solutions that could explain problems we haven’t even encountered yet.
Until then, some people on youtube have some really good ideas.
I watched about a dozen videos on this topic and most have slightly different solutions. The video I have selected for you to watch is all one take; I think that’s important since it clearly shows how to get from one step to another. It’s less than two and a half minutes, and worth every bit.
For those who don’t have video player capabilities, I can’t explain it better than you can see it, so click here for a photo series that also shows the steps.
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Entry filed under: Around The House, Geek, ProTips. Tags: fitted, fold, home, house, protip, sheet.
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1.
Paulo | February 2, 2010 at 10:35 am
That looks too tricky for me…
Though the trick would be to look at one in the package when you buy it and reverse engineer it – though its probably done exactly how this girl did it…
You are right though Chad – I have no problem identifying which is the fitted and which is flat based on my folding attempts and that is a plus in my books…
2.
Chad Upton | February 2, 2010 at 11:28 pm
Paul, I never thought of reverse engineering a packaged sheet. Great idea. I wonder if it will make it any easier or if it holds true to other types of packaging, where once you take it out it’s almost impossible to put it back.
If somebody is buying a fitted sheet anytime soon, please let us know!
3.
Mark Alford | February 2, 2010 at 7:45 pm
I don’t know. The wad-it-up-and-stuff-the-other-sheets-on-top-of-it method has worked well for me so far…
4.
Chad Upton | February 2, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Keep it real.
5.
Stacey | April 13, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I don’t generally fold… i roll. Getting the fitted sheet to be a column is easy enough. I just fold the flat into a column of similar width, pop the fitted sheet on top with any matching pillow cases and then roll the lot up like a tent. Do it slow enough and you end up with not so many wrinkles, too.
6.
K Duvall | August 7, 2010 at 10:08 am
WOW, I could have taught my Mom this! I always wondered how fitted sheets fit in the linen closet!