How to Fold a Bed Sheet

There's nothing nicer than a bed made up with a nice clean sheet, or sheets that are nicely folded look attractive and inviting in a linen closet or cedar chest. The only problem is that sheets can be difficult to fold if you don't have four hands. Add the fact that so many people have king size beds and the whole problem of drying and folding the sheets becomes a hassle and a half.It's always easier to fold sheets on a large flat surface, but often this isn't feasible. These instructions will work well for folding large and small sheets while standing. The floor of the area on which you are working should be clean. Although single bed sheets can be folded by a person of average height without their dragging on the floor, it is very difficult to fold a king size sheet without part of it pooling on the floor during part of the process.

Instructions

Folding a Flat Sheet

1. Remove the sheet from the dryer when it is still warm. Warm sheets will fold smoothly, creating a more pleasant finished appearance.

2. Align two flat sheet corners.

3. Follow the edges of the sheet with one hand and align the other two sheet corners. This will result in all four corners of the sheet being placed together.

4. Hold the open end of the sheet, which has now been folded in fourths and shake it gently. The folded end, which is dangling, should drape smoothly, without tucks.

5. Fold the sheet lengthwise, bringing the open end to the folded end.

6. Fold the sheet crosswise.

7. Continue folding the sheet, alternating lengthwise and crosswise, as many times as is necessary to make a rectangle small enough to accommodate your shelf space.

8. Pat the sheet, creasing the edges slightly.

Folding a Fitted Sheet

1. Select a warm dry sheet and align two ends, fitting one pocket created by the elastic into the other.

2. Follow the edge of the sheet with your other hand until you come to the opposite end and nestle the third and fourth elastic pockets into the first two. The sheet is now folded in quarters with all four elastic ends nestled together.

3. Fold the elastic edges in toward the center of the quartered sheet until you create a rectangle.

4. Grasp the newly positioned elastic portion securely, and fold the sheet lengthwise. You should now have a sheet folded in eighths. The elastic should be concealed in the fold, and the sheet should be rectangular in shape.

5. Fold the sheet crosswise and then lengthwise again, continuing to fold until the sheet is the size of any previous sheets you've folded of the same pattern.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are near the dryer or another flat surface, even a small one, place the fitted sheet on this surface to position the elastic pockets for folding. The trickiest part of the process is positioning the four pockets along the quartered sheet in order to create a rectangle.

• Add lavender water to the final rinse water and your linens will stay sweet smelling.