To fold a fitted sheet, turn it inside out, tuck the four elastic corners into one another so they stack, lay it flat, fold the curved edges in to make a rectangle, then fold it into thirds. Once the corners are nested it takes about a minute, and the method is the same for a Queen or a King. The steps below are written for deep-pocket sheets like the fitted sheet in our eucalyptus TENCEL sheet set, whose 18 inch pockets hold more fabric in each corner than a standard fitted sheet.
Why fitted sheets are hard to fold
A flat sheet is a rectangle. A fitted sheet is a rectangle with four three-dimensional pockets and elastic that pulls every edge into a curve, so it never lies flat on its own. The deeper the pocket, the more fabric sits in each corner: a sheet made for mattresses up to 20 inches deep has a lot of corner to manage. The trick is not to fight the corners but to stack them inside one another first, so that the sheet behaves like a flat one.
How to fold a fitted sheet in 7 steps
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Start inside out. Hold the sheet lengthwise, find the two corners along one short end, and slip a hand into each corner pocket so the seams face you.
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Nest the first two corners. Bring your hands together and fold the right corner over the left, so the right pocket fits over the left one like a cap. Both corners are now in your left hand.
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Add the third corner. With your free hand, find the corner hanging below your left hand, at the far end of the same long edge. Bring it up and fold it over the two you are holding, so all three sit inside one another.
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Add the last corner. Fold the fourth corner over the stack in the same way. All four corners are now nested in one hand and the sheet hangs in a long, narrow shape.
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Lay it flat. Put the sheet on a bed or table with the nested corners at the top and smooth it out. The elastic edges will form a curved outline.
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Square it off. Fold the curved long edges in toward the middle so the outline becomes a neat rectangle, with the elastic tucked out of sight.
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Fold to size. Fold the rectangle into thirds lengthwise, then in half or into thirds again, to fit your shelf.
Tips for deep-pocket sheets and corner straps
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Tuck the straps in first. If your fitted sheet has corner straps, as ours does, push each strap inside its pocket before you start, so it cannot catch as the corners nest.
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Flatten each corner as you go. Deep pockets leave a lot of fabric in the stack. Press each nested corner flat with your palm before you reach for the next one.
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Use the bed. A King fitted sheet is 76 x 80 inches before you count the pockets. Folding on the mattress gives you a surface large enough to lay it flat in one go.
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Hold the stack against you. If the corners keep slipping apart, hold the nested stack against your chest while you reach for the next corner.
The flat method, if you are folding alone
If folding in the air feels like wrestling, do it all on the bed. Lay the sheet flat and inside out. Fold it in half across its width, tucking the two corners of one short end into the two corners of the other. Then fold it in half along its length, tucking the doubled corners into each other so all four are stacked. From there, square off the curved edges and fold to size exactly as in steps 6 and 7 above. It is slower than the standing method but almost impossible to get wrong.
How to store a sheet set so it stays together
The simplest way to keep a set together is to store it inside one of its own pillowcases. Fold the flat sheet and one pillowcase to the same width as the folded fitted sheet, stack all three, and slide the stack into the second pillowcase. The whole set comes out of the cupboard in one piece, with nothing to hunt for on a busy morning.
Our Queen and King sheets share the same 18 inch pocket depth, so it is worth labelling the shelf or the stack by size. Store sheets in a cool, dry, ventilated cupboard rather than a sealed plastic bin, so they stay fresh between uses. Most households keep two sets per bed, one on and one in the wash; our guide to how often to change your sheets covers the rotation, and the Queen vs King sheet size guide covers which set fits which bed.
Keeping TENCEL sheets smooth after washing
Folding goes best with sheets that come out of the dryer smooth. Our sheets are machine wash cold and tumble dry low. Take them out as soon as the cycle finishes and fold them while they are still slightly warm, which stops creases from setting, and avoid packing the dryer so full that the sheets cannot tumble freely. Eucalyptus TENCEL has a naturally smooth surface, so most people find it needs no ironing at all. If you prefer a pressed finish, iron it while it is slightly damp on a low to medium setting.
For the detail on heat and drying, see can you put TENCEL in the dryer and does TENCEL shrink when washed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to fold a fitted sheet?
Nesting the four corners inside one another is what saves the time. Once they are stacked, a fitted sheet folds like a flat one. Standing up is fastest once you have the knack; the flat method on the bed is the most reliable while you are learning.
Why won't my fitted sheet fold into a neat square?
Usually because a corner is not fully nested, or because the curved elastic edges were folded in half rather than tucked in. Check that all four pockets sit inside one another, then fold the curved edges toward the middle before folding to size.
Should you start with a fitted sheet inside out?
Yes. Starting inside out means that when you fold one corner over another, the outer corner ends up right side out, so the finished fold shows the clean side of the fabric.
Do Queen and King fitted sheets fold the same way?
Yes. The method is identical. A King is 16 inches wider, so it helps to fold it on the bed, and the finished stack is a little wider. Shop our sheet sets in Queen and King.
