The Damsel has been asked to teach a lesson on folding fitted sheets. You know, the ones you sort of roll up in a ball and stuff in the linen closet, because trying to fold it looks no better anyway?
But before the lesson, here’s another idea to consider. It’s called “No-Linen-Closetology”, from the book It’s Here…Somewhere by Alice Fulton and Pauline Hatch. This mind-bending idea is to have just two sets of sheets for any bed in your house. One set is on the bed, the other is stored flat in between the mattress and box springs. The plan is, you wash your sheets and then put them right back on your bed. The stored set is for emergencies. Thus, you need no linen closet. Extra blankets and pillows will need a home somewhere else, in storage boxes under the bed or another likely place.
Before you start hatin’ on this, think about what a whole extra closet could do for your home organization. It’s just an idea…give it some thought.
Now then. Folding those pesky fitted sheets.
The Damsel enlisted a sprog to help with these pictures because there was just no way.
Hold the sheet lengthwise with a hand in each fitted corner.
Slip one fitted corner over the other.
Lay this down carefully, and do the same with the other two corners.
Now pick them up, two nested corners in each hand, looking to see that the sheet hanging between isn’t twisted. Slip one hand over the other, so that now all four corners are nested inside each other.
Lay the sheet on a flat surface, the four corners at the upper left. The corners will make the top and left edges lap over the main part of the sheet. Slide your left hand up into the four corners to make it square, and flatten and straighten the whole thing into a rectangle.
Now fold the top edge down a third, and then a third again,
Making a nice flat rectangle.
Fold one more time.
And you’re done! This sweet little bundle will take up a lot less space than the rolled-up-in-a-ball way.
Extra credit: Some people like to put both the top and fitted sheets inside one of the pillowcases for that bed, making a neat little packet that keeps everything together. (Put any other pillowcases for that bed inside too.)
Bonus points: There are a couple of good YouTube videos showing this method if the still pictures aren’t clear for you. Here’s one: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z5k9nWcuFc]
Your grandmother gave this same demo to her college home ec class a hundred years ago. She would be proud of you!
I had no idea that there was a “way” to do it. I did it that way because it made sense.
But I don’t do it on all fours, I’ll have to work on that!
Interesting. I did it part way like that, but not all the way. I’ll have to try that next week!
it works…it really does.
Awww! That’s so fun to know.
Great ideas! All of them. Great tips for organization, storing in the pillowcase and the YouTube video… You, girl, are a one-stop shop!–alison
http://www.cluckandtweet.com
(we’ll see if this works
I LOVE the idea of putting all the sheets and pillow cases in the one pillow case. I am also a fan of having only and emergency set under each mattress. GREAT idea.
Thanks…. I have only recently been cursing my fitted sheets. I bow to your domestic superiority.
holee cow, I just found you in my spam comment thingy. That’s just not right.
Your link looks lovely.
Yeah! It can be done. Thank you. I would have never tried to do it that way.
I have always put the sheets right back on the bed to avoid all that folding and wadding up. But with no laundry room in The Galveston condo complex (most owners have their own washer/dryer), I have to bring the sheets back to Shiner to wash them, or go to a laundromat (which I don’t do). So, now I need two sets of sheets for each bed there, and I have to fold them. Yep, I have been “wadding up” the fitted ones.
That’s sweet! Sheesh and all these time I was worried because I only have two sets of sheets for my bed…Who knew I was being awesome?
I wanna hear when you try it!
You’re always being awesome, even when you don’t mean to.
Sweet goodness! You’re very welcome to trot on over and fold my sheets any day!
That is quite clever! I never knew there was a way to fold them so nicely. I do get them folded and the squish them down to look a little less balled up. I do have only two sets of sheets for each bed and primarily use one set, now I know to just store the other set under the mattress. Thanks for such great advice!
I am totally going to stick my extra sheets under the mattress! Cause I don’t HAVE a linen closet. I was too busy admiring the pantry in the model home to notice. And so my sheets take up valuable space where more lovely shoes might find a home!
What a fabulous idea to store the extra set under the mattress. I used to have a wonderful elderly neighbor who folded her sheets beautifully and then tied them in ribbons that were color coded by the bed they belonged to. She kept a legend taped to the inside of her linen closet door. I can do the folds but the rest was just too much organization for me! Under the bed suits me great!
The only easier way to fold sheets is to open your windows and burst into song, so the birds will fly in and start folding things, like in a Disney movie.
Those pesky linen closets! Who needs ‘em?
I store extra pillows under my head.
eh. Ribbons? oh dear. Another thing to guilt about.
Love it! Love it! From someone who doesn’t have enough closet space, thank you for the great ideas.
This is brilliant. Really. I am so excited.
teehee! I know! I got really excited about it too, lol.
Dearest and most well-loved Damsel,
I just succeeded in folding a fitted sheet. It was a most satisfying exercise, and I thank you kindly for this helpful information.
cheers,
a loyal reader
I found it oddly fascinating!