Fold a fitted sheet into a rectangle

Before you start

Start with a dry sheet and clear a bed or table to finish the folds. Find the four stitched corner pockets by following the elastic edge. On a large sheet, it can be easier to lay it flat and nest the corners there instead of holding the whole sheet up.

Tools and materials

• Clear bed or table

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Start with one long edge

   Put a hand into each of the two corner pockets along the same long edge, with the inside of the sheet facing you. Let the rest of the sheet hang down or rest on the bed.

2. 2

   Nest two corners at a time

   Bring one hand to the other. Flip the corner from one hand over the pocket on the other so their seams stack together. Find the remaining two corners along the other long edge and nest them the same way.

3. 3

   Stack all four pockets

   Bring the two pairs together and flip one pair over the other so all four corner seams sit in one hand. Lay the sheet on the bed with the gathered elastic at one end and one side. Smooth the cloth out from the stacked corners.

4. 4

   Fold the elastic inward

   Fold the gathered side inward first, then the gathered end. You should have a rough rectangle with the elastic tucked inside. Fold lengthways and then across until the bundle fits your shelf.

Check the result

Run a hand over the rectangle to flatten any trapped air. Set the bundle on the shelf with the folded edge facing out. If it unrolls as you lift it, fold the last third inward and tuck the loose edge into the fold.