How to fold a fitted sheet.
Written by Annie on January 6th, 2010Well, here you go.
A few things:
1. Thank you to Lyndsay and Lauren for coming over at midnight to help film this.
2. I actually managed to do 3 things from my list in this video:
a. fold a fitted sheet
b. make myself laugh [normal- happens all the time]
c. make my friends laugh
3. I did not, however, read a book from start to finish in this video.
4. I usually don’t make videos longer than 4 minutes, but sometimes tutorials are a bit lengthy. Sorry bout it.
5. Don’t judge my bookcase. I know. It’s a sickness. But I’m a writer. It’s my “job.”
6. Thanks to Janet for teaching our group of friends to fold a fitted sheet and for teaching us that other thing too [regarding my lip and wax and let's not talk about it]. I will always consider you a sensei of sorts.
7. I got a FlipCam for Christmas! No more lisp when I make videos! Yay!! [though I don't know why it's wide screen. rude.]
8. This was kinda fun. What other video blog ideas do you have for me? Bring it.





6
AM
Those were some mighty fiiine geometrical shapes you made there, woot! Your video has inspired me to open my drawer of shame and put it to rights!
6
AM
Hilarious. I do wonder if I’m the only reader who’s also seen this: http://thepipers.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet-a-video-tutorial/
Look at that! You’re in the company of greatness! (Or, really, Greatness’s daughter-in-law).
Love the sweeping arm motions at :52.
Here’s an idea– Get JANET to do a video on how to floss your teeth. She’s seriously an expert.
6
AM
Ummm… when I capitalized “Greatness” in that last comment, it’s not because I worship John Piper. It’s only because, literarily, and linguistically, it was the way to explain myself.
6
AM
that was adorable, annie!!
6
AM
I cant wait to watch this. I CANNOT fold them and just scrunch them into a ball and throw them in my linen closet. Which is really just more of a mess than a linen closet, but whatever.
6
AM
I learned that trick from Martha Stewart. It changed my life! And by “changed” I, of course, mean that it fed into the “OCD” I already have about LOTS of things.
Must be an Annie-thing…
6
AM
Ready to take it up a notch? Take the fitted sheet, the flat sheet, and 1 pillow case (assuming it’s a double set or larger & comes with 2 pillowcases) and put them neatly INSIDE the other pillowcase. Fold the outside pillowcase neatly AROUND the other parts to the set and you have a neat little package containing all parts to the set. All of your stuff stays together that way. And you can take the dryer sheet that was used in washing that load of laundry (not a new one – too harsh) and put it in the “package” too. Will keep everything smelling nice and clean.
And that, my friend, is a hint from Robyn.
6
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Janet is still my hero. I love all of our ask Janet sessions. She taught us almost everything we need to know and oh the laughter. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while.
6
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A) My only problem is that I have to sweep and probably mop before I can finish my laundry. Ha.
B) If I were single, I’d probably try to marry you.
C) I’m tempted to call you Julia.
6
AM
Some time last year I wrote a tender post about things my mom taught me. Offhandedly, I mentioned that she taught me how to fold a fitted sheet. Did my friends comment on all the other deep and spiritual stuff? No. All they wanted to know about was how to fold a fitted sheet. I actually thought about making a video tutorial but never got around to it. But I, too, got a FlipCam for Christmas and so maybe we’ll do a mom/daughter video this year. Or I could just send my friends here to watch your video. Yeah, that’s probably what’s going to end up happening.
6
AM
I love Robyn’s tip…
I learned to fold a fitted sheet by asking a laundromat employee when I was in college. It’s one question I have always been glad I asked!
I’ll miss the lisp, actually, but I look forward to more Annie Videos!
God bless.
6
AM
Next up, how to skin a duck…i think that was it…now that doesn’t seem right
6
AM
Annie…love the tutorial..I was just teaching Josh how to iron again yesterday; he said he needed a refresher and that it was too hard to keep the laptop on the iron and follow directions at the same time. NOw I can turn him to you to learn to fold sheets…that is, if I can get him to actually take them off the bed and wash them. What is a mother to do?
By the way, for real luxury, iron your sheets. I only do that for my bed…my kids think I am nuts so I will not waste my time on that unappreciated indulgence. I tell you, if you ever start though…you never want to sleep on just folded sheets again. They are so smooth and soft. The kicker is though, if you iron them, you get to be the first one to lay on them…all that hard work gets to be appreciated by you first. Lovew you!
6
AM
I’ve only made it halfway through this video because my kids won’t leave me alone to watch it in peace. They insist on being clothed and fed. Gah. Anyway, I’ve actually heard about making those corners straight, etc. So I guess my problem is really not that I don’t know how to fold a fitted sheet, it’s that I don’t care enough to do it well. A fatal flaw. I used to do Robyn’s trick, but when I got to the fitted sheet, I’d usually just wad it up in a ball and jam it down in the pillowcase.
I am a domestic wonder.
And I thank you for this video. I shall study it with care during the quiet of nap time.
6
AM
Too Funny Annie. You made me laugh! Although, I can’t say I learned how to fold a fitted sheet from this because I couldn’t see what you were doing. So, I was a little confused. Need more verbal direction!
6
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Annie!
Loved this! I laughed and learned something useful! Double duty! Thanks for posting this…hilarious!
6
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magic
6
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I miss you. The end.
6
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Annie! You have NO IDEA how hard i laughed when you started talking about the hotdog & hamburger ways!!! My mom & i run a bakery and i am always referring to putting trays of stuff into the ovens (different things go different ways) either the hotdog or hamburger way. She thinks that i TOTALLY made that way of expressing long & short up!! So i happily carried my laptop downstairs so she could watch this and see for herself that it’s not just me who learned the hotdog & hamburger ways in elementary school! AND, i grew up in Chicago and you grew up in Atlanta (right?)!! COMPLETELY different areas of the country! HA! So thank you for settling that between us. Oh, and thank you for showing me how to fold a sheet! I can never seem to get the hang of it.
6
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Thank you!! I am 38 years and have never been able to fold a fitted sheet. My mom is the QUEEN of folding fitted sheets, but sadly, I did not inherent the gene for that. Your way makes so much sense now!
6
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This makes me so happy.
6
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Sweet! Thanks for the help!
6
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Annie. I come here all the time. Sorry I’m not a big commenterer. But when I read the title this afternoon, I thought, ‘Yay! She’s going to teach me how to fold a fitted sheet!’ Because every time I try to fold a fitted sheet, I can’t do it. NOW. I know. And it’s all thanks to you, Annie. My fitted sheets will be folded properly now. Thank you Annie!
6
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My life will never be the same again, Annie Downs. I’m going home right now to fold all of my fitted sheets correctly. Seriously.
6
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Just more love for you, Annie! I was just teaching my 16 y.o. how to do this a couple of weeks ago. I have to do mine on the kitchen table, though. If I got down on the floor, I might never get up again!
6
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This is great! I’m truly impressed with your folding abilities, and I’m definitely going to try this!Thank you! Had never heard of the hamburger/hotdog fold.
6
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I know how to fold a bottom sheet too! I found your video so fun I couldn’t stop watching. And, I thought I knew it all, HOWEVER, I did not know about the hot dog/hamburger. (wow that was a lot of commas)
I have read your posts at (in)courage, I’m glad BooMama sent me over here tonight.
6
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That is awesome!
6
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I never comment on blogs, but I have a confession for you. I’m at home alone and my dog is now looking at me funny because you literally made me LOL! The end of the video is the best piece of comedy I’ve seen in a long time. Gotta go now….I have a linen closet to organize.
6
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And now that I have finally watched this thing all the way to the end, I can say definitively that you are way cooler than Martha. And funnier, too.
6
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this video is great. it inspires me to go home and fold all the sheets we own. thanks for the great demo and for making my day a little brighter with smiles and laughter.
6
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Oh how this made me smile! I got me a little OCD and to hear someone so beautifully explain how to fold a fitted sheet was the perfect ending to the day (especially after your video started but saying some people wad it in a ball – horrors!) I think I will use your video (with proper credit) to teach others! Thank you…oh, and now did I read you were next going to explain how to skin a duck? That should be quite educational as well!
6
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First of all thank you so much for showing my how to fold a fitted sheet. On old roommate showed me and I have forgotten.
Second of all, I recently moved from Murfreesboro to Chicagoland. It was nice to hear a little southern accent. Thanks
7
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This, my friend, is why I love blogging so much! Thanks for the tutorial. I am fighting the urge at 12:02 (AM mind you) to gather all my fitted sheets and give this a whirl. Thank you!
7
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Sheer Brilliance! I knew the trick about folding the corners into themselves, but not the top bottom part. That’s why my fitted sheets still looked terrible! I don’t think my Mom ever folded a set of sheets in her life, so I do have an excuse. I had no one to teach me. But, now I’ve been taught. I will probably have to watch this video at least 13 more times to actually get it down, but I have no excuse for terribly folded fitted sheets. Thanks! And truthfully, I think the fact that you can fold a fitted sheet should bring you many suiters. At least the ones that enjoy sleeping on non-wrinkled sheets!
7
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I found you through BooMama and oh my goodness, thank you! Love it!
7
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I also found through Boo Mama.
I was always very close to folding the sheets, but know I know the rest of the story!
Thanks
7
AM
Very impressive! I’m going to go try that out right now! I’m home on a snow day! Woo-Hoo!!!!
7
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LOL! OK the end of that had me rollin! Thanks for the tips! I was on the right track but never could get that perfect square. I will try harder next time. The thing I’ve found to help me fold is that I wash the sheets on the bed and then put them back on the bed and then I don’t have the fitted sheet dilema:) I also have to thank you for using the “hotdog” and “hamburger” fold techniques. When I’ve used that terminology to my husband he thought I was crazy. I’m glad I’m not!
7
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LOL! Too funny! I learned that I was folding the wrong corners together.
7
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This made. my. DAY. No, my week. LOVE it. Now, can you come to my house and show me?
7
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Oh, and I so wasn’t judging your bookshelf. I was drooling over it.
7
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I call it folding the corners.
So I’m not the last of the fitted sheets folders?
My good friend wads her sheets up and tosses them in a trunk in her bedroom. *shudder
And my daughters clearly think I’m ancient when I work my corner folding magic.
7
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1st time visitor. Can I just say you have just ended years of frustration and sheet abuse. Thank you.
7
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Thank you for making me laugh outloud…I still remember that night at your apt learning all those wonderful insights from Janet…what fun times!
8
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Debone a duck…I remembered last night while brushing my teeth at midnight…far more sense
8
AM
“You see how that’s a square? That’s a square.”
“Like theess!”
8
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i don’t know what’s scarier. that i have slept til 11:45 am today (it IS a snow day!!!) or the fact that i was dreaming about reading your blog right before i woke up. you were writing about how perfect your eyelashes were, that you didn’t need to wear any mascara and your mom was your biggest eyelash fan. WTF. what in the world?!?! LOVE your video. you are hysterical!
8
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Oh. My. Gosh. I have always wondered the right way to fold a fitted sheet. Has driven me c.r.a.z.y. all these years. Thank you!
And I’m thinkin’ definitely marriage material with that sense of humor!
9
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This…is….beautiful.
Thank you.
13
AM
Okay, that was so funny and I’m so jealous that you have girlfriends who will come over at midnight and help you make an instructional video. Can I borrow them?
Also, you really taught me something and I’ve been married for 10 years…so apparently my husband didn’t marry me for my sheet folding skills. But I do intend to teach these to my children!
14
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This is my first time visiting your blog. But lets just say after watching that video of you I think I’m here to stay! It’s not the whole fold a sheet correctly thing, it was you. You are great, from the get your friends to come over at midnight to the marry me comment to the crack yourself up part. Love it!
27
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My life will never be the same.
27
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Just wanted to tell you thank you–my hubby is watching the state of the union address and I watched this video–can’t say thank you enough!
30
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I LOVE THAT YOU DID THIS VIDEO!!!!! I have NEVER been able to fold a fitted sheet!!!! Thanks so much
31
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And today my boyfriend, Jason, folded his first absolutely perfect fitted sheet!!! I was really excited (and even took a pic). He wasn’t quite as excited as me—but he thought your tutorial was pretty cool!!!
12
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OK, the line ‘So marry me!’ … I died laughing.
I hang out here every once in awhile … just so you know. I think I found it through YLCF. Nice to meet you.
Megan