Conquering the Dreaded Fitted Sheet (How to Fold Sheets so That Look Like They Could be on Display)

Those of you who know me, you are aware of the hate-hate relationship that I've had over the years with the vile fitted sheet.  All kinds of stall tactics to never, ever have to fold them were implored.  From washing, drying and remaking the bed all in the same day (with the same set of sheets) to just wadding the thing up in a ball...I realized when the thought of reorganizing our linen closed made me break out in a cold sweat (because THAT sheet was in there), I had a problem.  I don't know what gave me the courage to finally face my issue head on (it could have been the 4 cups of coffee), but after ehrhumm5hourserhhhcough, cough...I finally put the sheet "to bed." [Pun intended.]  Here is a step by step on how:

  

Take your flat sheet and fold it in half, then
going the opposite way, half again so that
it is in quarters.  Lay it out on a flat surface
(either a table or bed will do).

Some fitted sheets do not have the elastic
that goes all the way around.  If so in your
case, find the four corners of the sheet
(where they've sewn in the side seams
to allow for the mattress's thickness).
take two of the seams and pinch them
together.  With your other hand take the
other two seams, pinch them together.
The sheet should sag like a "u" between your
two hands.

Take the two sets of pinched seams and
bring them together, folding the sheet
in half loosely.

You see here that I have the four pinched
seams in my left hand and I am straightening
out the un-elasticized edge with my right.
I stuck to fingers into the loops and pulled
them taught. 

Then I found the sewn in mattress thickness
seam allowance and flipped all four into one
another and using my left hand made the
sheet fold into itself while holding the looped
portion of the edge in my right hand.

Gently lay the sheet down on top of the
flat sheet so that it looked like this.  I
never realized that there could actually be
two flat folds (on the right and bottom of
the picture). 

Taking the left third of the flat sheet, fold
it onto itself with the fitted sheet inside.

Fold right third into the middle.

Next fold the pillow cases (all but one for
the set).

Fold down in half.

Fold up into quarter.

Fold from left to right.

Fold again from left to right.  Repeat for
each case (except for one).

Go back to sheets.  Fold in half from
top to bottom.

Fold in a third from top.

Fold remaining third up and then flip over
so that the seams are on the bottom.

Lay out the remaining pillow case so that
it is longer from left to right.  (I put the
open end on the right.  Place sheets on
top of pillowcase towards the left (un-open
end of the the case); then, lay the folded
pillowcases on top of the sheets. 

While holding the pillowcases tight to the
sheets, put your left hand under the bottom
pillowcase (like a spatula) and fold the items
over towards the right.

Fold over again from left to right.

Your sheets/cases should look a burrito.

Add the finishing touches by stuffing the
extra pillowcase into the sheets' crevices.

Wallah!  Isn't it beautiful??!!??

I hope that this tutorial helps you.  It is possible that in the near future (when I get the guts up to go on camera) that there'll be a video which may be even more helpful.

Myself, I've done this three times since figuring it out and it just keeps getting easier...no more dreaded fitted sheet.  We're friends.