How to fold a fitted sheet

Last year, by strange co-incidence, my two sisters and I all found ourselves visiting my parents in the same weekend. After much wine had been consumed (and Dad had vacated to his room), I showed my mum and sisters some of my "party pieces". Namely, my ability to fold a T-shirt in under 4 seconds, and knickers and fitted sheets into small squares.

Two of them were really impressed. The eldest sister was rather alarmed that I put so much thought and effort into folding. Anyway, each time I do my laundry I think "I should blog this" so I am.

Obviously, I realise that there are far more important things in life and this is another one of those "things you never knew you needed to know". But someone might just enjoy having tidy cupboards as much as I . So...

Step One:
Gather all the elasticated corners over one fist. Get them all facing the same way and evenly placed. I should point out here that this method works best with ironed sheets but frankly I didn't want you all to think I was the kind of woman who irons her sheets when there's wine to be drunk and fun things to make.

Step Two:

Lay the sheet (which is now folded roughly up into 4) on a bed, floor or table. Put your corner ruched bit in the top right. Spend a minute smoothing out the edges, and making sure that the sides are matched together.

Step Three: Outside view

Inside the corner should look like this.

Fold the right edge in until it makes a right angle with the stitched bit of the gathered corner. Fold the corner in on itself, and do the same with the top section. You should now have two sides folded inwards with the gathered corner piece now in a neat right angle.

Step Four:

Now the sheet is square(ish), you can fold in half, and half again, making a neat rectangle to be stored. If you have ironed your sheet like I always do (a-hem!), it will be crisp and lovely next time you put it on your bed.

Hurrah for being a perfect housewife!