How to fold bed linen compactly: storage ideas, useful storage hacks

Fold the blanket into an envelope

A small sequence of steps will turn a large blanket into a compact square in less than a minute.

So, how to fold a blanket correctly to avoid falling apart during storage:

Lay the blanket evenly on the bed or floor, straightening all the corners.
Fold the long edge closest to you under the main mass approximately to the elbow or more.
Fold the left side together with the folded part towards the center of the blanket.
Place the remaining side on top of the left. It should be a rectangle.
Fold the rectangle in half, turn it over to the other side and, grabbing the newly made pocket, turn it out, securing the entire structure.

Ready. The huge bedspread turned from a “monster” into a small princess pillow.

The surrounding area is spacious and light

Everything that surrounds a person in the house is not accidental. Any, even the most insignificant thing, can become for the owner that unique item that will improve your mood and fill you with joy.

That’s why it’s so important that every thing has its own place; as they say, the most important thing is order in the house.

If you use Marie Kondo's "How to Fold" guide, you can learn:

free up space from junk by folding things correctly;
maintain order in the closet for a long time without disturbing the arrangement of folded items;
Be a real master of your closet, managing things that are easy to see and control.

Marie Kondo claims that you can get rid of clutter and create perfect order in your home by using a regular closet or boxes of various sizes, for example, shoe boxes.

Storing bed linen in pillowcases

A basic, but no less ergonomic option for storing a bedding set on the shelves of a small closet.

This is convenient because you don’t have to rummage through your closet looking for pillowcases and duvet covers that match the print.

How to fold bed linen functionally:

Immediately set aside one pillowcase; it will serve as “packaging” for the remaining parts.
Start with a duvet cover, taking its folded size and future reference. Check that it fits easily into the pillowcase.
Sort through the sheets and other bedding pieces, trying to get everything to fit the same size.
Remove the stack evenly, lifting the edges of the “packaging” so that nothing falls out of bounds.

How to fold it beautifully as a gift

A beautiful bedding set is often used as a gift for newlyweds. It can either be in its original packaging or neatly folded by hand. The second option is done as follows:

Iron the set to reduce its volume.
Fold the duvet cover several times and place the four-fold sheet and pillowcases on it.
Tie the stack with matching ribbon and place in a box or gift bag.

It’s good if the original packaging is preserved, but you can do without it.
If the sets are voluminous, there are a lot of them, or they are supplemented with towels, then all the parts can be rolled up, tied together like a cake. A card with wishes is placed inside, and the composition itself is decorated with flowers and ribbons.

Storing fitted sheets in envelopes

Fitted sheets are both a reward and a punishment for their owners. An elastic band that always bends in the wrong direction puffs up the rest of the fabric, preventing everything from being folded neatly onto the shelf. But there is a way to tame stretched sheets, and not even just one.

First option:

While standing, fold the sheet in half along the long sides. Pull out the corners that are inside and place the structure on a horizontal surface.
Take the left side, lift it up and spread it with your palms. From the outside it should look like the letter T.
Place the right edge of the “letter” to the center of the sheet, and leave the opposite edge at the left edge.
Cover the left part with the right unfolded part so that the farthest corner is at the top of the structure.
Carefully turn the sheet over with the elastic band facing up, grab it and pull it toward you a couple of times. It should look like a “worm”.
Bend the left edge towards the center, inserting your hand into it.
Place the other part in the resulting niche, straighten it and put it in the closet.

The second option on how to store bed linen:

Place your palms in the far opposite corners.
Place the right one over the left one and straighten the sheet.
We do the same with the newly formed corners and straighten the fabric.
Lay everything out on the bed with the elastic corner facing right and up.
Fold the bottom side to the center and cover with the top.
Fold the “worm” into an envelope as in the previous method.

How to fold a fitted sheet

Bedding with elastic is quite comfortable and practical, but it is not always easy to fold it neatly. This can be done according to the following scheme:

Straighten the sheet with your hands so that no creases form when folding.
Place one corner inside the other. Do the same with the second pair of corners.
Carefully smooth out the resulting rectangle.
Roll up the sheet so that the elastic is placed inside.
Fold the sheet again. The resulting square can be sent for storage.

Sorted textiles that are not used this season can be put on the top shelf so that they do not interfere.

Marie Kondo's method

A popular, slightly minimalist way to store bedding items, where everything is strictly divided into categories and drawers.

How to fold bed linen using the Konmari method:

Start by choosing separate shelves for each type of linen (sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers).
Place everything in small, even piles.
Turn the stack over as if you were holding books in your hands.
In this position, put the accessories in the closet.

Storing bed linen using this method is convenient because, if necessary, taking one thing from the shelf does not have to disturb the full structure. Just pull out the necessary thing as if from a file cabinet without any problems.

How not to store bedding

You should not place the cabinet in places with high levels of humidity, for example, next to the bathroom, as this will cause things to suffocate. The best place for this is the bedroom. There are also other prohibitions:

Linen should not be stored dirty or damp.
High and low temperatures have a bad effect - places at the base of the cabinet (at least 20 cm from the floor), near balconies and windows, near heating appliances are contraindicated.
Storage in plastic bags and plastic boxes is contraindicated - this will lead to a musty smell. An exception is vacuum bags - the absence of oxygen will help maintain freshness for a long time.

We put the kits into rolls

In this form, the linen accessories take up very little space, look neat and are easy to remove. If you are not afraid of creases, then this option is for you:

Fold a sheet or duvet cover into a middle rectangle.
Do the same with the remaining components, reducing the size by two to three times.
Place the smaller rectangle in the center of the larger one and roll everything into a “roll”.
To prevent laundry from falling apart, fold the rolls seam side down.

Instead of a large rectangle, you can take a pillowcase as a base and put everything inside, and then roll it up.

The optimal number of sets of linen for one family

There are never too many bedding sets, every woman understands this. Previously, the entire range was limited only to white lingerie, but nowadays you can find sets of any color, quality and for any budget. I don’t want to limit myself with such a large choice. Still, let’s figure out what the optimal amount of bed linen is needed for one family.

Let’s say 3 people (mom, dad and child) permanently live in an apartment. Accordingly, their home has 2 sleeping places. For each of them you need 2 sets of bed linen (permanent and replacement). Another bedding set is needed in case guests spend the night. It turns out that the optimal amount of bedding for a family of three is 5 pieces.

So we looked at simple and practical ways to fold bed linen. They will help you not only bring order to your closet, but also prevent chaos. After some time, you will forget some of what you read in this article, but the skills you learn will remain forever.

Fold laundry in an envelope

The beauty of these envelopes is that in tandem with the konmari method, the bedding sets will look as if they were folded along a ruler. How to properly fold bed linen into envelopes:

First, fold the duvet cover lengthwise, then crosswise, and lengthwise again.
Do the same procedure with the sheet, adding another circle of folds.
Fold pillowcases into squares.
Now place everything on top of the duvet cover in the center, starting from the largest.
Bend the left goal of the structure to the middle, feel for a pocket inside it and place the second part there.

The neat and compact envelope is ready. You can combine such sets according to your categories (colors, sizes, etc.).

Where to store?

It is worth noting that at the moment the closet and chest of drawers are far from the only places to store bedding sets. Laundry tightly packed on shelves can often harbor moths and spoil things. Recently, special covers have become very popular among housewives. They come in different sizes and can be hung or for horizontal storage.

Another convenient innovation is vacuum bags. In this way you can save space, since things in such a bag become much more compact. They are convenient for storing spare sets for guests or things that will definitely not be used in the near future. The bags protect laundry from moth larvae and other negative factors, such as humidity.

How to fold bed linen in a closet

To economically distribute space on the shelves, you can fold bed linen in any convenient way. However, this is not enough. To prevent it from becoming damp and smelling bad, it is important to keep it completely dry. After ironing with steam, the set must cool down so that all moisture is removed from it.

All textiles in the closet are folded so that it is well ventilated

If things are stored on a shelf in a closet without packaging, then you need to protect them from moths and other insects. For this purpose, aromatic sachets, pieces of laundry soap with a pleasant smell, citrus peels and scented scarves are used. They are laid out between the linen, thereby giving it an aroma of freshness. Particular attention should be paid to textiles made from natural silk. It is most often affected by moths, which is why the use of pest control products is an urgent need. Advice! It is best to store bedding on a shelf in drawers or boxes with holes for ventilation.

How to pack bed linen

Plastic bags for storing laundry are not suitable, even if this is the original packaging. The bedding quickly acquires an unpleasant musty smell. It is best to put kits that are intended for long-term storage in vacuum bags for things. They reliably protect against dust, moisture, pollution, and various insects. And most importantly, the laundry stays fresh.

How to properly fold things in a closet: by type, methods, VIDEO instructions

Vacuum-packed laundry becomes several times smaller, which significantly saves space

How to fold bed linen in a chest of drawers

A separate chest of drawers for storing bed linen and towels is an excellent option. In deep drawers, textiles retain their qualities well. However, you need to choose a suitable place for the furniture. It should be in a dry room, because the temperature and humidity in the room should not change much. This causes textiles to deteriorate during storage. Mold spots and an unpleasant odor appear on it.

Before putting sets in dresser drawers, you need to make sure that they do not allow direct sunlight to pass through and that they close tightly. Otherwise, the laundry will dry out, become shabby and lose color. White may have yellow stains that cannot be washed. However, you need to ventilate the chest of drawers regularly so that the textiles do not acquire a musty smell and moths do not settle on them.

It is most convenient to fold textiles in a chest of drawers in a vertical way. The drawers are quite narrow and deep, all sets will be visible. And it’s very easy to get them out, without having to disturb the entire row. The order in such a chest of drawers will remain for a long time.

Many housewives prefer to fold textiles according to seasonality. Bedding that is not currently in use is sent to the lowest drawers. It is packaged according to all rules.

All textiles are sorted for convenience. Note! It is not the best option to put textiles for storage in bedside drawers or ottomans. There is too little space for normal organization.

How to fold bed linen in a suitcase

When planning a trip, you need to pack your suitcase compactly and don’t forget about your bed linen. So that it takes up less space and is easy to get, it is better not to stack it.

It’s more convenient to fold the kit and things into a roll, then even a small suitcase will fit everything you need

Experienced housewives advise putting bedding and other bulky items in vacuum bags that take up little space. They are very comfortable and you can put your used laundry in them on the way back.

And finally, about the service life of bed linen. Housewives don’t even think about this parameter. And in vain! Each fabric has its own wear resistance, which depends not only on quality, but also on storage conditions.

Bedding intended for winter is made of flannel fabrics, which, if properly used, will last on average about five years. Such kits are short-lived, so they need to be treated with extreme caution.

Calico of medium density will last a little longer. The kits will have to be replaced after 7-9 years.

Natural fabrics of the highest quality, such as cotton and linen, will last up to 10 years. Bedding made of artificial silk and satin - from 10 to 12 years. Underwear made from natural silk is rightfully considered the most durable. Its service life reaches 15 years.

How to easily tuck a blanket

If your duvet “monster” eats up a lot of time and effort when changing the duvet cover, then this life hack will make life much easier. But it is only suitable for underwear with a cutout on the smaller side.

Method to tuck a blanket faster:

Place the duvet cover turned inside out on the bed with the neckline facing up.
Lay the blanket flat on top of it and bend its bottom corners so that the bottom is angular.
Fold the linen fabric on top as well.
Start rolling the blanket from the bottom.
Turn the finished “roll” through the cutout and straighten it.

The duvet is tucked into the duvet cover in less than two minutes.

The advantage of vertical

As Marie Kondo repeatedly points out in her guide to stacking things vertically, this option is especially suitable for small storage containers, such as chests of drawers.

Having carefully sorted and sorted things, you need to treat them like good friends or flowers: stroke them, thank them, that is, charge them with positive emotions.

The most important rule, which is described in Marie Kondo's book “How to Shelf,” is the use of vertical storage. Anyone who uses this storage method can note the practicality and comfort in using things. With this method of folding clothes, it is important to control the nuance so that the height of the folded item does not exceed the height of the drawer.

Helpful storage tips

To ensure that your laundry lasts longer and is not damaged during storage, here are some care recommendations:

If you have time, do not neglect ironing your bedding. This makes them easier to fold, and additional heat treatment never hurts.
Have two similar or identical sets. If you need to change one pillowcase or just the sheet, the rest of the linen won't get mixed up.
Buy or make your own fastenings for the sheet so that it does not slide off the mattress.

How to ensure compact storage

A few recommendations on how to ensure compact placement of home textiles in a closet:

It is better to give preference to natural materials, since synthetic fabrics are very slippery and very difficult to fold;
After washing, it is advisable to iron the fabric. This action allows you to destroy microbes and provide ease of storage;
If there are elastic bands on the edges of the sheet, you need to put its corners on top of each other, and then fold them into the middle and continue folding until the size is reduced to the required level;

When you need to fold a pillowcase, first of all you need to bend the inner pocket properly if there are no fasteners;
If you put home textiles in separate piles, you can save a lot of space in your closet;
It is very important to put the set in a pillowcase. If you fold all the bedroom textiles in this way, they will not come apart.

Baskets and containers

If the size of the closet allows, you can store each set of linen in a separate basket or small container. The appearance of the shelves becomes orderly, and it is much more convenient to remove laundry. The process of removing the required bedding set does not disturb neighboring things in any way and does not create a mess in the closet.

Preparation

First, get rid of unnecessary, old, long-forgotten and unused things on the shelves. They litter the space of cabinets and chests of drawers. In search of the right set of linen, you have to rummage through a large number of things. You don’t always have the time or desire to put everything in its place. As a result, after a couple of weeks, order in the closet is replaced by complete chaos, which is annoying.

It is worth taking care of the condition of the duvet covers, pillowcases and sheets themselves. Ironed items are more convenient to fold, and they become much smaller in volume and can be placed more compactly. Therefore, one of the main points of cleaning the closet is ironing the bedding sets. Many housewives use the steam function when ironing clothes. This helps remove wrinkles better. And if you add 1-2 drops of aromatic oil to the water, the bedding will not only be smooth and neat, but will also literally begin to smell fragrant. To prevent wrinkles from appearing on clothes, before ironing they must be shaken and spread well on the surface of the ironing board.

To arrange the kits conveniently, it is advisable to sort them. Indeed, in the cold season and summer, most people use different bedding. If it's winter outside, you'll need sets made of thicker fabric. They should be placed closer, while light summer linen can be put away deep in the shelves. During the warm season, bedding is sorted in the opposite way, as lightweight and breathable pillowcases, duvet covers and sheets will be used.