This Is Why Some People Skip a Fitted Sheet

You’ve probably heard that a top sheet can be controversial. Well, we’ve got some news for you. Some people only use top sheets. In fact, they use them in place of a fitted one.

While it might sound odd to ditch your fitted sheet in favor of a flat or top sheet, there are actually several reasons why it’s a practical decision. It’s also not anything new.

Using a flat sheet in place of a fitted option has been happening in hotels, hospitals, and the military for a while. In fact, back in 2015, Jay Shah, Hersha Hospitality Trust CEO, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that top sheets are likely to last longer. Not only will they not come undone from the mattress at night when tucked properly, but they don’t have the added issue of elastic wear and tear reducing life span.

Of course, we’re all familiar with storing and laundering a fitted sheet. While you can watch video tutorial upon video tutorial, folding a fitted sheet is still a wild ride for many. Most of the time that means a messy, crumpled pile in your linen closet that takes up more space and makes the area look less tidy.

Then, there’s washing them. If you’ve ever tossed a flat sheet, pillow case, or blanket into the dryer with a fitted sheet, you know they’ll likely need to be freed from an elastic cage. Thanks to the bands that keep fitted sheets on the bed, other items can bunch and wad up in the dryer, getting trapped inside the sheet.

Sold on switching out your fitted sheet for a flat one now? You’ll need to know how to make hospital corners. They’re simpler than you think.

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To make hospital corners:

• Lay your flat sheet over your mattress so all sides are even.
• Tuck the sheet at the foot of the bed under your mattress, leaving out the corners.
• Life up the leftover corner and create a 45-degree angle on top of the mattress.
• Tuck any leftover fabric along the bottom edge under the mattress.
• Let the fabric on top of the mattress drop and pull it tight to the edge.
• Tuck the sheet beneath the mattress forming a clean edge.
• Repeat on all corners.

If you’re tired of fighting with fitted sheets, it might be time to rethink your views on top sheets. However, we understand if you’d still rather forgo their traditional use.