No one likes to make their bed every morning and flat sheets do nothing to make it easier. They quickly get untucked and crumple and give the whole bed an untidy, ruffled look. To our good fortune, On Oct. 6, 1959, Berman Betha patented something called ‘fitted sheets’.

Fitted sheets are custom made according to the size of a mattress and are stretched over it and have elastic bands on the corners which hold it in place. Now ideally fitted sheets are the best type of bed sheets as they are not supposed to crumble or get loosened but like everything, they’re not perfect and often become a nuisance. However, we do have some ideas in order to know how to keep fitted sheets tights until they come up with better ones:

Making Sure It’s The Right Fit

Image source: Beth Dotolo ASID RID NCIDQ

One of the prime reasons fitted sheets may not stay put on your mattress is that they are not the right size. If your mattress is too big and the sheets are smaller, or vice versa, it is probably not going to work out.

So, whenever buying new sheets, make sure that you buy best-fitted sheets for your mattress by taking the exact dimensions of mattress’s width, height, and length because the standard ones may not fit your mattress. Once you know the exact size of your mattress it will be easier to learn how to keep fitted sheets tight. There are many options and brands to choose from so don’t be afraid to experiment and find out the best-fitted sheets for you.

When The Sheets Just Won’t Behave

Image source: Niche Interiors

Sometimes the fitted sheets may seem to be of ideal size but the mattress and sheets appear to just keep repelling each other. So how to keep fitted sheets tight in that case? You may want to invest in something called the sheet straps or sheet suspenders.

The sheet suspenders are elastic sheet holders which get attached to one corner of the fitted sheets and go all the way to the next from down under the mattress. You need to do that for all four corners. This way all the corners keep pulling each other in and you have well-behaved sheets.

Strap Them Down

Image source: Rosangela Photography

Another episode in how to keep fitted sheets tight is using sheet straps. These elastic straps with plastic clips at each end go on the corners of the mattress after you have fitted the sheet on the mattress.

The bed sheet clips keep the sheet intact and in its place for as long as you want. You can easily remove them from the corners whenever you wish to change the fitted sheets and give them a wash.

Get Crafty


Image source: Palmer Interior Architecture Design Lighting

If you do not wish to spend any more money on sheet clips and mattress straps, you can still learn how to keep fitted sheets tight. All you need to do is get hold of some sewing equipment, some elastic and the willpower to fix the fitted sheet problem once and for all. You can sew clips on to the corners of the fitted sheets and just clip the corners to the mattress.

To make it absolutely foolproof you can also sew some clips on to the mattress and join the two clips to keep the fitted sheets tight until you’re ready to remove them.

The Make And The Fabric

Image source: Turner Pocock

One of the reasons that your fitted sheet does not remain in its place could be the fabric. Some fabrics are more likely to slip than others. For example, if you’re getting fitted sheets that are made of silk or linen there is a high chance that they would not stay in place without some sheet straps or sheet clips. You should go for a thicker fabric like cotton which has a lesser tendency to slip.

The World Is Your Oyster

Image source: Brian Dittmar Design Inc

Since keeping fitted sheets tight seems to be a well-known problem, there are a plethora of options available in the market to solve it. From things like sheet suspenders/sheet clips / fitted sheet straps/ mattress straps, there really is no end to solutions. Even the sheets themselves come in so many different sizes and fabrics you are likely to find your perfect match just after a little looking around.

The most common sizes of beds seem to the California king size and queen size beds hence, finding sheets for their mattresses is easier. If your bed is made of a custom size then you may need to look a bit harder to find the right size.

Learning how to keep fitted sheets tight is an ongoing process. With time you will be able to keep them on without any difficulty. You just need to figure out what works best for you. There is a lot of room to experiment and a lot of variables as well so don’t get frustrated if you don’t get it right on the first try. While having many options may seem like a blessing it can also be paralyzing and make decision making even harder.

Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep and a well-made bed is a key to that. So keep looking until you find your best fit.

If you liked this quick article that teaches you how to keep fitted sheets tight, you should check out these as well:

Categorized in: