Do you know how to do hospital corners?

[Eleanor]

Just thinking about this while making the bed.

I always sort of took it for granted that "everybody" learned how to make a bed with hospital corners, even if they didn't always do it that way. A couple of episodes of Real Simple ago, I was reading the intro column, where they were talking about their brainstorming session on bedding- and most of them did NOT know how to do hospital corners. I mentioned it to DH...and he'd never seen anyone do a hospital corner.

So, do you know how?

[Mary DK]

Yes, but that's only b/c a long time ago on my first nanny job I worked for a doctor & a nurse & she showed me how to do it, before then I hadn't heard of them at all :dunno:

[MamaGoofy]

I don't think so...:dunno:

[magoo]

Nope.

[Mrs. Shae]

i didn't know there was any other kinda "corner" :dunno: ...

i am my "mother's daughter" and not only make my bed the way she always did ... i fold my fitted sheets just like she does ...

[Lynn]

Yes I do. My MIL taught me how and I haven't not made a bed that way since.

[Girlo]

I know as well. :nod: My mom taught me when I was little and I didn't know there was another way to do it. However....we don't use a top sheet in our day-to-day habit. Just a fitted sheet with a duvet with a cover on it. Just throw the duvet over and call it good! :aok: Our guest bed uses a top sheet though, so I do it on that bed.

[LISA]

Nope, dh does though.

[Sam W]

yes I do

DW is a Nurse, yet she always requests that I make the bed. lol

[Melissa]

No, I don't like my top sheet tucked in, like George Costanza. [/seinfeld]

[Clare]

No, I don't like my top sheet tucked in, like George Costanza. [/seinfeld]

One tuck, one no tuck :lol:

No I don't. I've never worked in a hospital so I've never learnt.

[kika]

Yes I do. I guess I don't know how else to tuck the top sheet?

[pam]

Yes, I do. I usually do a very sad version of hospital corners when I make the bed in the morning. I have no clue how else to tuck the top sheet in otherwise.

[MamaGoofy]

Hmmm well then maybe I do know how.:scratch: I usually fold the sheet (from the foot of the bed) under then take the side of the bed portion which looks like a triangle and fold it and put all of it under the mattress. Is that a hospital corner?

[Alyssa]

Know how? Sure. Actually do it? No. Remember that neurotic thread? This is one of the things I'm not neurotic about. At all.

[Karri]

Yep. Its the only way to make up the bed neatly.

[Bev]

Hmmm well then maybe I do know how.:scratch: I usually fold the sheet (from the foot of the bed) under then take the side of the bed portion which looks like a triangle and fold it and put all of it under the mattress. Is that a hospital corner?
This is what I do. I have no idea if it's a hospital corner or not. And I tuck. All of the sheets. Unlike Melissa and George. :)

[Karri]

Hmmm well then maybe I do know how.:scratch: I usually fold the sheet (from the foot of the bed) under then take the side of the bed portion which looks like a triangle and fold it and put all of it under the mattress. Is that a hospital corner?

I got this from MarthaStewart.com because I couldn't figure out how to explain it. This starts off with after tucking in the sheet at the foot of the bed.
Hospital Corners How-To
1. Stand at the middle of one side and pull up edge of sheet a little more than a foot from the corner. Lift up edge to make diagonal fold, and lay fold back into mattress.2. Tuck hanging edge under mattress with other hand. Drop folded portion and pull smooth.

3. Tuck hanging portion of sheet, or let it hang down.

4. Leave the sides of the bed untucked for easier sleeping -- this also makes it easier to get in and out of bed.

[Eva]

I was a nurse so yes. :)

[MamaGoofy]

Thanks Karri. So apparently I do a half assed hospital corner. :giggle:

[Nadine]

No idea how to fold hospital corners... never did it.

[Connie1222]

One tuck, one no tuck :lol:

No I don't. I've never worked in a hospital so I've never learnt.

Ditto. And I am the tuck, Keith is a no tuck, so I only tuck in my side!

[Karri]

So you 'no tuck' people....you don't even tuck in the sheet at the bottom of the bed? Its just laying on the bed? :scratch:

[Connie1222]

So you 'no tuck' people....you don't even tuck in the sheet at the bottom of the bed? Its just laying on the bed? :scratch:

Yes, that's what Keith likes.

[Girlo]

:errr: That would make me nuts to have the sheet all floating around like that!! I enjoy a light tuck - secure and snug....but not a straitjacket. :)

[Barb]

Yeah, I know how to do them. My ex-husband insisted on hospital corners and he's the one who taught me how. Now that I'm free, I make it a point not to do them, I just tuck the sheet in as tight as possible.

[Shel]

I grew up with a father who was a Marine, and a mother who is a nurse. I can do hospital corners for Mom, and make a quarter bounce of a tightly made bed for Dad :giggle:

[AmyP]

Yeah but I never make the bed. :giggle:

[Hilary]

I know how, but I took the top sheets off all of our beds, they were just a pain in the ass, so I figured I would make things easier for myself.

[Melissa]

So you 'no tuck' people....you don't even tuck in the sheet at the bottom of the bed? Its just laying on the bed? :scratch:
:nod: However, even though it isn't tucked under the mattress, I do have a body pillow in between the mattress and foot board which keeps it in place.

[Karri]

:errr: That would make me nuts to have the sheet all floating around like that!!

OMG, me too. I can't even handle it if Chris makes it come untucked on his side. Sheet and middle cotton blanket must be tucked. Comforter must be tucked in between the mattress and the footboard, but not under the mattress. I am neurotic about that. I can't sleep if my bed is all askew.

[mcox]

I'm a nurse,so yes I know how but we don't use top sheets.

[marcy]

I know how, and I do it poorly. But right now we have a duvet, and the kids are in a crib and co-sleeper, so no top sheets for me!

[Lyndee]

No I do not know how to do hospital corners. I suck at making the bed.

DH was ex-military. He does a really nice job with those hospital corners.

[kalm]

OMG, me too. I can't even handle it if Chris makes it come untucked on his side. Sheet and middle cotton blanket must be tucked. Comforter must be tucked in between the mattress and the footboard, but not under the mattress. I am neurotic about that. I can't sleep if my bed is all askew.

Same with me. Scott thinks I'm nuts with all my bed "rules," but it seriously makes me crazy if the sheets are untucked or wrinkled, or if I don't have a top sheet, cotton blanket and then the duvet or comforter, which is only used on especially cool nights. Scott thinks I need my head examined. I swear he'd sleep on the bare mattress if e could.

[Eleanor]

I'm pretty neurotic too...I don't sleep as well if the bed isn't neatly made, especially if the sheets and covers are starting to come undone. And I can't sleep without at least a top sheet (which was difficult in the dorms in the summer, when our rooms would be sweltering hot...) DH and I actually got into a fight once over whether the patterned side was supposed to be facing up, or facing down (and yes, we are that nuts! :) )

[kalm]

Okay, Eleanor, does the pattern face up toward the ceiling or down toward te bottom sheet? I have a preference on this one too...

[Eleanor]

Down toward the bottom sheet :)

[Karri]

Ah...pattern up for me (well, not me. I have white sheets, but Norah has one set of flowered flannel and pattern goes up ).

[Cami]

My brother used to work in the bedding dept... he says it's pattern up unless you fold the top end of the sheet back over the quilt/duvet (because then obviously you wouldn't see the right side of the pattern).

[Clare]

I do pattern down and then the top folded over so you can see the pattern.

[MrsPeacefrog]

I do know how to and when we use sheets it's how I make the bed.

I use a doona though, so no top sheet for us. None of us have top sheets.
the top sheet I do own, I only ever use for display because I fold it over the top of my doona, it normally gets pulled off when we are sleeping cause neither of us like to have it tucked in and it just gets all tangled. :crazy:

When there are sheets, I do it pattern down so I can fold the top over for display.

[Eleanor]

Yeah- the traditional way is with the pattern down, and the top strip folded down over the blanket (I usually only do that part the day I change the sheets, though! :blush: ). I learned it from my great-grandmother who used to work as a housekeeper for the local old money. Everything had to be just so... (she'd roll over in her grave to see how I keep house! :lol: )

[Connie1222]

I do pattern up too, because I fold the sheet over as well. I can't sleep if the sheet is not folded over the comforter.

[Karri]

what the french, toast? is a doona? :lol:

eta - i have a duvet over my down comforter. but damn, its a lot of work to get the comforter stuffed in there *just so*. i can't imagine taking it off and washing it every week :dead:

[TtownAnne]

They explained before one time, I'm trying to remember - I think it's the AUS version of a comforter/quilt.

[MrsPeacefrog]

what the french, toast? is a doona? :lol:

eta - i have a duvet over my down comforter. but damn, its a lot of work to get the comforter stuffed in there *just so*. i can't imagine taking it off and washing it every week :dead:


I think it's the same a duvet, it's a feather filled puffy blanket, with a cover over it. I am fine with taking it off every week to wash, I rather do that than feel restricted by the sheets, I have this horrible claustrophobic feeling when I am in a bed that my feet are pinned down in :crazy: I am glad I married a guy who is the same or else we would be driving each other crazy :lol:

[kalm]

I do pattern down and then the top folded over so you can see the pattern.


Yep. And I have white/ivory sheets too. But this way the little bit of trim is showing the right way when folded back. :)

[KristenW]

OMG, me too. I can't even handle it if Chris makes it come untucked on his side. Sheet and middle cotton blanket must be tucked. Comforter must be tucked in between the mattress and the footboard, but not under the mattress. I am neurotic about that. I can't sleep if my bed is all askew.

Karri, that is EXACTLY the way I have to have our bed, too!!! :nod: