Never Put a Fitted Sheet on the Wrong Way Again With This Neat Hack

Even if you've mastered folding your fitted sheets, you still have to figure out how to put them on your mattress. This process usually involves lots of awkward maneuvers as you try (and fail, and try again) to figure out which pocket covers which corner. The chore will always be a pain, but there is a way to make it go by faster. As Good Housekeeping reports, the secret to putting on a fitted sheet correctly is stitched into the fabric.

Your fitted sheet comes with a tag sewn inside one of the corners. In addition to listing information like the material and washing instructions, this feature also tells you about the orientation of the sheet. The pocket with the tag inside should go on the bottom-right corner of your mattress.

If you follow this rule, the short side of the sheet will align with the short side of the bed, and the long side of the sheet will match the long side of the bed. Of course, you can also get a perfect fit by flipping your sheet around 180° and sticking the tag in the upper-right corner—though committing to remembering just one spot will likely make things less confusing.

Changing your sheets may be annoying, but it's definitely preferable to sleeping in your own filth for an extended period. Whether they're fitted or not, your bedsheets should be washed at least once a week. Waiting longer than that allows an ecosystem of bacteria to thrive beneath your comforter. Here's a handy guide for how often you should be washing common household items.

[h/t Good Housekeeping]