Why don't my sheets fit properly?

There are a couple of reasons that new sheets might not fit well and old sheets don't fit anymore. Let's start with the new.

When you purchase new bedding you should always come prepared with a few measurements. Not all sheets are going to start out at the same size so if you know your dimensions choosing the right size will be much easier. You should know the width, length and depth of your mattress, the dimensions of your duvet if you are buying a duvet cover and the height to the top of your box spring from the floor when shopping for a bed skirt. Having your measurements is particularly important when buying for a king bed as the size of king mattresses can vary by more than 4 inches of width. Mattresses of all sizes will vary greatly in depth from as little as 6 inches to as high as 21 inches. Having your dimensions with you will ensure that your bedding will be neither too big, nor too small and it will eliminate the need for guessing. For more details on general bedding and mattress sizing please see the size charts in the Glossary of Terms at www.oleanderforhome.ca.

To figure out what depth of fitted sheet you need you'll measure your mattress from the inside of the piping on the top of the mattress to the inside of the piping on the bottom, then add 3 inches. To calculate the correct drop of a bed skirt measure from the top of the box spring to just above the floor. Both fitted sheets and bed skirts come in fairly standardized drops, however most of the manufacturers we deal with will customize drop, rounded up to the nearest inch, to achieve a perfect fit.

Finding the perfect size in a duvet cover can be particularly tricky as there are no industry standards for sizing. Duvets can vary dramatically between different manufacturers with as much as 8" difference from one brand to another. Additionally duvet cover sizing can vary not only between different manufacturers but within a single company as well depending on fabric width variances. So your best here is to keep your duvet size handy if you're looking for a new cover or vice versa and aim for the closest match. Keep in mind that the size listed on the package of the duvet cover will be the finished size after expected shrinkage. If you can't find a perfect fit, and you probably won't, try to go with a cover that is a few inches smaller than your duvet rather than larger. This will help prevent the duvet from shifting in the cover and give the appearance of a nice puffy duvet.

Once you've chosen the appropriately sized bedding you may still find it too big when you first put it on the bed. Due to the fact that natural fibre bedding fabrics shrink as they are washed, most bedding manufacturers cut their products oversize (somewhere between 4 and 10 percent) to allow for the shrinkage that will happen over time with repeated washings. So your fitted sheets should seem a little baggy and the duvet cover a bit too big for the duvet when they are new. They won't shrink to the perfect size immediately after the first wash, but slowly tighten to the correct size. That being said it is a good idea to try brand new bedding for size straight out of the package as occasionally packaging mistakes are sometimes made. It should appear loose and a little baggy but not huge nor too small. Remember to always wash your bedding before the first use.

As for sheets that once fit perfectly but are now too small the culprit is almost always going to be improper laundering. Heat in the washer and dryer will shrink any natural fibre fabric, there just isn't any way around it. Excessive heat will shrink your bedding excessively. There is a detailed description of how best to launder your bedding in the resources section at www.oleanderforhome.ca. But in the meantime the best thing to keep in mind is that you'll always want to use lukewarm or cold water in the washer and low heat/damp dry in the dryer. Get the bedding out of the machine quickly and spread it flat or hang to finish drying. Better yet, get it outside on a line and you'll get the best possible results. Your sheets won't shrink, they'll feel better and you'll save some money on your energy bills as well. What could be better than all that?