What are the proper bed making techniques of a hotel housekeeper?

Answer 1

Good making really starts at the clothesline in the proper hanging of the sheets. At the washing machine after washing them I fold them in a definite pattern. Always hem to hem for the flat sheets. I shake them out in the laundry room as I'm fold them to make sure they are correct. This is terribly important if it is a windy day. When they look like they are squared up I fold them with the folded edge in halves the full length of the original fold. Keep folding until it is a workable package to handle. Gently lower it into the carry basket in an Accordion fashion.

The fitted sheet is tricky because of the corners but again, folding is important in the house. On king size sheets the corners of the sheets are important to note. My seam in the corners are not perpendicular to the mattress but rather slanted diagonally to the corner on that same side. This is true to form all the way around. After determining the first corner, follow that edge to the next corner and and bring those two points of that seam together. Now reach down and grasp the opposing edge and do the same thing in reverse and bring that edge up to the two points already established. This is all done in the laundry room on top of the washer and dryer and not out in the wind. The next folding is to bring as much sideways as possible to make another neat package at the clothesline.

Hanging them is easy now since everything is in the proper position. I start with the flat sheet since it is a bigger dimension for the slope in my yard. Hanging it from the folded edge I place about a 5 inch fold on the clothesline and fasten it with the clothespin. I gradually walk the length of that fold until all that sheet is hanging correctly. Note that the hems are free to the breeze this way.

The fitted sheet is not quite as easy to hang but important to be done correctly too. Since it is positioned in the carry basket correctly I grasp one of those seams and working the length of that side, hang as I move down the line. Then I go back and bring up the other edge and hang those corners on top of the first side so the entire fitted sheet is doubled now.

In the case of my particular clothesline I find it very important to use the connecting items that have rollers to slide on the two rows of clothesline so they don't sag. It is a pulley line and so thankful I have it. No telling what I have saved in electricity this way. Besides the sheets smell so wonderful.