While preparing for your next family cookout, it might be wise to head to the linen closet for twin-sized bed sheets to cover your folding tables.
The scoop
A Reddit post shared to the subreddit r/ZeroWaste shows how snugly an orange sheet fits a long table.
The original post, shared in r/lifehacks, had the caption: "This is super helpful for birthday parties and cookouts."
Sheets tend to stay put and do not blow off in the wind. Or as the Reddit post explains, you don't have to deal with the hassle of tablecloths that fit poorly or are too long. Usually, XL twin bed sheets work best and easily cover long potluck-style folding tables.
The type of fabric you choose does not matter, so you can go with any cheap ones you may have around the house. And after the party is over, just throw the sheets in the wash.
How it's helping
Fitted bed sheets are a great alternative to plastic tablecloths. They are cheap and practical, and several patterns exist for different occasions.
Entertaining can be costly enough when you consider the food, decorations, and accommodations you may need to keep your guests happy.
The good news is this little trick can save you quite a bit of money, depending on how many tables you have. Plastic tablecloths tend to tear and not last long, while bedsheets hold up better. If a guest drops food or drink on the sheets, you can easily throw them in the wash and reuse them several times.
The practice helps out the environment enormously, given consumerism is helping to drive the warming of the planet. The average person creates about 5 pounds of trash each day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. According to a report published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology, it's estimated that household consumption is to blame for 60 percent of global pollution. But there are ways to make these statistics less painful.
Choosing to reuse items and recycle is part of a zero-waste lifestyle that can help reverse the harm that overconsumption causes to our planet. And you can be part of the solution. In this case, opting to repurpose old sheets instead of using plastic tablecloths can help.
What's everyone saying
Redditors sounded off on what a great idea this is and gave their own two cents.
"You can also put the proper tablecloth over this fitted sheet and the friction from the fitted sheet will stop it from sliding off the table," one Redditor said.
"This is actually so good because so many people buy twin sheets for college dorms in America and size up after graduating," a commenter said.
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