Mosquito nets are essential items for not only camping trips and other outdoor activities but indoor also to keep mosquitoes away from you. They keep pesky insects at bay as well. Though they can significantly improve the comfort level of outdoor excursions, they can be difficult to fold and store efficiently, enticing people to leave them at home rather than deal with the hassle of carrying them. When you learn how to fold a mosquito net correctly, you’ll realise how simple it is, and you’ll never leave the house without one again.

Here are eight easy steps:

1 Breaking Down a Pop-Up Mosquito Net

Zip up all mosquito net openings. Before folding your net, double-check that all of the openings are completely zipped. Single and double-bed mosquito nets typically have two openings, but there may be more.

2 Pinch the middle of the top of the net with your left hand and lift up. Grab the corner of the net closest to you with your right hand as you lift up on the net. Push this corner away from you and into the adjacent corner.

As you pull up from the top of the net, the sides should begin to fold inward. Use this momentum to assist you in folding the net.

3 Place the two remaining sections on top of one another. Grab the net’s left section with your left hand and the right section with your right. Bring the two pieces together and align the edges.

The net’s four sides should now be neatly stacked on top of one another.

4 Hold the net with both hands at the zipper line.

The zipper line is horizontal, close to the top, and runs the entire length of the net.

5 Squeeze both net sides toward each other. With both hands, push inward to bring the edges as close together as possible. Push the net down and away from you as you squeeze. Bring the net to the ground and place the squeezing section directly in the centre of the net.

6 With your left hand, grab the outer edge of the leftmost section. Maintain your right hand’s grip on the pinched section. Pull the section in your left hand up and over the remaining section. Try to align the edges as best you can.

7 Grab the top edge of the pinched section with your left hand. Keep pinching the net with your right hand. Pull the pinched section directly over and on top of the other two sections.

8 Place the folded net in a suitable carrying case. Wrap the mosquito net in a thick rubber band. Most mosquito nets come with a case and a rubber band, but you can find them at most sporting goods stores.