What is the most space efficient way to fold shirts?

mike garten

Taming closet chaos starts with clearing out the clutter, but don't ignore what goes down in the laundry room. Folding your clothes strategically can also free up serious storage space. Not only will your shelves look as crisp and tidy as the piles in the department stores, but you'll see everything you own at glance. (No more digging for that favorite black t-shirt!) After folding your shirts, pants, sweaters, or socks in neat, little bundles, try standing them up or "filing" them vertically in drawers or storage boxes. That way you'll be able to quickly find whatever you need, and pull it out of the drawer without causing the entire pile to come tumbling down.

If there's anyone who knows how to fold clothes, it's Marie Kondo, the organizing expert behind the buzzed-about KonMari method. At first glance, her methods may seem a bit, well, complicated, but they'll quickly become your go-to after some practice. The final result? Drawers and closet shelves that are just as functional as they are beautiful.

Instead of piling your tees on top of one another and then rummaging through the stack, use this method to let shirts stand upright. It fills the drawer more efficiently and lets you see your entire collection at once.

1. Take one side of the shirt and fold it in toward the center.
2. Fold the sleeve back away from the center of the shirt.
3. If you're folding a long-sleeve tee, fold the sleeve again down toward the shirt's bottom hem. (The sleeve should form an upside-down L shape.)
4. Repeat on the other side of the shirt.
5. Fold the collar of the shirt all the way back to the bottom hem, so that the garment looks like a rectangle.
6. Carefully fold the shirt in half again, so that you can store it upright in a drawer or storage container.

In general, Marie recommends hanging dress shirts like this, but if you must fold it for a suitcase or drawer, take care not to crush the collar.

1. Fold one side of the shirt towards the middle.
2. Flip the sleeves halfway back and then fold again.
3. Repeat on the other side.
4. Fold the shirt in half lengthwise, making a rectangle.

It might feel like overkill, but this super condensed way of folding jeans allows you to store 'em horizontally and pack more pants into each drawer.

1. Fold the pants in half, placing one leg on top of the other with the back pockets facing out.
2. Fold in half lengthwise, bringing the hem to just below the waist and forming a long rectangle
3. Fold the pants upwards again, this time into thirds.

Storing your coziest knits on hangers stretches out the shoulders, but there's no denying they're total drawer hogs. Try folding the sides in so all your sweaters have the same width — they'll stack more easily that way.

1. Fold the arms in across the sweater, parallel to the hem.
2. Fold each side part way in.
3. Fold in half lengthwise.

Putting your socks perpendicular to each other may sound counterintuitive, but once you see how neat it turns out you'll better understand why.

1. Lay each sock perpendicular to each other, forming a cross.
2. Bring one toe across, tucking it under the other sock.
3. Fold the top of that same sock across.
4. Repeat with the other sock.
5. Tuck the two ends sticking out into the middle, forming a square.

Caroline Picard Contributing Writer Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience.

Amanda Garrity Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion.

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T-shirts are an easy vacation wardrobe staple. However, they can be bulky, taking up more suitcase space than you expect. Use a standard folding technique to make your t-shirts into small squares, then stand them vertically in your suitcase to save space and see them all at once. To make the most of your suitcase space, roll your t-shirts into secure, compact rectangles. Or, to prevent wrinkles, consider bundling your t-shirts in stacks.

1. 

   1

   Start with the t-shirt on a flat surface, with the front facing down. This way, if the t-shirt has a design or logo, you will be able to see it when you're done folding. Folding t-shirts on a flat surface will make the process easier and neater.[1]

   • To help prevent creasing, you can put a piece of tissue paper on top of the shirt before you start folding.

2. 2

   Fold the t-shirt into thirds. Fold in one of the sleeves. Then fold in the other side. This will create a long rectangle.[2]

   • If you are folding a long-sleeved t-shirt, fold the sleeve back towards the edge of the shirt. Then, fold any part of the sleeve that overhangs the edge down towards the bottom hem of the t-shirt.

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3. 3

   Fold the collar of the t-shirt down to the hem. Fold the t-shirt in half by bringing the collar all the way to the bottom hem of the t-shirt. The result will be a smaller rectangle.[3]

   • If you like, you can leave your t-shirt folded like this. At this point, your t-shirt will be flat. You can stack several t-shirts folded like this in your suitcase.

4. 4

   Continue folding the t-shirt in half to make it smaller. Fold the t-shirt in half again to make it smaller. Fold it once more to make it even more compact. Keep in mind that the more you fold your t-shirt, the thicker it will be.[4]

   • You can line up several t-shirts folded in this way vertically in your suitcase to save space and see them all at once.

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1. 

   1

   Lay a t-shirt on a horizontal surface. It's easiest and neatest to fold and roll t-shirts on a horizontal surface. A bed or a desk will work just fine.[5]

   • A horizontal surface at waist level is easiest to work with.

2. 2

   Roll up 2 to 5 inches (5.1 to 12.7 cm) of the bottom hem of your t-shirt. Fold up the hem of the t-shirt all the way around. This will create a "pocket" that the rest of the shirt will fit into.[6]

   • The bigger the "pocket," the flatter your final result will be. However, it will be wider.
   • Creating a smaller "pocket" will make your final result rounder but narrower.

3. 3

   Fold in 1/3 of the shirt and fold the sleeve back. Fold the t-shirt so that the edge of the sleeve lines up with the opposite edge of the t-shirt's collar. Then fold the sleeve back towards the edge of the t-shirt.[7]

   • Don't worry about making the folds perfect. As long as the t-shirt fits into the pocket, imperfect folds work just fine.

4. 4

   Repeat the process on the other side. Fold the other half of the t-shirt so that it completely overlaps with the first sleeve. Then, fold the sleeve back.[8]

   • To make this even faster, hold the t-shirt at the shoulder seam and the bottom hem with 2 fingers. When you fold it in, the sleeve will automatically fall into place.

5. 5

   Roll from the top of the t-shirt and tuck it into the pocket. Starting at the collar of the t-shirt, begin to roll the fabric toward the pocket. When you reach the pocket, simply tuck the roll into it.[9]

   • Tucking the t-shirt into the pocket will help the t-shirt stay securely folded.
   • The more tightly you roll your t-shirt, the more compact it will be.

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1. 1

   Stack multiple t-shirts on top of each other. Lay the t-shirts one on top of the other so that they line up. Use a flat surface to more easily fold your clothes. The larger the stack, the fewer creases there will be in the middle and lower layers.[10]

   • The shirt on the top of the stack will have the most wrinkles.

2. 2

   Place a piece of swimwear, underwear, or socks on top of the stack to avoid creases. Lay the item flat on top of the pile. Topping the pile of t-shirts with another garment will help prevent sharp folds in your t-shirts, meaning they will have fewer creases. Use a garment that is less likely to crease on top of the pile.[11]

   • If there are other clothes you don't want to crease, such as dress pants, button-down shirts, or dresses, you can place them at the bottom of your t-shirt pile.

3. 3

   Fold the top t-shirt around the top layer of clothing. Fold one t-shirt sleeve over the top garment. Then fold in the other sleeve. Finally, fold the bottom of the t-shirt up to the collar.[12]

   • This keeps the top garment in place and creates a secure bundle of clothes.

4. 

   4

   Repeat this folding method for each t-shirt, layer by layer. After you fold in the first t-shirt, fold in the second t-shirt in the same way so that it encloses the first t-shirt. Continue folding each t-shirt until you reach the bottom layer.[13]

   • After folding the last layer, you can place the pile directly into your suitcase.

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• Plan what outfits you want to wear rather than packing a lot of random shirts since it will make your suitcase more cluttered.[14]

  As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

• If you want to save even more space, consider using packing cubes or compression bags.

  As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

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Folding your T-shirts correctly for travel can save you a lot of space in your suitcase, and you have a few different options. For a simple compact fold, start by laying your T-shirt on a flat surface with the front facing down. Fold in one of the sleeves, then fold in the other sleeve so you have a long rectangle. Next, fold the collar of your shirt down to the hem. Finally, fold your T-shirt in half one more time and you're good to go. You can also roll your T-shirts to save space. Start by laying your T-shirt on a flat surface. Then, roll the bottom hem up a few inches. Fold one-third of your shirt over, then fold the sleeve back towards the edge. Do the same thing on the other side. Finally, roll up your T-shirt from the top to the bottom and tuck the roll into the pocket you made with the hem. To learn how to keep your T-shirts wrinkle-free when you pack them, scroll down!

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