The Right Way to Fold Shirts and Sweaters

There’s nothing more overwhelming than a huge pile of laundry waiting to be folded. Except, maybe, when you’ve been putting it off for a day or two, and now it’s all wrinkled. It's fine, we’ve all been there—putting off folding for a glass of wine, a pint of ice cream, and binge-watching our favorite reality TV show.

But we all know that procrastinating on folding only means more ironing later. So why do we keep putting it off? Maybe it’s the frustration of the task. Or perhaps it’s just that we haven't had a folding tutorial since we were teens. If that's the case, you're in luck because this article is the perfect refresher on how to properly fold shirts and sweaters.

How to Fold a Shirt the Right Way

Shirts come in various styles—dress shirts, T-shirts, tank tops, tunics, cow necks, long-sleeves—the list is endless. With all these options, it's no surprise there are many ways to fold a shirt. No disrespect to Martha Stewart and the U.S. Navy, each with their own unique folding techniques, but we’ll focus on the basics.

To start, you'll need a large, clean, and flat surface for folding. If a countertop isn't available, your bed works perfectly. If your shirt has buttons, be sure to fasten them all first. This makes folding easier and helps avoid wrinkles. Next, place the shirt face down and smooth out any wrinkles to ensure it lies flat. If the shirt has sleeves, fold them inward toward the center so they’re parallel to the shoulders. Smooth out any wrinkles, then fold each side of the shirt towards the center so the edges meet at the top. Finally, fold the bottom of the shirt up to the top, folding it in half. For extra space, feel free to fold it in half again.

Flip to the next page to learn the proper way to fold sweaters.

How to Properly Fold and Store Sweaters

Rihanna played a part in reviving shoulder pads, but the unsightly stretch marks left by hangers on your sweaters are never going to be chic. To avoid this wardrobe mistake, it's better to fold your sweaters, which helps them keep their shape and prevents any damage. Folding also prevents snags that could happen while you're rifling through your closet.

Folding a sweater is similar to folding a shirt, but there’s an extra step. Start by laying the sweater face down on a flat surface. Gently smooth out any wrinkles, being careful not to stretch or damage the fabric. If it's a cardigan, buttoning it up can help minimize wrinkles. Then, fold the sleeves toward the center, bringing them straight across to the opposite shoulder. If the sleeves are long and stick out past the shirt, fold them back over themselves for a neat, compact fold.

Here's where folding a sweater differs from folding a shirt. To protect the sweater from creases, place a piece of tissue paper on top of it once the sleeves have been folded in. Then, fold the bottom of the sweater up to the top, letting the tissue paper fold over itself. If the sweater is thin and you're short on space, you can fold it in half again for additional storage room.

Flip to the next page to discover more tips and tricks for handling your clothes and accessories.

Folding Tips, Tricks and Accessories

While folding is the best method to maintain the shape of sweaters and stretchy shirts, if you need to hang your clothes due to limited drawer space, experts suggest folding your tops neatly lengthwise before hanging them on the bottom rung of the hanger. To avoid unwanted creases, place a piece of tissue paper between the hanger and the sweater. You may have seen your dry cleaner using this exact trick.

When it comes to organizing your closet or drawers, many experts agree that everything should be visible. In other words, drawers overflowing with clothes are a no-go.

The idea behind this is simple: you'll rarely wear items buried at the bottom of a drawer or tucked away in the back of a closet because they’re out of sight. How many times have you found yourself saying you have nothing to wear while staring at a full closet? A little closet overhaul could help you rediscover forgotten shirts and sweaters. Of course, folding delicate items is ideal, so consider using open shelves for easy access and viewing.