How to Fold Clothes to Save Space in Your Closet or Dresser

When was the last time you thought about your clothes-folding routine? Chances are you might be stuck in a little bit of a rut, doing what you've always done—or worse, just letting laundry accumulate in a pile that never gets put away.

Thankfully, there's an easier way that eliminates clutter, doesn't take forever, and makes it easy to find what you're looking for. To tidy up your closet and maximize your storage space, try these space-saving clothes-folding techniques from a pro organizer.

What Clothes Should Be Folded?

Not everything needs to be hung up depending on your daily uniform and space restrictions. In general, Shira Gill, a pro organizer and author of Minimalista: Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Better Home, Wardrobe, and Life, recommends folding sleepwear, loungewear, and athletic wear and placing them in a drawer or on a shelf. T-shirts, jeans, everyday pants, bras, underwear, and sweaters should also be folded. Anything that could get wrinkled in a drawer should be hung up. (But even then, there's a way to properly fold a dress shirt if you need to free up closet space.)

"Don't make the mistake of thinking these little things don't make a difference! It's all about creating ease in your day-to-day life and streamlining your time," says Gill. "Not having to look for what you want to wear saves time and maximizes your day. Being really intentional with how you organize your closet in general reduces stress and overwhelm on a daily basis." Ahead, she shares her tips on how to fold everything from jeans to socks.

T-Shirts

By file folding your t-shirts, you will be able to see all of your choices quickly. Use this straightforward method to fold your t-shirts.

1. Lay your shirt face-down on a flat surface, like a counter or your bed.
2. Fold the sleeves onto the shirt toward each other, creasing at the shoulder.
3. Then, either fold the shirt in half so the front of the shirt is facing upwards or fold it into thirds, so you can use the file folding technique in your drawers.

Jeans

Jeans may be too bulky for a drawer, but if you have a shelf in your closet, it's the perfect place to store denim. Here's the best way to fold your jeans to maximize closet space.

1. Lay your jeans flat and smooth out wrinkles.
2. Make sure they are zipped and buttoned too (this makes jeans easier to fold).
3. Fold them in half lengthwise, tucking the crotch in to form one long line.
4. Then, fold the jeans in half widthwise.
5. File-fold the jeans into thirds and store them vertically in a drawer, or fold them widthwise one more time and stack them on a shelf.

Sweaters

"A common mistake I see people making is trying to hang sweaters. Depending on the knit and the weight, hanging a sweater can put a strain on the fabric or leave marks from the hanger," says Gill. "You're better off folding them." Plus, sweaters are a breeze to fold. You don't even need a flat surface to fold them! Gill folds them standing up, using this method:

1. Start by standing, holding the sweater with one hand on each shoulder.
2. Fold the sleeves in toward each other.
3. Then fold the sweater in half widthwise.

Socks

Most people fold socks wrong because everyone learns to roll socks in on each other to make a little ball, explains Gill. But, unfortunately, this method damages the integrity of the sock. Here's how to properly fold your socks:

1. Lay the pair of socks on top of one another, heel to toe.
2. Fold in half, then fold in half again.
3. Use a drawer organizer to create a line of socks.

Bras

Most people push one cup into the other cup. It's a no-no and shortens the lifespan of your bra. This method saves space and helps your bra last longer.

1. First, fasten the back, tuck the straps in, and have the cups facing you.
2. Then, line them up within your drawer.
3. To save more space, keep the left cup in place, then pick up the right cup and turn it upside down so it sits flush, nesting on top of the left cup. Then, neatly tuck the straps in.

Underwear

"Life is too short to fold underwear," says Gill. Instead, she buys nude and black underwear and just keeps them in neat piles in her drawer. If you can't help yourself or have a large and varied collection of underwear, here's how to make every pair easy to find.

1. Lay the brief or thong on a flat surface.
2. Fold in each side.
3. Then, fold the crotch toward the middle of the underwear, so it gets folded toward the top in thirds.
4. Place each pair vertically in the standard file folding formation.