4 Folding Techniques for Clothes Organizers Always Use

Professional organizers are experts at skillfully folding clothes to fit as much as possible within a dresser or closet while still keeping things looking nice and neat as well as accessible. If you're eager to improve your folding skills and make the most of the storage space within your home, you'll want to read on.

We asked organizers to share some of their go-to folding techniques, which they swear by whether they're simply putting away laundry or packing for a vacation. You may find that the issue in your home isn't the size of your dresser drawers but the way that you've been placing your clothes inside this whole time.

Below, we're highlighting four genius ways to fold your clothes like a pro.

Meet the Experts

• Morgan Holmes is a professional organizer and co-owner of Styled and Organized Systems.

• Stephanie Treantos is a professional organizer and founder of Lemonaid Solutions.

• Sarah Schier is a professional organizer and founder of Beautiful Life.

Pajama Pockets

Morgan Holmes, a professional organizer and co-owner of Styled and Organized Systems, swears by the following method for folding pajamas. However, she says it can also be applied to sweat sets and children's clothing.

Below, Holmes provides a step-by-step rundown of how to master this folding technique, using a traditional set of pajamas as an example.

• Lay Down Pajamas. On a flat surface, lay down your pajama top so that it is flat and facing the front.

• Fold It in Halves. Fold pants or shorts in half, longways (with pants, fold them in half again at the knee). Then, place folded bottoms on top of the flat top and fold half of the top toward the middle, over the pants or shorts, laying flat any sleeves.

• Repeat It. Repeat the process on the other side, folding toward the middle.

• Place Vertically. Fold it in thirds to place it in the drawer vertically for easy viewing.

File Fold

Stephanie Treantos, a professional organizer and founder of Lemonaid Solutions, always follow this folding method when placing shirts on shelving to create the perfect stack. "I couldn’t complete a closet without this," she says.

Sarah Schier, a professional organizer and founder of Beautiful Life, is also a major proponent of the file fold method as well.

"The goal is to create compact, uniform shapes that can be stacked horizontally in drawers, maximizing space and visibility," Schier says.

To perfect your file folding skills, follow the steps below.

• Take your shirt and place it with the front side down on any shirt folding board. This way, the front logo or design will be visible once you are done with the folding process.

• Fold in the sides of the folding board first, then flip up the bottom component. If you're stacking shirts on a shelf, you can stop here.

• If you'll be placing shirts in a drawer, fold your shirt in half once again on your own.
  

Schier recommends using drawer dividers or organizers to keep various rows nice and neat.

Thirds for Stacking

Raychel Klein, a professional organizer and founder of Raybaybay, learned this folding method for pants and jeans while working at a clothing store and has stuck to it ever since. The method is ideal for those who are placing stacks of pants on a wire shelf within their closet.

• Fold pants in half at the crotch, laying one pant leg over the other. Klein likes to have the back pocket facing out.

• Fold the pant leg in thirds lengthwise starting from the hem.

• Start your pants stack.

Suitcase Folding

If you struggle to neatly fit all of your clothing into a suitcase, you'll want to consult Treantos' tips for packing like a pro organizer.

"When traveling for vacation, I love to fold and pack my kids' clothing in outfits," Treantos says. "Their clothes are so small it makes it easier on the go to get them dressed without making a mess."

• To pack your t-shirts and pants, follow the steps to create pajama pockets, outlined at the beginning of this article, and place the completed pockets into your suitcase.
  

• Use packing cubes to separate pajamas from everyday clothing within the suitcase or group completed outfits in cubes to quickly find what you need when you're away.

• Fold socks and underwear when possible to create additional space within your suitcase.
  

Read Next: How to Fold Socks, 6 Different Ways

Read the original article on The Spruce.