Are you folding your clothes all wrong? This is how to do it

Maximise storage and keep your clothes in good condition

Can't seem to get your wardrobe/floordrobe/clothes chair under control? It might be because you're folding your clothes all wrong.

Related: Kirstie Allsopp divides the internet with this surprising wardrobe trick

For years drawers were the enemy of our wardrobe. After 30 minutes of painstaking folding your t-shirts, one rummage for your favourite top and all the hard work is undone.

However, tweaking your folding method will not only keep your wardrobe more orderly but help keep your clothes in good nick for longer.

wooden shelf with wooden basket wooden plant pot and cloths with wooden hanger

(Image credit: Ti-Media)

We're talking about the folding method popularised by decluttering guru Marie Kondo. The KonMari method described in her book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up', is about finding your clothes sweet spot so that they stand up on there own.

Instead of piling your t-shirts on top of one another, you should be folding your clothes so they stand upright next to each other in a drawer or on a shelf.

Not only is it a more efficient way of filling your drawers (meaning spaces for more clothes – woo!) it also lets you see all your tops at once.

How to fold your clothes

1. Take a t-shirt and lay it flat in front of you

2. Fold the right side of the t-shirt into the middle, leaving the sleeve flat.

3. Fold the sleeve back over the right side.

4. Repeat on the left-hand side, you should be left with a long rectangle.

5. Fold the top in half, leaving the neckline an inch away from the hem.

6. Fold in half again, two more times until it stands upright.

7. Voila! A perfectly folded t-shirt.

The method can also be used to fold jumpers, jeans and socks. Simply follow the principle of folding your chosen item of clothing in half and tucking in any sleeves, heels or seams to create a rectangle. Then keep folding in half until it stands up on its own.

Related: 5 must-try decluterring hacks from the UK's answer to Marie Kondo

Trust us, you'll never lose your favourite top at the bottom of your drawers again.

Rebecca Knight
Deputy Editor, Digital

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.