How to Fold Clothes: 5 Laundry Folding Hacks to Save Space

Folding clothes after laundering, drying and ironing feels like second nature. But are you making the most of the available space in your cupboards and drawers?

There’s a knack to folding clothes to save space, particularly when it comes to awkward or bulky garments like bras and hoodies – or squeezing all your holiday gear into your suitcase. 

Store t-shirts horizontally instead of piling them up and use vacuum packs to save space in suitcases for when you’re on the go.

How to fold clothes to save space – 5 genius hacks

Our first hack involves using the right laundry detergent to make your clothes easy to fold. Skip Liquid Detergent smooths fibres to give clothes a better shape.

Folding clothes that you won’t be using for a while? You could also try Comfort Fabric Conditioner, it has long-lasting perfume capsules which release that ‘freshly washed’ fragrance even when clothes aren’t worn for weeks after being washed.

Once your clothes have been washed and dried, here’s how to fold clothes to save space.

1.     How to Fold Underwear

You may not iron your underwear (does anyone?), but folding briefs and boxers into neat parcels is a big space saver. You could even store underwear in a shoe box within a drawer to pack them in as tightly as possible. What about how to fold underwear with cups? Lingerie should be rolled until all the fabric fits into the cups and resembles a small, storage-friendly ball. Bras, meanwhile, should be lined up in a row to stop them losing their shape.

2.     Laundry Folding Hacks – The Humble T-shirt

Instead of piling your t-shirts on top of one another like a game of Jenga, store them horizontally. This is a more efficient use of space and displays your entire collection for easy viewing. Fold t-shirts lengthways, tuck the sleeves in, then fold in half widthways twice. Behold – a much smaller footprint and possibly even room for an extra row!

3.    Loop Scarves Through Rings

Winter scarves, summer scarves... As both winter warmers and summer accessories, scarves make a year-round fashion statement, but they don’t have to consume valuable drawer and wardrobe space. Loop shower curtain hooks onto a hanger and let your scarves drape freely for a wrinkle-free, space-saving storage solution.  

4.    How to Fold Hoodies

One of our favourite laundry folding hacks to transform hoodies into neat parcels. Lay the hoodie face down and fold the arms across the back. Fold in half widthways, bottom to top. Fold in half lengthways, making a square (the hood should still be sticking out). Open up the hood and stretch it over the folded hoodie. Voila!

5.    Folding Clothes to Save Space in Suitcases

If you’re struggling to fit all of your holiday gear in your suitcase, roll clothes rather than fold (this also prevents creasing). To really save on space, seal your rolled garments in vacuum compression bags and squeeze the air out. Thin tops, socks, and underwear can also be rolled and packed into shoes to fill every possible nook in your suitcase or backpack. You can also use vacuum packs to store seasonal items in your wardrobe, such as hats, gloves, and jackets.

Now you’ve made lots of extra space in your wardrobe, there’s only one thing left to do – go shopping!