Folding 101: Get the most out of your dressers!

For many small to medium sized bedrooms, making the most of limited dresser space can feel like a losing battle.  If you find yourself tempted to live out of the laundry basket in order to avoid the disaster you call the dresser, it might be worth your time to adopt these time saving folding methods.

From theploumanach 

How to Fold Shirts

Engineers at the University of California Berkeley studied the most efficient methods for folding clothes.  The idea was to utilize research in developing robotic laundry assistants for consumers.  The research found the most efficient technique for saving space in your dresser was the square fold technique. 

Square Fold Technique 

1. Lay the Shirt on a flat surface and fold one arm in at the elbow

2. Fold that same arm inward at the armpit seam.

3. Continuing from the same side, fold the length of the shirt toward the center.

4. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 on the opposite side of the shirt.

5. Take the rectangular folded shirt, and bring the lower end to the top, creating a perfect square fold

6. Smooth out your small square of a T-shirt and place it in your drawer organizer or on a shelf.

       From Martha Stewart

Folding Pants

Let’s face it, we’ve all been in the unfortunate circumstance of opening up our suitcase after a long day of travel and noticing ugly creases.  The problem is the way you fold clothes to fit into your dresser is not the way you fold clothes to fit into your suitcase.  Fitting clothes into a suitcase should focus on compressing the clothes to save space and keeping everything visible.  Jeans are a particularly difficult clothing item because denim is such a dense and difficult to fold fabric.  This is how you should fold jeans for maximum space saving in your luggage.

1. Place the jeans on a  flat surface and fold in half along the crotch.

2. Grab one pant leg and fold it up diagonally.  Giving yourself at least 3 inches of extra denim 

3. Roll pants the waist, from the waist down leaving the diagonal piece out.

4. Then tuck the rolled denim into the pant leg that should be sticking out.

      From PracticalPerfectNut

Folding Socks

It’s just so easy to let your dresser go for a few weeks and find yourself in sock drawer hell.  Sock drawers don’t have to be a source of stress though.  

One efficient sock folding method is to fold your socks in half and then in half again, creating a small bundle. This method is quick and works well for ankle socks and crew socks. I prefer this method because I can easily see all my socks in my drawer, and it saves me time when getting dressed in the morning.

From TheDIYPLaybook

If you're looking for a more stylish approach, you can try the KonMari sock folding method. This technique involves folding each sock into a small rectangle and standing them upright in your drawer. A friend of mine uses this method because it allows her to see all her socks at once and keeps them neatly organized.

Another technique is to roll your socks into small balls. This is ideal for athletic socks and is a great way to prevent them from losing their shape. I use this method when packing for a workout or a trip because it saves space in my bag.

From Eby 

Folding Underwear

Tired of a messy underwear drawer? Try the Marie Kondo method for folding underwear. Lay the underwear flat, fold the crotch area up to the waistband to create a rectangle. Then, fold each side inwards towards the center, and fold in half twice to create a small, compact square. This method works well for all types of underwear and saves space in your drawer. Other techniques include rolling, stacking, or using dividers. Organizing your underwear drawer can reduce stress and save time