While not as delicate a process as Origami, folding laundry is still an art form that requires precision and skill.
Have you ever admired the neat stacks of folded clothes in a store and wished your own wardrobe looked like that? To make your closet run more efficiently, it’s time to ditch the ’90s vacuum-sealed space bags and embrace the folded laundry technique.
In addition to the obvious benefit of ironed or wrinkle-free garments, perfectly folded clothes are a great way of storing off-season or rarely used items.
So, how do you get that “folded” look? Let's start with learning to fold the ultimate wardrobe staple – a basic t-shirt.
- Lay the t-shirt out in front of you, on a flat surface (table) and on a slight angle.
- Draw an imaginary line across the middle of the t-shirt.
- Pinch the fabric with your right thumb and index finger at a point on the line a couple of centimetres in from the edge. Make sure you’ve grabbed both the front and back of the t-shirt.
- Draw an imaginary line from the pinch point to the shoulder seam. It should go straight up, parallel to the sides of the shirt.
- Pinch the t-shirt with your left hand at the point on the shoulder seam (while still keeping your first pinch in place).
- Fold the shirt by crossing your left hand over your right hand. Using your left fingers, keep the hem and the shoulder together.
- Use your left hand (the one pinching the shoulder seam) to pinch the fabric at the bottom of the t-shirt so that both the shoulder seam and the point on the bottom are pinched between the thumb and index finger.
- Uncross your hands and raise the shirt. The T-shirt should be hanging down from your hands with a loose sleeve dangling at the bottom.
- Fold the loose sleeve under and lower back onto the table. Fold the rest of the t-shirt back toward you and over the sleeve to create a fold that is symmetrical with the fold on the other side.
- Stand back and admire your handiwork!
If you’re overwhelmed by all the steps involved – or just don’t have the time to master them – enlist the experts to take care of your laundry or ironing.