How To Fold And Store Clothes To Minimize Wrinkles
Preventing wrinkles on clothes starts in the laundry machine. By putting just the right amount of items, running a delicate cycle, and shaking them out before drying, you can reduce excessive wrinkling. That said, it is equally important to fold and store your items properly to minimize the chance of wrinkles developing before you get to wear them. Fashion content creator Chasing the Look shared her method for folding and storing clothes on YouTube. Inspired by Marie Kondo's tips for organizing and tidying up, it involves laying an article of clothing upside down on the bed, folding it in sections lengthwise, then crosswise, and stacking them vertically in a drawer.
There are various benefits of this technique. It is a space-saving way to fold your clothes, allowing you to fit more into the drawer. And, it reduces wrinkles because the items are not stacked on top of each other, crushing the clothes beneath them. It also makes it easier to find items when you need them and see what you have, which helps you rotate through more of your clothes instead of repeatedly wearing the same things.
Additional techniques for wrinkle-free folding
Chasing the Look uses this method for T-shirts, sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, shorts, and pants, but it can be modified to apply to other types of clothing as well. Blouses, dresses, and skirts made of delicate fabrics that wrinkle easily are some examples. Instead of folding them individually, you can stack them on top of each other, then fold in the sleeves to make an X. Depending on the amount of drawer space you have, fold the pile lengthwise once in the middle or into three sections, then store them away. This will prevent any creasing or wrinkling.
You can also combine Chasing the Look's method with the Ranger Roll, which is a popular military packing technique. It involves folding clothing lengthwise in either two or three sections and rolling them up tightly crosswise. It can be done with your cotton dresses, shirts, socks, underwear, and more. Even sweaters and cardigans can be folded and rolled up this way. Knowing how to fold and store clothes is a great skill to have, whether you're storing summer clothes for the winter, swapping wardrobes for another season, or simply want to better organize your drawers.