There are several ways to fold long-sleeved shirts and sweatshirts. In my experience, folding them in this manner leaves them as wrinkle-free as possible while in the drawer.
Remember that the goal of folding is 1) to use as few folds as possible to prevent wrinkles and 2) fold like items as uniformly as possible so they don’t slide around in the drawer and stack easily.
Start with the shirt lying face down on your folding surface. You should be looking at the back of the shirt. Smooth out the shirt’s surface with your hands to remove as many wrinkles as possible.
Fold the left side of the shirt towards the middle, stopping right before you get to the collar.
Now fold the sleeve back on itself and smooth the shirt flat with your hands.
Create the same fold on the right side of the shirt, bringing in the right side towards the middle.
Fold the right sleeve back on itself and smooth the shirt flat again.
Using your hand as a guide, fold the shirt in half one time. Straighten and smooth as needed for a finished look.
Hint: If you store long-sleeved shirts and sweatshirts together, always put the sweatshirts on the bottom of the stack. The sweatshirts are heavier than t-shirts. If the t-shirts go on the bottom of the pile, they will wrinkle easier from the weight of the sweatshirt sitting on top.
Interested in How to Fold other items?
- How to Fold: Socks
- How to Fold: Underwear
- How to Fold: Men’s Boxers
- How to Fold: T-Shirts
- How to Fold: Children’s 2-Piece Pajamas
- How to Fold: Hand Towels
- How to Fold: Bath Towels
- How to Fold: Beach Towels
- How to Fold: Crib Mattress Pads
- How to Fold: Crib Sheets
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Lauren, I love your blog! (and this post, especially)
So many of your posts make me chuckle from relief that there’s another person like me out there! So keep it up.
Is that your mom’s hand? Random, but I feel like it is!
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 17, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Ha! Actually, it’s mine! I definitely have her hands though-so does Clara.
-Lauren
I some how possess the skill to do this while holding the shirt up in the air (and then onto my lap/table). I may have gotten it watching people at the Gap. My husband is a terrible folder (it takes him minutes to fold one shirt) so folding laundry has always been my job (even when he did the washing).
I fold my toddlers shirts with the sleeves strait back across the back, then in half over that so so that the whole top half of the shirt shows. The little shirts seem to stack better than way.
Twitter: jamieworley
March 17, 2011 at 3:36 pm
I’m the folder in our family, and I usually do it while standing and holding them up in front of me. I prefer to lay them down like you did, but I have no folding area in my laundry room and it’s just easier to do straight out of the dryer. Somehow, my family can’t seem to learn to fold this way, so I’m going to have start an intensive learn-to-fold program in our home.
Jamie´s last [type] ..Walk for Life – 2011
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 18, 2011 at 8:39 am
Ha! I love that: ‘intensive learn-to-fold’ program. Oh the joys of homeschooling!
Thanks for visiting Mama’s -
-Lauren
Twitter: weekendcowgirl
March 17, 2011 at 6:02 pm
I love the washing part and so very much do not enjoy the folding part!! But, at least now I will know how to do it properly!
Weekend Cowgirl´s last [type] ..Happy Saint Patrick’s Day
Maybe I can get a job at The Gap after learning this trick!
I just love your site and your tips. You’ve made me a better housewife. My husband loves you. LOL
Mandy´s last [type] ..Spring Spruce Up
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 20, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Oh Mandy…so kind!!
Thank you!
Lauren
Twitter: calliopeblogger
March 20, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Here from Feels Like Home-
Oh man do I need your help! I just read and reread this post and studied the photos and realized, yep- I’ve been doing it wrong.
Calliope´s last [type] ..Finished Painting!
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 20, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Oh don’t worry – there’s no wrong way! Well, unless you’re rolling it up in a wrinkly ball or something.
Thank you for visiting!
-Lauren
This is very similar to how I fold long-sleeves except for the final step I fold it in thirds (with the image on the shirt centered in the square when complete) instead of in half. That way I can neatly fit two rows of folded shirts in my children’s dressers. Makes it seem roomier in there.
Thanks so much for all your tips! How would you suggest folding a long-sleeved or sweatshirt that has a hood? I can never quite figure out what to do with the hood; it makes it all lumpy.
This is the same method that I use to fold all of my adult shirts, t-shirts included. (I use your #2 method for folding my son’s shirts.) I’m just wondering if there is any reason for not folding all shirts this way?
Twitter: MamaLaundry
October 28, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Nina, the only reason I don’t fold all of our shirts this way is because it’s more time consuming. I can just do the other way faster.