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How to fold clothes to save drawer space and avoid creases

In short: Fold clothes as soon as they are dry, smoothing seams flat. Fold each piece to the depth of your drawer and stand it on its edge so you can see everything. Fold knits rather than hanging them, roll socks, and keep heavy items at the bottom.

By Published 28 October 20265 min readPublisher: Saadat Rafiq

✓ Reviewed by Muqadas Fatima, BFA · 30 October 2026

Illustration of a woman placing neatly folded tops upright in an open drawer, each one standing on its edge like a fileIllustration

At a glance

Fold when
Straight from the dryer or line (Beko)
Knits
Fold, don't hang (Woolmark, Univ. of Kentucky Extension)
Socks, underwear
Roll them (FabricLink)
Avoid creases
Tissue in folds, vary the fold, heavy items at the bottom (FabricLink)
Advice from
University of Kentucky Extension, FabricLink, Woolmark and Beko, read 28 October 2026
Checked
October 2026

Most creases in folded clothes start before you fold: clothes left crumpled in a basket, folds made in the same place every time, and drawers packed so tight that the top layer presses the rest. This guide folds each piece to fit your own drawer, so it stays flat and you can see what you own.

Fold, roll or hang?

Jumpers, knits, stretchy tops

Fold. Store most knits flat (University of Kentucky Extension); Woolmark says fold knitted garments and keep them in drawers.

T-shirts, casual trousers, jeans

Fold to drawer depth and stand on edge (steps below).

Socks, underwear

Roll them to save space and reduce wrinkles (FabricLink).

Shirts, blouses, tailored jackets, coats

Hang. Beko says hang shirts and blouses straight from the dryer; tailored coats need shaped or padded hangers (University of Kentucky Extension, Woolmark).

How to fold clothes for a drawer

  1. Fold clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer or off the line.

    Illustration of a woman giving a T-shirt a firm shake beside an open tumble dryer
    Illustration

    Give each item a firm shake to release lint and creases, and fold it as it comes out, rather than piling everything into a basket (Beko). Over-drying also sets creases, so stop the dryer once the load is dry enough (Beko).

    You should see: a garment that hangs straight when you hold it up by the shoulders.

  2. Lay it face down and close every button and zip.

    Illustration of hands doing up the zip of a hooded top laid out flat, ready to turn face down for folding
    Illustration

    Close zips and buttons and empty the pockets, so nothing bulges or pulls (Woolmark). Smooth the garment flat with your hands, pulling seams, collars and cuffs straight (Beko).

    You should see: the item lying flat, with straight side seams and no wrinkles under your hand.

  3. Fold the sides in to make a long rectangle.

    Illustration of a T-shirt laid face down with one side and its sleeve folded in towards the middle, forming a long straight edge
    Illustration

    Fold each side in towards the middle, sleeves and all, so you have a long rectangle a little narrower than your drawer is tall. For a long-sleeved top, fold the sleeve back down along the side so it lies flat. For trousers, put one leg on top of the other and fold the bottom half up.

    You should see: a neat rectangle with straight edges and nothing hanging over.

  4. Fold it up to the depth of your drawer.

    Illustration of a long folded rectangle of fabric being folded up in half and then in half again into a small firm block
    Illustration

    Measure your drawer's depth once, then fold the rectangle up from the hem in halves or thirds until it fits that depth. This is our layout suggestion, not a rule from the sources: one size of block for every item makes a drawer much easier to fill evenly.

    For clothes that crease easily, lay a sheet of white tissue paper inside the fold (FabricLink).

    You should see: a small block that stands up on its own on the table.

  5. Stand the blocks on their edges in the drawer, heavy items at the back or bottom.

    Illustration from above of an open drawer with folded clothes standing upright in rows, each fold visible at the top
    Illustration

    Standing each block on its folded edge means you can see every item and take one out without lifting the others. If you stack instead, put the heaviest items at the bottom and don't stack clothes that crease easily (FabricLink).

    You should see: every item visible from above, with a little room left at the end of each row.

  6. Careful: don't put knits on hangers for storage. Woolmark and University of Kentucky Extension both say to store them folded or flat.

    Fold jumpers loosely and keep them on top.

    Illustration of hands folding a knitted jumper loosely in half with its sleeves crossed over the back, a short pile of jumpers on a shelf behind
    Illustration

    Lay the jumper face down, cross the sleeves over the back and fold it in half. Fold gently rather than tightly (Woolmark). Keep bulky knits on a shelf or at the top of a stack so nothing heavy flattens them.

    Woolmark also suggests letting wool rest for 24 hours between wears so the fibres recover their shape.

    You should see: a soft, loose fold with no sharp line across the front.

  7. Roll socks and underwear.

    Illustration of a pair of socks laid together and rolled up from the toe into a small roll, with a row of rolls in a drawer divider
    Illustration

    Rolling small items saves space and reduces wrinkles (FabricLink). Lay a pair of socks together and roll from the toe.

    You should see: a row of small rolls that fill gaps between the folded blocks.

How to tell it worked

  • You can see every item when you open the drawer.
  • The drawer closes without pressing down on the clothes. University of Kentucky Extension says don't overfill drawers.
  • Clothes come out with only their fold lines, not a criss-cross of creases.
  • Knitwear is folded flat in a drawer or on a shelf, not on a hanger (Woolmark).

If something goes wrong

What happensWhat it meansWhat to do
Clothes are creased before you fold themThey sat in the dryer or basket too long, or were over-dried (Beko)Hang in a steamy bathroom, or tumble 5 minutes with a damp towel and hang at once (Beko)
A sharp line won't come outThe fold has set in one placeUse tissue in the fold and vary where you fold (FabricLink)
Items on the bottom are flattened and creasedThe pile is too heavy or the drawer too fullHeavy items at the bottom, fewer per drawer (FabricLink, University of Kentucky Extension)
Musty smell or spots in storageClothes went away damp, or air can't circulateStore only fully dry clothes and don't seal them in plastic bags (University of Kentucky Extension)
Small holes in stored woolPossibly moths, drawn to food stains and body oils (Woolmark)Store wool clean, in airtight bags or boxes for long periods (Woolmark)

Before storing clothes for a season, check how to wash them first: see how to wash a wool jumper and how to read care labels.

Questions readers ask

Is rolling clothes better than folding?

For socks and underwear, FabricLink suggests rolling to save space and reduce wrinkles. For shirts and trousers, a flat fold to the size of the drawer usually keeps sharper lines. Both are fine; pick what fits the space.

Should jumpers be folded or hung?

Folded. Woolmark says to fold knitted garments gently and keep them in drawers, and University of Kentucky Extension says most knits and stretchy clothes should be stored flat.

Why do my folded clothes still come out creased?

Usually the folds have set. FabricLink suggests putting tissue paper in the folds and changing where you fold, so the same crease doesn't set. Stacking heavy items on light ones, and over-full drawers, press creases in too.

Can I store clothes in vacuum or plastic bags?

Only clean and completely dry. University of Kentucky Extension warns plastic bags can trap moisture and cause mildew. Woolmark does suggest airtight bags or containers for long-term wool storage, to keep moths out.

Sources

We base our articles on the makers' official documentation.

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