How to Fold Clothes to Save Precious Drawer and Closet Space

Instead of piling your tees on top of one another and then rummaging through the stack, use this method to let shirts stand upright. It fills the drawer more efficiently and lets you see your entire collection at once.

1. Take one side of the shirt and fold it in toward the center.
2. Fold the sleeve back away from the center of the shirt.
3. If you're folding a long-sleeve tee, fold the sleeve again down toward the shirt's bottom hem. (The sleeve should form an upside-down L shape.)
4. Repeat on the other side of the shirt.
5. Fold the collar of the shirt all the way back to the bottom hem, so that the garment looks like a rectangle.
6. Carefully fold the shirt in half again, so that you can store it upright in a drawer or storage container.

In general, Marie recommends hanging dress shirts like this, but if you must fold it for a suitcase or drawer, take care not to crush the collar.

1. Fold one side of the shirt towards the middle.
2. Flip the sleeves halfway back and then fold again.
3. Repeat on the other side.
4. Fold the shirt in half lengthwise, making a rectangle.

It might feel like overkill, but this super condensed way of folding jeans allows you to store 'em horizontally and pack more pants into each drawer.

1. Fold the pants in half, placing one leg on top of the other with the back pockets facing out.
2. Fold in half lengthwise, bringing the hem to just below the waist and forming a long rectangle
3. Fold the pants upwards again, this time into thirds.

Storing your coziest knits on hangers stretches out the shoulders, but there's no denying they're total drawer hogs. Try folding the sides in so all your sweaters have the same width — they'll stack more easily that way.

1. Fold the arms in across the sweater, parallel to the hem.
2. Fold each side part way in.
3. Fold in half lengthwise.

Putting your socks perpendicular to each other may sound counterintuitive, but once you see how neat it turns out you'll better understand why.

1. Lay each sock perpendicular to each other, forming a cross.
2. Bring one toe across, tucking it under the other sock.
3. Fold the top of that same sock across.
4. Repeat with the other sock.
5. Tuck the two ends sticking out into the middle, forming a square.