Folding the laundry...

How to fold towels, washcloths, dishtowels, etc…

The seams should ALWAYS be folded to the inside.
The folds should ALWAYS be made straight and smooth.
The edges should ALWAYS be made to line up straight with the opposite side.

(If there is a loosely sewn tag, pull it off with one quick, short, and firm yank. If the tag is securely sewn, leave the tag in place because pulling it will result in the tag being stretched or the threads of the seam being ripped. If there is a tag that is securely sewn to the seam of the towel, that tag should be laid flat on the inside of the folded towel, NOT sticking out.)

For towels and other similar items, the first fold should be made lengthwise. For washcloths or similar square items, the first fold should be made with the label edge. If no label is attached, fold so that any pattern is not divided if at all possible. The second fold should fold the unfolded edge together. For washcloths or other square items, you should now be done. For regular size towels or dishtowels, fold the unfolded edge corners to meet the open edge of the folded edge. For large towels or beach towels, fold in thirds lengthwise starting with the unfolded end.

Now, after they’re folded, they should be stacked neatly…right?

If you stack them all in the same direction, one side of the stack will be higher…the stack will be lopsided because the folded edge is thicker than the “edges” side. With each newly folded item rotate the edge ¼ turn. This will ensure that the stacked items are fairly level.

Then, of course, there comes the putting away part of the chore.

These should NOT just be set on top of the other items that are already in the final destination. Doing so will make some of your towels more faded and worn than others. When you put away the newly folded items, they should be placed at the bottom of the stack or at the back of the rotation.



How to fold jeans, pants & shorts…

Grasp firmly by the waist with a thumb inside each side, like you were holding them up against your body – front out, back against your own waist. Straighten by a determined popping type of shake to the jeans. Still holding in the same position, use your hands to reach into & straighten the front pockets. Leave the zipper, buttons, etc unfastened.

Fold in half with the front folded inside. For jeans, Fold in thirds lengthwise starting with the bottom edge folded inside first. Fold the top down onto the lower edge. The label side of the back should be facing out when fully folded, allowing for easy identification.

Stack in alternating directions in order to maintain a fairly level stack. If all are placed in the same orientation, the folded (thicker) side will make the stacked jeans uneven.



How to fold shirts…

Fold them UPSIDE DOWN.

Grasp the shirt upside down with a thumb inside each side. Straighten the shirt so that front and back are wrinkle-free (the side seams will NOT always line up where you think they should line up).

For a button front shirt…with the shirt UNBUTTONED, do pretty much the same thing but just worry about straightening the back of the shirt now.

Fold the sides (where you are holding them) back against themselves (the front of the shirt facing out).

For a button front shirt…hold the sides & folded edge while you bring the loose front pieces to the folded edge.

Hold the shirt by the sides and the folded edge. At the back of the neck, pull to straighten the folded edge.

Change the grasp to hold the bottom of the side edge and the top of the shoulder. Move in about an inch and fold the sleeve side in on top of the rest of the shirt. For long sleeves, then fold the remainder of the sleeve onto the body of the shirt. Either fold the shirt in thirds starting with the hem edge, or fold in half…sleeve side in of course.

Stack folded shirts in an alternating fashion as well in order to keep a fairly level stack.