To fold a shirt, lay it face down on a flat surface, fold both sides inward, and bring the hem up toward the collar. The result is a rectangle you can stack on a shelf or fold again to stand in a drawer. Start with a dry shirt. Smooth the fabric with your palms and straighten the bottom edge first. A twisted hem or bunched sleeve will make the finished fold lopsided, even if the outside edges line up. Marie Kondo’s guide to folding clothes
Make an even rectangle for a shelf
Fold one side toward the middle, keeping the fold parallel to the shirt’s center. Tuck the sleeve back inside that line, then repeat on the other side. Bring the hem toward the collar and turn the bundle over. Fold your next shirt to roughly the same width so the pile stays level. For a long-sleeve shirt, lay each sleeve lengthwise inside the rectangle before bringing the hem up. If the cuff sticks out, fold it back once so it stays inside the edge. The KonMari guide to making a rectangle
Fold once more to stand shirts in a drawer
For a drawer, make the same narrow rectangle and bring the hem up while leaving a little space below the collar. Fold the rectangle again into a compact bundle and set it on its folded edge. If it falls open, make the bundle a little shorter or change the width before refolding. Measure the drawer’s usable height if it is shallow, then test one shirt before folding the rest. Keep enough room to pull out one shirt without dragging the shirts beside it. KonMari’s upright storage method
Pack flat or adjust for thicker shirts
For a suitcase, start with the shelf fold and lay the shirt flat if the space allows. If you need a smaller bundle, make one additional fold and keep thick collars or cuffs from stacking directly on top of one another. For bulky shirts on a shelf, use fewer folds and a shorter stack so you can lift one out easily. For a second laundry shape that is harder to keep rectangular, see how to fold a fitted sheet.
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