Laundry Folding

Folding the laundry is a time-consuming task, but doing an inefficient job only increases your workload. Consider the tips below to reduce the time you spend completing this chore.

Don't Let Clothes Sit in the Dryer

You can avoid the ironing by removing your clothes promptly at the end of the dry cycle. Simply smooth out any of your cotton or permanent press clothing with your hands and you're good to go. If you tend to forget that you have clothes in the dryer, set a timer on your smartphone to remind you.

Shirts and Socks

To fold a shirt, place it flat on a table and use your right hand to pinch the shirt two inches from its edge. This is approximately half the length from the shoulder. Using your left hand, pinch the shirt at the edge while taking care to align it with the first pinch you made. Next, bring your left hand over your right hand and pinch the bottom of the shirt without releasing either hand. Lastly, lift both hands from the shirt and pull them out from underneath the fold.

Keeping socks together by folding over the ankle parts of each is convenient, but it can destroy elastic quickly and take up a lot of space. An effective alternative is to place one sock on top of the other in a heel to toe fashion. Then fold the socks in thirds and tuck them in at the ankle.

Towels and Sheets

Towels take up a lot of space because they're naturally bulky. To reduce this, lay the towel flat and smooth the wrinkles with your hands. Next, take its long end and fold it one-quarter length while bringing the other quarter close enough to meet. Fold the towel in quarters again to make it shorter. For fitted sheets, lift the sheet up by grabbing each narrow end. Now place it in front of you and fold the right end two-thirds of the way and bring the remaining third over it. Lay it down one last time and fold it in thirds going in the opposite direction of the first fold.