3 Ways to Fold Your Towels for Neater Storage

Instructions on How To Fold Towels

Use these basic methods to fold any size towel, from beach and bath to smaller hand towels.

1. Sort Towels by Size

   Not all bath towels are the same size. After they're freshly washed (or if you've just pulled them from their storage space to reorganize), sort your beach towels, bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths by size. If you want a really good-looking arrangement, also sort by color. This is the perfect time to weed out towels that are worn, ripped, or no longer absorbent. Most animal rescue groups will welcome a towel donation for their shelters.

2. Measure Your Storage Area

   Knowing the width and depth of the storage space will help you determine the best way to fold towels for your home. If you plan to use the towels as part of a decorative or necessary display, measure the towel bars or storage baskets (width, length, and depth) as well.

3. Tri-Fold Method

   This fold can be done on a flat surface or while you are standing.

   1. Working with the finished side of the towel down, fold one corner of the narrow end of the towel over about two-thirds of the width.
   2. Make a crease down the length of the towel, making sure the width of the fold remains the same.
   3. Fold the remaining third of the towel over the folded portion. You now have a long, three-layer strip of towel.
   4. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, smooth, and then fold in half again to make a compact, stackable towel bundle.

4. Deep-Fold Method

   1. Place the towel on a flat surface with the finished side facing down.
   2. Working from the long side of the towel, fold one side of the towel to the center of the narrow end and make a crease down the length of the towel, keeping the fold width even.
   3. Grab the other long side of the towel and fold it to the centerline of the narrow end. Make a crease down the length of the towel. There are now two long parallel folds with edges that meet in the center of the towel.
   4. Fold the towel in half lengthwise so the raw edges are in the center. There are now four layers of towel in a long, skinny shape.
   5. Fold each narrow end of the towel toward the center of the strip. Leave a gap of about one or two inches between the folds so the final fold can be done easily.
   6. Do a final fold to bring the two halves of the towel together. This will give you a neat towel package with no raw edges showing.

5. Narrow Fold Method

   If your storage space is very narrow or you plan to roll the towels to fit in a basket or cubicle, the narrow fold works well.

   1. Working from the narrow end of the towel, fold the towel in half down its length. Make a crease and be sure that all of the corners are aligned.
   2. Fold the towel in half at the mid-point of the rectangle. Align all four corners of the fabric.
   3. To create a narrow packet, fold the rectangle into thirds starting at the narrow end. Store with the edges down on the shelf.
   4. To roll the towel, before making the final folds, start at the narrow open end of the rectangle and create a tight roll. This will place the edges of the towel in the center of the roll. Store with the folded edges facing up in a basket or out in a cubby.

How Often Should You Fold Towels?

Towels should be folded after each time they are washed. Leaving towels in a heap is overwhelming, messy, and can lead to confusion regarding which towels are clean and which are dirty. It takes less than one minute per towel to complete a basic fold, and the task is perfect for doing while watching or listening to your favorites. The one rule that must be followed is that the towel should be completely dry before you fold it for storage or display, which discourages mildew growth.