10 Ways To Fold Towels For Better Storage And Organization

Towels may seem like an insignificant part of your home's organization, but they can clutter up your closets or bathrooms if you don't have a good method for storing them, and they constantly fall out if they aren't folded correctly. You may even believe that you know how to properly fold a bath towel to ensure that you're maximizing space and keeping your linen closet neat and tidy. However, the way you fold your towels can make a big difference in how much space you save and how put-together your storage area looks. Using the tri-fold, hotel fold, and spa roll methods, among others, can ensure that you achieve the neat and efficient linen storage you've always wanted.

Whether you're working in a closet, on open shelves, or in decorative baskets and holders, utilizing these smart folding techniques can provide practical solutions and improve accessibility.  Best of all, many of these folds create a spa-worthy look that can bring a calm, inviting, and beautiful aesthetic to your space.

Before you start instituting all of these towel folds in your bathroom, closet, shelves, or guest rooms, there are a few helpful tips to consider. Sorting your towels and taking time to check the area in which you'll store or display them are necessary steps to help you organize. Try any (or all) of these folds to determine which will work best for your space and enhance the appeal of your towel storage.

A compact way to fold larger towels for storage is with the simple tri-fold method. Lay your towel out flat and fold one of the longer edges toward the middle. Then, fold the other edge over it completely. Now, fold the long strip you've made in half, and fold in half once more for a tidy, narrow rectangle. You can store these slimmer towels in a drawer or across a shelf for a sleek, minimalist aesthetic.

The hotel fold works well when you hang your towels up, like your hand towel in the bathroom. Once you lay your towel out flat with the tag up, fold both long edges toward the middle. If you're hanging it, you can put it over your towel bar so that it's equal on both sides, hanging cleanly. You can then stack from largest to smallest over your towel bar. Or, fold the towel in half again going lengthwise, and then into thirds to create a neat stack before storing your towels on shelves.

Doing this simple version of the spa roll method, you can create a luxurious look and display your neatly organized towels by your bathtub or a guest room. Once you've laid the towel flat, fold it in half lengthwise. Then, flip it over and begin to roll it tightly from one end to the other. Once it's rolled up, you can tuck it neatly wherever you want, stack the towels, and see how neat and space-saving this method is for your closets and shelves.

You can fold towels in a more compact way for storing them neatly in drawers or closets, or for leaving them on display. (This is also referred to as the KonMari Method, from organizational expert Marie Kondo.) Lay your towel flat, then fold in half going lengthwise. Then, take it from there and tri-fold it, still going lengthwise, to create a smaller square. You should then be able to stand the towel up on its own so it's easy to store away neatly. Alternatively, tuck your towels into a wire basket for display.

You can get more space on your shelves with this easy square-fold stacking hack. After laying out your towel, fold it in half from top to bottom. Then, take a small strip near the fold and fold it down a third of the way. Fold again to close the rectangle. Then, take your end and fold it into the middle, and fold once more to finish. You'll have a nice, tight square that stacks neatly in your closet and may save you inches of space!

This is how you ranger roll your towels for better organization. Start by folding the bottom edge under by just a few inches. Then, fold the towel into thirds lengthwise. Take your top portion and fold it down partially, then once more to complete the fold. When you flip the towel over, you'll see your bottom edge. Take that part and fold it over to tuck in the other side of the towel. You'll have a neatly folded towel with an open slot for hand towels or washcloths to optimize space.

This more advanced spa roll creates a more elegant and tidy style. After laying out your towel, fold it in half lengthwise. Take your top left edge and fold it to the middle, then do the same with the bottom corner to achieve a burrito-like look. Lift from the middle to fold it in half with your burrito edges up, and pull the top part down a bit so the bottom part is a little longer. Roll it from the bottom, and tuck the top piece into the middle.

For a fold that works well for deeper shelving, start by laying your towel flat and folding one side, then the other into the middle going lengthwise. Fold it in half to create a long rectangle. Fold in each end to the middle, leaving a bit of a gap between the folds. Then fold it where the gap is one more time, and you'll have a small, stackable rectangle with this deep folding method.

For the envelope fold, start by folding down the corners of a short edge into the middle of your towel. This will create a triangle on the top. Then, take your sides and fold them to the middle. Gently fold from the bottom up twice, leaving the top triangle. Bring it down in a fold that creates the "flap" of the envelope, and you're done. These folds make easy squares to stack and store for maximum storage!

Finally, do this fancy towel fold to save closet or shelf space. Fold your towel in half lengthwise to start. Fold one corner over to the middle to create a big triangle on one end. Then, take the straight end and fold it in up to the triangle edge. Then, just roll to the triangle end. Tuck that end into the end of your rolled side, and you have another fancy rolled towel that looks neat, saves space, and takes less time than the advanced roll version.