There are many ways to compactly store things. But the most relevant are those that simultaneously solve two problems: saving space and preventing creases in the fabric. This is especially important when it comes to classic shirts, which even experienced housewives don’t really like to iron. Before folding a shirt compactly (no matter with long or short sleeves), you need to:
- iron the product - or use a steamer;
- let cool for 15-20 minutes, which will avoid wrinkles during folding;
- fasten all buttons (including cuffs) and turn right side out.
During transport or in the closet, a stack of shirts can be rearranged with cardboard sheets. They will serve as a kind of frame and will prevent the clothes from getting wrinkled.
How to fold a shirt or jacket correctly so as not to wrinkle?
When packing for a trip, you need to make sure that your clothes do not need to be ironed. If there is such a need, then iron the wrinkled shirt or jacket and put the suit in the suitcase only after the fabric has cooled.
So, how to fold a jacket or shirt correctly? To do this, you need to follow the following sequence of actions:
- Place the shirt on a table or any flat, hard surface.
- Make sure all buttons are fastened, including the cuffs.
- Carefully place the shirt with the buttons facing down.
- Hold the garment in the middle of the shoulder seam, while with the other hand grab the bottom seam of the shirt and fold the side part along with the sleeve over the back of the garment. Make sure that the fold line is smooth without folds or distortions.
- Now you need to properly lay the sleeve of your clothing. Bend the sleeve along the armhole line so that it is strictly parallel to the previous fold.
- Fold the shirt on the other side in the same way, and place the second sleeve correctly.
- Evaluate your work, if you do everything as it should, then the folded item should be rectangular in shape, and the sleeves should be laid on top parallel to the side folds. If something is done incorrectly, fold the product again.
- Grasp the bottom of the shirt and fold it in half so that the bottom seam is under the base of the collar. When you fold the item, make sure that the sleeves do not move; it is better to hold them with your hand.
- If you don’t have much space in your suitcase or you have a large shirt, you can fold it twice, bending it 1/3 of the height of the rectangle.
The clothes that you pack in this way in a backpack, bag or suitcase will not lose their neat appearance and will not get wrinkled during the trip.
Folding order
Before folding the shirt, you need to fasten it with all the buttons, turn the front side onto the table surface and smooth out all the details nicely. Next, take the sleeve and part of the placket and fold it over the back parallel to the shoulders. At the same time, all wrinkles are smoothed out with your hands. The sleeve falls down, perpendicular to the collar. The same manipulation is performed with the other half. The back is visually divided into three equal parts. The left and right sides are folded onto the central one along with the sleeves.
How to fold things correctly using the “twisting” method
Sometimes it is much more convenient not to fold a shirt, but to roll it up. This method is often used by those who do not like or do not have the opportunity to take large bags or suitcases with them on a business trip or vacation. This method allows you to significantly save space in your luggage and fit more things into a small bag.
However, you should understand that not all clothes can be styled this way. This is acceptable for a polo shirt or silk, cambric or other delicate fabric, but you should not put a jacket in a suitcase this way.
Universal methods
In addition to the above methods, universal methods are practiced, suitable for products with long, short sleeves and polo shirts. Here you will need a flat surface. Before starting work, iron the fabric and let it cool.
Fasten the buttons and turn the model back up. If you don’t have enough skills in proper styling, use a thick magazine, placing it on the back. The edge of the magazine should touch the edge of the collar. Fold the side edge, covering half of the magazine. Then, roll up the sleeve, bending it three times. Carry out the same manipulations with the other side. Next, fold the bottom edge towards the collar. The method leaves a minimum number of folds on the material.
Another simple folding method is using a special board. Place the product face down on the device and roll it up in a few quick movements. On such a board you can collect any clothes: from shirts to shorts.
A quick way is to roll it up. Fold in half along the back, tuck up the sleeves and roll up. But this method leaves a lot of bruises, so it is only suitable for saving space in a bag or suitcase.
Useful tips
When packing shirts in a suitcase or closet, you can use a few tricks to make your job easier and keep your suit pieces looking flawless for a long time. You need to use the following tips:
- You can’t start packing things into your suitcase immediately after you’ve ironed them. Allow the fabric to cool completely, otherwise the garment will develop a lot of wrinkles during storage or transportation.
- If you need to fold a shirt, use the cardboard that it was folded and packaged with in the store. In cases where the packaging has not been preserved or was missing, you can cut out the cardboard yourself to the appropriate size. A shirt packed in this way will retain its appearance better in a suitcase or backpack.
- To protect your item from dirt and wrinkles, wrap it in thin, clean paper before putting it in your suitcase.
- For those who spend a lot of time traveling, it is better to transport suits and shirts in a special bag (portpad).
- When you pack your things in your suitcase, place the packed shirts on top of other things; at the bottom they will wrinkle and lose their decent appearance.
When packing luggage on the road, do not stuff your bag to the brim and do not pack things too tightly, as this will not have the best effect on their condition.
When you need to look brand new upon arrival
If you often go on business trips, be sure to purchase a special bag for transporting shirts (sport bag). This device practically guarantees that upon arriving at your destination, you can immediately put on the ironed product and go to a business meeting in it.
The most convenient way to transport shirts is in a special bag - a briefcase
A bag for transporting shirts can be found on sale in specialized stores, or ordered online.
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What to do if clothes are wrinkled after transportation
It may happen that despite all your efforts and strict adherence to the rules when packing your suitcase, your shirt is still wrinkled. What to do if you don’t have the time or opportunity to iron a thing, but you need it? Restoring a decent appearance is not difficult at all.
Use the "steam" method. Turn on the hot water in the bathroom and close the door tightly. After the air temperature and humidity in the room rise, leave the shirt hanging on a hanger there for 15-20 minutes, and then wait for it to dry. Do not put the item on immediately after “steaming” the folds; wait a while, otherwise the item will wrinkle even more.
It should be noted that this method is effective in many cases, but there are exceptions. For example, some types of linen or cotton fabrics will become covered with even more folds from such exposure than were originally there. In this case, all you have to do is use an iron if your suit is wrinkled.
Devices that will simplify the process
To store and transport shirts in perfect condition, you can call on special devices and improvised means to help. For example, such items will come in handy.
- Holdall. If you are constantly on business trips, get a backpack. This is a special convenient bag for storing and transporting suits and shirts.
- Plastic stacker. This is a special board that allows you to fold a shirt in such a way that it does not wrinkle even if there are errors in storage. The shirt will be packed literally, just like in a store. You just need to lay the item on top of the plastic base and, bending the “wings” of the stacker, give the item the desired look. Such devices are sold in some hardware departments and online stores. (By the way, you can give this “gadget” as a gift to those who prefer a business style and wear shirts every day). But it’s really possible to make a stacker with your own hands by cutting out the necessary structure from thick cardboard.
- Sheet of cardboard. Or an A4 sketchbook will help you fold an ironed shirt so as not to wrinkle it. Simply place the thick sheet in the middle of the product (adjacent to the collar) and fold the sides and sleeves evenly along the contour, and then tuck the bottom.
When advising on how to fold a shirt correctly, experienced housewives pay attention to a few more points. So, it is better to allocate a separate place in the closet for shirts. On the shelf, place them on top of each other like a jack. Bulky items should not be placed on top. To protect items from dust, wrap each shirt in lightweight wrapping paper. If, after unrolling the product, there are still a few folds left on it, they can be straightened out with steam: for example, in the bathroom after a shower or using a boiling kettle.
What to consider when folding the product
Many people know how to fold a shirt so that it doesn't wrinkle. But, there are rules that must be carefully followed when performing such manipulations. They will allow you to achieve maximum effect. These rules include:
- You should not fold things using this method immediately after ironing. First of all, they must cool down. To do this, hang them on a hanger for half an hour. If there is a need to fold several things, then first you need to iron them, and then proceed to this, observing the order.
When folding things, you need to carefully monitor the parallelism of the fold lines. This especially applies to the stage of folding them widthwise. If the lines are slanted, the product will look somewhat crooked. To increase the effect of such folding and maintain the evenness of the product for a long time, cardboard is placed inside. The size of the cardboard corresponds to the size of the folded product, excluding the collar. Expensive wardrobe items can be additionally wrapped in paper. Thus, they are protected not only from loss of shape, but also from contamination that may occur during their storage or transportation. If clothes are often transported and occupy a special place in the wardrobe, then you should think about purchasing a special backpack.
Using these rules, you can easily complete all the work related to how to fold a shirt correctly.
Quickly and efficiently
To quickly fold the product, you can use a slightly different scheme:
- The item is folded in the middle of the shoulder, as described in the previous method. In this case, manipulations are carried out on both sides at once.
- The sleeves are folded along the shoulder lines. As a result, they are placed vertically along the length of the garment.
- After this, the product is folded in three.
The peculiarity of this method is that you can quickly and neatly fold a wardrobe item. At the same time, it will have smaller dimensions, which will increase the capacity of a shelf or travel suitcase.
Closet storage
The optimal method for storing things in a closet is with buttons fastened, on hangers. In this position, the front slats are vertical, which prevents crushing. If for some reason there are no hangers, then you need to put the shirts on shelves using one of the methods. Be sure to use a cardboard insert, from store packaging or designed independently.
Clothes are pinned on shelves in the form of a jack: when the collar of the upper and lower shirt is on opposite sides. Nothing is placed on top of the formed stack.
Folding algorithm:
- The clothes are placed face up on a clean surface and the pieces are aligned.
- The sleeve, together with one side of the strap, is folded over the back. A line should form parallel to the shoulder.
- Then lower the sleeve down to make it perpendicular to the collar. Do the same with the other half of the product.
- Visually divide the back into three parts and fold it in three: the lower part is tucked at a distance of approximately the width of the palm, the remaining rectangle is divided in half.
