How to Fold T Shirts for Travel

Co-authored by Caitlin Jaymes

Last Updated: January 13, 2024 Fact Checked

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T-shirts are an easy vacation wardrobe staple. However, they can be bulky, taking up more suitcase space than you expect. Use a standard folding technique to make your t-shirts into small squares, then stand them vertically in your suitcase to save space and see them all at once. To make the most of your suitcase space, roll your t-shirts into secure, compact rectangles. Or, to prevent wrinkles, consider bundling your t-shirts in stacks.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Folding T-Shirts Compactly

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1
Start with the t-shirt on a flat surface, with the front facing down. This way, if the t-shirt has a design or logo, you will be able to see it when you're done folding. Folding t-shirts on a flat surface will make the process easier and neater.^{[1]
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- To help prevent creasing, you can put a piece of tissue paper on top of the shirt before you start folding.
2
Fold the t-shirt into thirds. Fold in one of the sleeves. Then fold in the other side. This will create a long rectangle.^{[2]
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- If you are folding a long-sleeved t-shirt, fold the sleeve back towards the edge of the shirt. Then, fold any part of the sleeve that overhangs the edge down towards the bottom hem of the t-shirt.
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3
Fold the collar of the t-shirt down to the hem. Fold the t-shirt in half by bringing the collar all the way to the bottom hem of the t-shirt. The result will be a smaller rectangle.^{[3]
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- If you like, you can leave your t-shirt folded like this. At this point, your t-shirt will be flat. You can stack several t-shirts folded like this in your suitcase.
4
Continue folding the t-shirt in half to make it smaller. Fold the t-shirt in half again to make it smaller. Fold it once more to make it even more compact. Keep in mind that the more you fold your t-shirt, the thicker it will be.^{[4]
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- You can line up several t-shirts folded in this way vertically in your suitcase to save space and see them all at once.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Rolling T-Shirts

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1
Lay a t-shirt on a horizontal surface. It's easiest and neatest to fold and roll t-shirts on a horizontal surface. A bed or a desk will work just fine.^{[5]
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- A horizontal surface at waist level is easiest to work with.
2
Roll up 2 to 5 inches (5.1 to 12.7 cm) of the bottom hem of your t-shirt. Fold up the hem of the t-shirt all the way around. This will create a "pocket" that the rest of the shirt will fit into.^{[6]
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- The bigger the "pocket," the flatter your final result will be. However, it will be wider.
- Creating a smaller "pocket" will make your final result rounder but narrower.
3
Fold in 1/3 of the shirt and fold the sleeve back. Fold the t-shirt so that the edge of the sleeve lines up with the opposite edge of the t-shirt's collar. Then fold the sleeve back towards the edge of the t-shirt.^{[7]
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- Don't worry about making the folds perfect. As long as the t-shirt fits into the pocket, imperfect folds work just fine.
4
Repeat the process on the other side. Fold the other half of the t-shirt so that it completely overlaps with the first sleeve. Then, fold the sleeve back.^{[8]
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- To make this even faster, hold the t-shirt at the shoulder seam and the bottom hem with 2 fingers. When you fold it in, the sleeve will automatically fall into place.
5
Roll from the top of the t-shirt and tuck it into the pocket. Starting at the collar of the t-shirt, begin to roll the fabric toward the pocket. When you reach the pocket, simply tuck the roll into it.^{[9]
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- Tucking the t-shirt into the pocket will help the t-shirt stay securely folded.
- The more tightly you roll your t-shirt, the more compact it will be.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Bundling T-Shirts for Fewer Wrinkles

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1
Stack multiple t-shirts on top of each other. Lay the t-shirts one on top of the other so that they line up. Use a flat surface to more easily fold your clothes. The larger the stack, the fewer creases there will be in the middle and lower layers.^{[10]
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- The shirt on the top of the stack will have the most wrinkles.
2
Place a piece of swimwear, underwear, or socks on top of the stack to avoid creases. Lay the item flat on top of the pile. Topping the pile of t-shirts with another garment will help prevent sharp folds in your t-shirts, meaning they will have fewer creases. Use a garment that is less likely to crease on top of the pile.^{[11]
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- If there are other clothes you don't want to crease, such as dress pants, button-down shirts, or dresses, you can place them at the bottom of your t-shirt pile.
3
Fold the top t-shirt around the top layer of clothing. Fold one t-shirt sleeve over the top garment. Then fold in the other sleeve. Finally, fold the bottom of the t-shirt up to the collar.^{[12]
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- This keeps the top garment in place and creates a secure bundle of clothes.
4
Repeat this folding method for each t-shirt, layer by layer. After you fold in the first t-shirt, fold in the second t-shirt in the same way so that it encloses the first t-shirt. Continue folding each t-shirt until you reach the bottom layer.^{[13]
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- After folding the last layer, you can place the pile directly into your suitcase.

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Tips

Plan what outfits you want to wear rather than packing a lot of random shirts since it will make your suitcase more cluttered.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Caitlin Jaymes
Closet Organizer & Fashion Stylist

Expert Interview. 16 December 2019.}

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If you want to save even more space, consider using packing cubes or compression bags.

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