How to Roll Shirts for Packing

Co-authored by Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®

Last Updated: December 2, 2023 Fact Checked

Traveling with a lot of luggage can be stressful and even expensive. Packing efficiently can help you avoid such problems and better enjoy your trip. Rolling your shirts—and all your clothes—is one of the best ways to pack for a short or long journey. This space-saving way of packing makes room for everything else you need for your trip. And, you might even need fewer suitcases than you thought.

Things You Should Know

Flip the bottom edge of your shirt up about 2 inches. Fold the left side of the shirt into the middle, then fold the right side into the middle.
Roll your shirt from top to bottom and tuck it into the 2-inch fold you made at the bottom.
To maximize space in your luggage, fold 2 or 3 shirts together.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Rolling a Dress Shirt

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1
Lay the shirt on a firm surface, button-side down. You should be standing or kneeling at the lower edge of the shirt. You can use a table or an ironing board to lay out your dress shirts. You can also lay out your dress shirt on a firm mattress.^{[1]
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- As a last option, lay a towel on the floor to prepare your dress shirts for rolling.
- If you have time, consider ironing your dress shirts first. Ironing before packing means you can wear your shirts right out of your suitcase when you arrive at your destination.
Then, lift the left side of the shirt and sleeve and lay them directly on top of the right side and sleeve. Looking down at the shirt, the sleeves are on top of one another, on the right side of the garment.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager

Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.} When folded in half, the buttons should be peeking out along the left edge of the shirt. Run your hands over the shirt to smooth out any wrinkles.^{[3]
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Pick up both sleeves together, which are extended to the right of the garment. Then, bring them left and lay them on top of the body of the shirt.
4
Roll the shirt from bottom to top. Start at the bottom edge of the shirt. Turn the bottom edge up about 1 ¹⁄₂ inches (3.8 cm), making a fold. Then, turn the fold upwards again and continue rolling the shirt toward the collar.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager

Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.} Stop when you reach the collar. ^{[5]
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- Leaving the collar free from the roll saves you from having to iron the shirt when you arrive at your destination.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Rolling Casual Shirts for Packing

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1
Turn up the bottom edge of your shirt about 2 inches (5.1 cm). The shirt can be face up or face down. By turning up the bottom edge, you’re creating a pocket that you'll use to tuck the shirt inside of itself once it’s rolled. Tucking keeps your shirts from unraveling during travel.^{[6]
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- You can roll and tuck shirts made from stretchy fabric like polo shirts and T-shirts, or shirts you don't plan on ironing, like a flannel shirt you might pack just to keep warm.
- Many casual shirts don’t need ironing, but rolling your shirts just out of the dryer can help you look presentable if you need to change shirts quickly during your journey or shortly thereafter.
2
Fold both sides of the shirt over the middle. Think about how shirts are folded when on display in stores. That’s the way you want to fold them. First, bring the left side and sleeve to the middle of the shirt. Then, fold the right side and sleeve over the left side and sleeve, which are laying on the body of the shirt.^{[7]
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- Smooth the shirt with your hands to remove any wrinkles.
Fold the top edge down tightly, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) or less. Then, begin rolling the shirt all the way to the bottom edge, over the pocket fold you created.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager

Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.}^{[9]
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4
Lift the folded edge over the rolled up shirt. Keep adjusting the fold, covering the shirt, until it's completely tucked in. You can also skip the pocket and just roll and pack your shirts if you’re short on time.^{[10]
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- To save even more space in your luggage, roll up two or three of the exact same kind of shirt together.

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Tips

Roll entire outfits for space-saving packing and convenience. For example, lay out a T-shirt, a pair of pants, socks and underwear for each day. Roll the items so you can get dressed quickly with little or no hassle.

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