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Learn to fold and put away denim pants to prevent wrinkles
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Denim is a pretty bulky fabric, which makes folding and storing jeans a bit different than folding and storing other kinds of pants. But with a little care and practice, even the stiffest of jeans tucks away neatly in any drawer or closet. We chatted with life coach and organization expert Ashley Moon to show you a simple, basic way to fold that denim, as well as some other clever folding and storage tips.
Things You Should Know
- Lay your jeans down with the front facing up and use your hands to smooth them out, making sure the pockets aren’t bunched.
- Fold the jeans in half at the crotch, laying one pant leg over the other, and check that the seams line up.
- Bring the hem up to the waistband to fold the jeans in half. Or, fold them in thirds by bringing the hem up to the thigh, then folding the top down over the hem.
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Doing a Basic Fold
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Shake out the jeans and flatten them with your hands. Pick up the pair of jeans by either end of the waistband and shake them out with 1 or 2 short, emphatic flaps to remove any obvious wrinkles. Then lay the jeans with the front facing up and run your hands across them to smooth them out. [1] X Research source- Also, reach your hand into each of the pockets to expand and flatten them. Bunched-up pockets can make for lumpy jeans.
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Fold one leg of the jeans over the other. Fold the jeans in half lengthwise so that the back pockets face outward. Make sure the legs themselves are flattened along the seams, or your fold may create wrinkles. [2] X Research source- Or, fold them so that the front pockets face outward and the back pockets are touching; whichever looks nicer to you.
- If you like, tuck the crotch fabric extending past the legs back over the topmost leg. It may make the folded jeans a bit thicker, but they’ll look neater.
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Fold the pants in half or thirds, depending on space. If you have plenty of room in your dresser or cupboard, fold the hem up to the waistband, then smooth out the pants. [3] X Research source- If you need to fold more compactly, fold the hem up to the thigh, smooth the pants out, then fold the waistband all the way down to the folded edge of the pants.
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Section 2 of 3:
Other Ways to Fold Jeans
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File fold your jeans to stand them up in a drawer. Lay the jeans flat and fold one leg over onto the other. Then, fold the hem up to about 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) short of the waistband. Finally, fold the bottom third up toward the waistband, then fold it again to line up with the waistband. [4] X Research source- This method was popularized by organization icon Marie Kondo, and gives the folded jeans just enough thickness to stand them on their side.
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Fold the jeans in half twice for a tidier look. Lay the jeans flat and fold one leg over the other. Then, fold the hem up to the waistband. After, fold the already-folded jeans in half again. This creates a slightly thicker but more compact-looking bundle. [5] X Research source
- Or, fold the jeans into thirds after folding the hem up to the waistband, for an even more compact bundle.
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Roll your jeans to help them fit in shallow drawers. Smooth the jeans with your hands, then fold them in half, one leg over the other. Then, starting at either the hem or the waistband, roll them up as tight as you can to create a small, space-saving bundle.
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Ranger roll your jeans for a secure, on-the-go fold. Fasten the zipper and button, then lay the pants flat. Flip the waistband inside-out, then tightly roll the pants up toward the waistband, starting at the hem. Once the roll reaches the waistband, flip the waistband back out and over the roll to secure the jeans. [6] X Research source
- Note that while this method is compact and won’t come undone, it may crease your jeans.
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Rose roll your jeans to make sure they don’t unfold. Lay the jeans flat and fold one leg over the other. Then, fold the top leg straight out to the side halfway up the leg. Roll the jeans down from the waistband, all the way to the bottom leg’s hem, then invert the protruding leg over the rolled jeans to secure them. [7] X Research source
- Like the ranger roll, this creates a secure and tidy bundle, but may crease your jeans.
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Section 3 of 3:
Storing Folded Jeans
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Alternate waistbands when stacking your jeans to save space. The waistband of jeans are usually thicker than the other parts, making a stack of jeans tilted and uneven. Prevent this by alternating the position of the waistband between the left and right sides of the stack. -
File your jeans in a drawer or basket for easy access. Organization expert Ashley Moon says to “stand them up [in your drawer] so you can see them all at a glance,” rather than stacking them vertically. This makes them easy to browse and retrieve without messing up your other folded jeans.- Organizing expert Ashley Moon says she stores her clothes according to “the dimensions of my dresser and the type of clothes I have in them.” Use whatever system works best for your space.
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Store your jeans on hangers to keep them in a closet. Attach your jeans to clip hangers to store them in the closet. If your hangers don’t have clips, drape the jeans over the hanger at their center point. This lets you easily sort through them on a rack.- Or, clip them by the hem to let gravity pull the heavier waistband down, further reducing wrinkles.
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Sort your jeans by color, material, or cut. If you own many pairs of jeans, sort them into separate stacks for easier selection. Consider arranging them by style of cut (e.g. bell bottoms, tight jeans, and loose jeans) to make the neatest stacks. Or sort them by color, pattern, or frequency of use. [8] X Research source- Consider using shelf dividers to keep different categories of jeans separate in the same container.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat are some common mistakes you have seen people do when trying to fold and store clothes?Caitlin Jaymes is a Closet Organizer and Fashion Stylist based in Los Angeles, California. With a background in Fashion PR and Fashion Design, she specializes in creating wardrobes for her clients with pieces they already own. She has experience working with celebrities, editorial shoots, and men and women of all ages. Caitlin uses fashion and organization to help instill and influence confidence, ambition, and stress-free lifestyles for all her clients. She runs her business by two guiding principles: “fashion has no rules, only guidance on how to look and feel your best” and “life has too many stressors, don’t let clutter be one of them.” Caitlin’s work has been featured on HGTV, The Rachael Ray Show, VoyageLA, Liverpool Los Angeles, and the Brother Snapchat Channel.I like a more traditional fold. The more simple you keep everything, the better. The big thing is keeping everything in categories, even if you don't want to color code.
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QuestionWhat are some tips to prevent clothes from wrinkling in a suitcase?Caitlin Jaymes is a Closet Organizer and Fashion Stylist based in Los Angeles, California. With a background in Fashion PR and Fashion Design, she specializes in creating wardrobes for her clients with pieces they already own. She has experience working with celebrities, editorial shoots, and men and women of all ages. Caitlin uses fashion and organization to help instill and influence confidence, ambition, and stress-free lifestyles for all her clients. She runs her business by two guiding principles: “fashion has no rules, only guidance on how to look and feel your best” and “life has too many stressors, don’t let clutter be one of them.” Caitlin’s work has been featured on HGTV, The Rachael Ray Show, VoyageLA, Liverpool Los Angeles, and the Brother Snapchat Channel.Definitely don't keep something that's going to wrinkle toward the bottom. Always keep those near the top of the suitcase. Make sure your shoes or toiletry bag isn't crunching it. Then as soon as you get to your hotel, unpack them. When you're showering you can hang up your shirt or your dress and the steam will unwrinkle it.
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QuestionWill this work for other trousers?Community AnswerYes, pretty much any pair of pants can be folded the same way.
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Tips
- Zip and button your jeans before folding to make sure they’re as flat and compact as they can be.Thanks
- If you’re folding jeans for a clothing store, choose a method that keeps designs, logos, or embellishments visible.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- In my experience, a basic fold works best with jeans that have an elastic waistband.
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References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViugId-DJCY&t=4s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViugId-DJCY&t=9s
- ↑ https://www.themodestman.com/how-to-fold-pants/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk3dbmMdCjE&t=29s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/4KTofUdAKf8?t=5
- ↑ https://www.manmadediy.com/ranger-roll-clothes/
- ↑ https://www.kidspot.com.au/lifestyle/a-viral-tiktok-shows-us-how-to-fold-jeans-three-ways-for-different-storage/news-story/2cd67ad7af38b19346354e108cd1b1f1
- ↑ https://storables.com/articles/how-to-organize-jeans-in-a-closet/
- Videos provided by TheNotoriousKIA
About This Article
Article Summary
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To fold a pair of jeans, make sure the pockets are empty and pushed in as far as possible. Pick up the jeans and give them a quick shake to relax any major folds and wrinkles. Lay the jeans out face-up and fold them in half lengthwise, so one leg is on top of the other. Make sure all the seams are lined up. If you like, tuck the point at the crotch underneath the legs. Finally, grab the hems of the legs and bring them up so they’re lined up with the waistband. For a more compact fold, fold the jeans in half a second time from bottom to top. Smooth the folded jeans out to remove bulges or wrinkles. For tips on how to sort your jeans, keep reading!
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