How to Fold a T‐Shirt in Two Seconds

Co-authored by Caitlin Jaymes

Last Updated: October 21, 2022 Approved

Any short-sleeved shirt can be folded with this simple method. While your first time will probably take you a lot longer than two seconds, you'll appreciate this fold once you've got the hang of it. Take a couple minutes to learn this techniques, and you'll save time and effort every time you fold your laundry. And after a little practice, you'll realize the two second fold isn't as much of an exaggeration as you might think.

Steps

1
Lay the shirt flat. Spread the T-shirt or other short-sleeved shirt out on a flat surface such as a clean table, with the front of the shirt visible. Stand so the neck of the shirt is on your right, and the bottom of the shirt is on your left.
2
Imagine a line running from the far shoulder to the bottom of the shirt. Picture a line that crosses the T-shirt. One end is on the shoulder most distant from you, between the neck and the sleeve, and the line crosses the shirt in a straight line until it hits the bottom.^{[1]
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- If you like, you can lay a flat ribbon or other straight, bendable object over the shirt to keep track of where the line is.
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3
Pinch the midpoint of this line with your left hand. Find the point on this imaginary line that divides the shirt into two equal sections: one on your right that includes the neck and sleeves, and one on your left that includes the bottom of the shirt. Use your left hand to reach over to this point and pinch the fabric between your finger and thumb tightly. Make sure you are pinching both the front and the back fabric of the shirt.
- Don't worry too much about finding the exact middle of the line, especially before you've got the hang of this. You do not need to measure it exactly to end up with a tidy, folded shirt.
4
Use your right hand to pinch the end of the line at the shoulder. Keep your left hand in place as you do this. The shoulder of the shirt should be to your right, so at this point your arms should not be crossed. Remember, the line runs in between the sleeves and the neck.
- Again, make sure to pinch both the front and back fabric. Since this is at the end of the shirt, it should be easy to place the shirt between your finger and thumb.
5
Move your right hand around your left to the bottom of the T-shirt. Keep your first,left hand pinch in place. Lift your right hand, while still pinching the shoulder, and move it across your left hand until it is at the bottom of the T-shirt. Your arms should now be crossed, with your right arm over your left.
- Your right hand should move directly over your left in a straight line, and continue to the bottom of the shirt. This motion follows the imaginary line.
6
Use the hand pinching the shoulder to also pinch the fabric at the bottom of the T-shirt. Extend your finger and thumb so you can grasp both the shoulder (which you were already pinching) and the fabric at the bottom edge of the T-shirt. Again, make sure you are pinching both the front and back of the shirt.
7
Uncross your hands and pick up the shirt. Keep a firm grip on both pinches and uncross your hands while simultaneously lifting the shirt off the surface. You 'must move your left hand through the two folds of shirt hanging from your right hand during this uncrossing motion. If you uncross your arms simply by rotating the shirt instead, you will end up with a mess.
- This is the easiest part of the fold to mess up. However, once you've understood the type of motion you need to make, it will be easy and quick.
8
Finish the fold by lowering the shirt over the loose sleeve. If everything worked out, a folded shirt rectangle should be hanging down from your hands with a loose sleeve dangling at the bottom. Lower the shirt back down onto the table. The loose sleeve should contact the table first. Lay the rest of the shirt over the loose sleeve so it is not visible from the front.
- If the loose sleeve isn't completely hidden after you lower the shirt, it's easy to tuck the sleeve under the shirt by hand.
9
Fold a few more shirts if you want to get faster. You have now completed your first T-shirt fold with this method. If that only took you 2 seconds, congratulations! You're a great folder and a fast reader. Even if it took you several minutes to learn this fold, you're now done with the hardest part. Fold a few more shirts and check your time. Once you're used to this system, you'll be able to fold a pile of short-sleeved shirts more quickly than you thought was possible.
10
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Why does my shirt always come out as a right triangle?

Community Answer

That's likely because you're not following the directions carefully enough. You might get a friend or family member to read over them with you and help walk you through the steps.
Question

How do I roll fold T-shirts?

Community Answer

Fold the T-shirt in half the long way, fold in the sleeves, then you just roll it up!
Question

What is the best way to store t-shirts in a drawer?

Community Answer

Fold the t-shirts as directed in the article and stack them neatly on top of each other in your drawer.