Folding clothes doesn’t come naturally to many people. Rather, it’s a skill that needs to be learned. Once you have mastered some of the basic techniques and tips, it becomes easier to do. One of the most challenging pieces of clothing to fold is a pair of jeans. Keeping them flat and folding them in the right places is key to keeping them free of creases and looking crisp after ironing.
A well-folded pair of jeans will also take up less space in a cupboard and your suitcase. Keep reading for the best method, tips, and tricks to get a perfect pair of folded jeans every time.
How to Fold Jeans
Instructions
Step 1: Lay Your Jeans on a Hard and Flat Surface
This method of folding jeans works well whether you have a pair of zip-up or button-up jeans.
Begin by laying the jeans with the front facing upwards on a flat surface. The method described in this post works best for right-handed people if the jeans' waistband is facing to the right. Left-handed people may change the jeans' orientation.
Use the flat of your hands to smooth the jeans so that the leg seams all fold neatly at the seam and the waistband lays evenly with the front side laying directly on top of the bottom side.
Top Tip: Ensure a flat surface to work on that allows the whole pair of jeans to be laid flat. A table or countertop works well, but an ironing board can work if you cannot access a bigger surface.
Once the jeans are laid flat, firmly place a hand on the area over one of the pockets and run the flat of your hand down the length of the leg, ensuring that all creases and kinks in the material are flattened. Do the same for the other leg.
Step 2: Take the Leg Closest to You, and Fold It Over Onto the Other Leg
Once the jeans are flattened on the folding surface, grip the top and bottom of the leg closest to you. Do this by firmly gripping the hem of the leg closest to you with your left hand so that your fingers grip the front of the jeans and your right-hand grips the closer half of the jeans' waistband.
Top Tip: Create some tension in the leg by gently pulling your hands away from each other. This will keep any creases from forming while folding the leg over, making it less likely that a crease will form during the fold.
Lift both hands up so the leg you are holding folds neatly away from you and over onto the other leg.
Step 3: Even up the Hems and Waist of the Jeans
Adjust the hems of the jeans until they are even. Do this by pinching either side of the top hem between your thumb and forefinger and gently pulling down until the top and bottom leg match evenly.
Top Tip: You may need to tug the top leg down as the friction created from one leg laying on top of the other may prevent it from moving easily.
Similarly, even out the top fold of the waistband so that it matches the bottom fold. Both legs of the jeans should be symmetrical with each other. This neatness at the beginning will help keep the rest of the fold neat.
Step 4: Smooth the Fabric at the Inseam and the Hip
Place your right hand just below the back pocket at the hip of the jeans and pinch the seams between your thumb and fingers. At the same time, slide your index or middle finger into the inseam of the jeans and pinch the fabric. Pull both hands away from each other, smoothing the whole hip area of the jeans.
Top Tip: Do not pull so hard that the fabric creates a crease. Rather you are ensuring that the fabric is taut and flat for the next steps of the folding method.
Step 5: Fold the Hem of the Jeans up to the Waist
Reach your right hand to the jeans' hem and lift both legs together. Fold the jeans by pulling the hems up and to the right, so they rest just at the bottom of the back pocket.
Top Tip: Use your left hand to create a place for the fold. Place your left hand flat on the legs of the jeans in the place you think will be the halfway point of the fold. Use this hand to keep creases forming in the fold area. Slide your hand out without making new creases.
Step 6: Make a Second Fold on the Jeans' Legs
Place your right hand on the widest point of the inseam to mark the halfway point. Lift the left-hand fold of the jeans up and over your right hand and line up the fold with the top of the waistband.
Top Tip: Keep your right hand firmly in place to mark where the fold should be. Place your right hand in an upright position on the jeans and fold it down, allowing your palm to fold with the jeans, ending facing upwards. Remove your right hand gently, so you do not make any new creases.
Adjust the fold if necessary if the waistband and the first fold do not line up.
Step 7: Pull the Two Main Folds Away From Each Other
Grip the left-hand fold in your left hand and the right-hand fold in your right hand and gently pull your hands apart to create tension in the jeans and remove any last creases.
Top Tip: Pat the folded jeans flat before stacking them. This will ensure the jeans take up the least space when packing them away or into a suitcase.
Step 8: Stack the Folded Jeans
If all your jeans are folded in the same way, they will be neatly placed on top of each other in a cupboard, shelf, or suitcase.
This will make a symmetrical pile that not only allows you to see all your jeans at once but also allows you to slide a flat hand in between them so that you can pull out the pair you want. You’ll be able to neatly replace the ones you lifted without making a mess in the cupboard.
Top Tip: Stack jeans in alternate directions when packing them away. This will maximize space which may be handy in a small cupboard or a suitcase.
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