How to Fold Everything (Including that Fitted Sheet!) According to Two Celebrity Organizers

Make this the year you tame the closet chaos — and finally learn how to fold the dreaded fitted sheet

Published on February 24, 2022 12:00 PM

How to Fold Everything — Photo: Peter Ardito

Clothes balled up in the back of your drawer? Not anymore!

PEOPLE tapped two folding pros to teach you how to transform your drawers and wrangle even the trickiest items in your closet. Celebrity home organizer Janelle Cohen has tidied and beautified the closets of Jordan Woods, Dixie D'Amelio and more stars, and TikTok phenom Sophie Liard has amassed a following of 4.2 million with her clever folds and tucks.

Read on for step-by-step instructions for everything from a bikini and a baby onesie to the dreaded fitted sheet.

Bikini

Step 1: Pack your suit in a "bikini sandwich," says Cohen, whose book, The Folding Book: A Complete Guide to Creating Space and Getting Organized, comes out April 26. To begin, lay both pieces face up, with the top's strings untied.

Step 2: Starting with the briefs, fold the right edge towards the center.

Step 3: Take the left edge and fold to the right, overfolding so a few inches hang over.

Step 4: Flip the briefs over. Fold the "overhang" material to the right edge, creating a pocket at the top. Tuck the crotch up into the pocket.

Step 5: Move to the bikini top: Tuck the strings into their corresponding cups. Place the folded brief into the left cup.

Step 6: Fold the right cup on top of the left one to create the "sandwich."

Winter Jacket

Step 1: Lay a buttoned-up jacket on a flat surface, says Liard, whose book,The Folding Lady: Tools and Tricks for Making the Most of Your Space Room by Room, is also out April 26.

Step 2: Bring one sleeve horizontally toward the center, and crease the jacket at the edge of the neckline.

Step 3: Fold the shoulder back over itself and down so the cuff lines up with the base of the jacket.

Step 4: Repeat with the other sleeve to form a long rectangle. Both sleeves should be touching in the middle.

Step 5: Fold the bottom third of the jacket up toward the neckline.

Step 6: Fold the jacket upward again to form a small rectangle.

Round Tablecloth

Step 1: The trick to folding a round shape is to tuck in the curved edges, says Liard. To start, spread out the tablecloth, seam side up.

Step 2: Fold the top rounded edge of the cloth towards the center, about a third of the way down. Ensure the fold line is straight.

Step 3: Repeat with the bottom edge, so that both rounded ends meet the middle of the cloth's straight fold lines.

Step 4: Fold the tablecloth in thirds lengthwise to form a compact square.

Fitted Sheet

Step 1: With the sheet inside out, hold it by the two corners of one of the longer edges, says Cohen. Place one hand into each corner pocket.

Step 2: Bring your right hand to your left. Fold the corner in your right hand over the corner on your left, so the fabric on top is right-side out.

Step 3: Replace your left hand with your right one inside the corner. Slide your left hand down the edge of the fabric, making sure the two layers are lined up.

Step 4: Once the edges are aligned, put your left hand into the pocket in the bottom left corner.

Step 5: Repeat step 2 by bringing your hands together, flipping the right corner over the left one and aligning the edges again.

Step 6: You should now have a square shape with one straight edge. Hold the top corners with both hands, and lay it on a flat surface.

Step 7: With the straight edge on the right, fold the left edge toward the center. Then fold the right side over it to form a long rectangle.

Step 8: Fold the fabric in thirds, and continue folding up until the sheet is packed into a neat square.

Baby Onesie

Step 1: Having a fresh onesie readily available is key for any new parent, says Liard. Start by laying it down flat.

Step 2: Bring one sleeve over the chest, then repeat on the other side, laying one sleeve neatly on top of the other.

Step 3: Fold the bottom third upwards, so that the buttoned edge touches the middle of the onesie.

Step 4: Fold upwards one more time to create a tidy rectangle, perfect for lining up in a drawer.

Tights

Step 1: Tights tend to end up balled up in the drawer, says Liard, whose method will extend their life and keep them snag-free. First, lay the tights flat.

Step 2: Fold the waistband down, so the top edge of the band lines up with the base of the tights' gusset.

Step 3: Fold the tights in half lengthwise, placing one leg neatly over the other. Bring the toe edge toward the center, about a quarter of the way up.

Step 4: Continue folding upward until you reach your desired size.

Bulky Hoodie

Step 1: Lay a zipped-up hoodie face-down on a surface, and use your hand to flatten the hood, says Cohen.

Step 2: Bring one sleeve horizontally toward the center. Fold the shoulder back over itself and down so the cuff lines up with the base of the hoodie.

Step 3: Repeat with the other sleeve, overlapping the first folded sleeve if needed. Fold the hood downward at the neck, creating a straight edge across the top.

Step 4: Fold the bottom third of the hoodie upward. Tuck the hood underneath, and then fold upward one more time.