I love sweater weather, but I also choose to celebrate hoodie season. The only trouble is, I run out of hooks on the back of the bedroom door, so I leave my hoodies instead on the backs of chairs and even doorknobs. To maintain tidiness this winter, I have committed to folding my hoodies and stowing them on a shelf in the closet instead of finding random places to hang them.
Hoodies seem hard to fold because of their hoods, but it’s quite easy to get them into a tidy bundle to tuck into a drawer or stack on a shelf. Here are two options that I’ll be practicing at home during the chilly season.
Option 1: The Hoodie-in-the-Hood Method
Have you ever heard of the “hoodie-in-the-hood” method? It’s a clever way to get your hoodie folded neatly.
Step 1: Lay the hoodie face-down.
A table or a bed will do; just make sure to lay your hoodie flat, face-down with the hood pulled up.
Step 2: Fold in the sleeves.
Take one arm back and across the hoodie, folding the sleeve as necessary to ensure the whole sleeve fits inside the width of the shirt. Repeat on the other side so you have a square — don’t touch that hood yet!
Step 3: Fold in the edges.
Fold in the outer edges of the sweatshirt. They should meet in the middle so that you’ve turned that square into a rectangle.
Step 4: Fold the hoodie twice.
Take the bottom hem and bring it to meet the shoulders. The hood should still be sticking out. Now, fold the sweatshirt again so it’s covering the hood.
Step 5: Tuck it in the hood.
Reach under the sweatshirt and grip the hood. Pull it around the sweatshirt, so that you are tucking the whole thing into the hood. (Tip: If you’re having trouble getting the shirt in the hood, go back to Step 3 and fold in the sides tightly for a slimmer rectangle.)
Voilà! You can now stack these on top of each other on a shelf, in a drawer, or wherever else you might keep your hoodie stash.
Option 2: The KonMari Method
Is it even possible to create a how-to-fold tutorial without referencing Marie Kondo? Here’s the KonMari take on folding hoodies for compact storage.
Step 1: Lay the hoodie flat on its back.
The hood should be up, not left behind the shoulders.
Step 2: Fold the hoodie into a rectangle.
Take one side of the hoodie and fold it in to form one side of a rectangle. Take the sleeve and fold it back at the elbow, then bring it down so it’s neatly within the side you just folded. Repeat on the other side, smoothing the material as you go. You should have a long rectangle with the hood at the top.
Shape the hood by folding in the sides so that it’s now within the width of the rectangle. Fold the hood in half, then again so that the hood part is on top of the shirt’s body.
Step 4: Fold the hoodie in thirds.
Fold the top third of the hoodie down, then the bottom third of the hoodie up.
Step 5: Stack like files in a drawer.
Unless your hoodies are very long, these will do better stacked side by side in drawer-like files rather than stacked on top of each other, as they might tip over.
There you have it! Depending on how many hoodies you have, you might want to try both techniques to see what’s best for your storage needs. Remember, when it comes to organization, always choose the technique that’s easier for you to do so you’ll actually do it.
