If your bath towels don’t fit in the closet or always end up in a messy heap, take heart! Use these 3 methods to fold towels neatly and take back control of your linen closet.

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Towels are one of those things that can aesthetically grace your home or become a source of constant clutter inside of it.

To achieve the former scenario, we must fold towels.

On the surface, stashing and retrieving towels don’t seem like stressors but they sure tend to be, in my experience.

That is why it’s important to know HOW to fold towels based on their use and storage area. Folding them the wrong way for the situation ends up with the clutter scenario previously mentioned.

The good news is that you can achieve great results using only 3 methods to fold towels.

This article covers 3 ways to fold towels and help you organize your linen closet.

3 Ways To Fold Towels

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While many methods exist, most people have limited time and brain power to learn how to fold towels.

Accordingly, it is best to narrow the choices to a select few that offer as many benefits as possible.

These methods should be easy to learn, remember, and execute. Ideally, they would also provide compact storage with a pleasing aesthetic.

I have used the following techniques to fold towels in my own home and they have proven to be quite valuable:

• The 323 Method
• The Swiss Roll Method
• The 2323 Method

Let’s go over how to do each one.

How To Fold Towels To Save Space

I find that the best towel folding methods combine the elements of simplicity and compactness.

If you can learn to fold towels in an easy way that saves space in multiple storage scenarios, that is where the money is, IMHO.

Fortunately, I know a method that can do that. Inspired by the master of organization herself, Marie Kondo, I call it the 323 method.

The 323 Method

Not to be overly fancy, the method name describes the number of sections to fold the towel into per step.

There are 3 steps, so for each, you’d fold the towel into sections according to the corresponding number.

It sounds more complicated than it is but I bet you’ll find it’s super simple and easy to remember. There is also no need for a folding surface, it’s all done using your body.

Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Fold Into Vertical 3rds

Start by holding the edge of the towel in both corners. Make sure you are holding the side of the towel with the tag if it has one. That way it will be hidden after the folding.

Bring one corner in and align it at the inner-top corner of the 3rd on the opposite side of the towel. Each 3rd of the towel should be roughly the same width.

Then fold the last 3rd on top of the other 3rds and grab the towel at the top, use one hand if you’d like.

Step 2: Fold In Half

Holding the towel at the top, place a free hand in the middle of the towel and fold it in half downwards.

Step 3: Fold Into Horizontal 3rds

Fold the towel into 3rds again, this time DO IT HORIZONTALLY. I find it easier to hold the top of the towel with my chin to keep both hands free.

Start by holding the towel at the top (with your chin).

Place one hand on the lower third crease and use the other hand to fold the lower 3rd upward, covering the hand on the crease. Hold the fold against your body and pull out the covered hand.

Repeat the fold, aligning the free hand on the edge of the newly folded 3rd and folding the previous 3rds to cover it.

Your towel should now be neatly folded. Time to do the Kon Mari test and see if it stands up on its own by the open side.

How To Fold Towels Fancy

Living with limited space and resources, adding a little class to your life can really enrich it. At least it feels that way.

That is what happens when using this method to fold towels.

Swiss Roll Method

Again, fancy names aside, this method makes your towels roll up so they look like a Swiss Roll.

They look nice and allow you to stack them in a pyramid or in a basket. I stash my “Swiss Rolls” in a rope basket [https://amzn.to/4blqhSK]; looks great, super sturdy handles, and the towels are easy to reach.

While I do love this method, I have to say that there are some downsides. It has a bit of a learning curve and even after you know how to fold, it still takes some time to do.

In addition, the last step of the fold can cramp your hands and fingers. So if you are susceptible to hand injury, you may want to skip this one.

Step 1: Fold The Spike

Start by laying out the towel on a smooth surface.

Grab one corner (preferably the one with the tag) and bring it to the opposite corner.

From there, slide it down along the edge of the towel until a triangle is formed between the two corners of the towel and the corner of the fold.

Grab the corner of the fold and the corner of the towel on the same side as the fold and fold the towel in half on the long edge.

Step 2: Roll The Spike

Grab the newly folded edge (the crease) on both corners and flip the towel on its back.

If the towel is long (hand towel length, at least), fold the end opposite the spike inward to shorten the length. Try to line it up with the bump made by the spike’s triangle on the other side of the towel.

From the non-spiked end of the towel, begin rolling toward the spiked end. Try to keep the roll as tight as you can.

Keep rolling tightly until you are about 6 inches from the end of the spike. Once there, keep rolling a little looser.

Once you reach the end, leave about 2 inches of the spike unrolled and hold the roll tight where the unrolled end begins.

Step 3: Tuck The Spike

Notice: This is the part that can ruin your fingers.

Holding the roll tight, make a gap in the roll close to the thicker end of the unrolled spike. Only go in 1 or 2 layers.

Once the gap has been made, keep a finger on the broad side of the unrolled spike and fold the spike up toward the gap you just made.

Tuck as much of the unrolled spike as possible into the gap. Make sure it is tucked in tight enough to hold the roll.

If done correctly, you’ll have a nicely rolled towel that looks great, stacks well, and gives you the munchies by looking at it.

Alternate 323 Method

If you ever find yourself folding extra-long towels (I’m looking at you, beach towels), you may find the 323 method mentioned above to be inadequate.

The extra fabric of longer towels can make the folded end product too long to stand up or fit neatly.

Thankfully, all you need to do to fix this problem is to add another number.

The 2323 Method

This method uses the same concept as before. It is almost the same method but with one change made before the first 3rds fold.

Step 1: Fold In Half

Fold the length of the towel in half, trying to match up the corners.

Hold the towel by the folded corners.

Step 2: Fold The 323

Follow the steps for the 323 method mentioned above. At this point, the towel should be short enough for the 323 method to work as intended.

Conclusion

There are so many ways to fold towels that it can be overwhelming.

That’s why it is important to thin down the options and only select the techniques that will add the most value to your life.

Not every method will work for every towel or closet, so it’s best to be prepared with a couple of options.

As mentioned, you can fold most towels just fine with the 323 method. If needed, you can augment it with an additional half-fold to cut down on the length (the 2323 method).

Finally, when the mood or need arises, you can go a little fancier and use the Swiss Roll method to add some class to your linens.

This fold will also stack well, saving you space while feeling like you’re at the spa.

Ultimately, using these 3 essential ways to fold towels will help you organize your closet spaces and bring down your stress level.

I am confident that you’ll love using these methods to fold towels. Give them a try and make your home work better for you!

Updated Feb 2025: Added my towel + storage faves!

Which way will YOU fold towels?

Let us know in the comments below!