Rolling vs Folding Clothes For Storage: Which Is Better?

When it comes to organizing your wardrobe or packing for a trip, the debate between folding and rolling clothes is a common one. Each method has its own advantages and drawbacks, depending on your needs and available space.

Folding is a traditional approach, offering a neat and formal look, ideal for stacking in drawers and closets. On the other hand, rolling clothes can save space and reduce wrinkles, making it perfect for travelers and small storage areas.

In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each technique and provide you with some great storage solutions for all your clothes storage needs.

Pros and cons of rolling vs folding clothes for storage

Rolling Clothes

Pros:

1. Space Efficiency: Rolling can save space, allowing more items to fit into a given area. This is particularly useful for packing suitcases or small closets.
2. Fewer Wrinkles: Rolling clothes often results in fewer wrinkles compared to folding, making it ideal for travel.
3. Easy Access: Rolled clothes can be stored in drawers or containers in a way that makes it easy to see and access all items without disrupting the organization.
4. Uniformity: Provides a consistent look and makes it easier to manage the storage space.

Cons:

1. Time-Consuming: Rolling clothes can take longer than folding, especially if you have a large number of items.
2. Not Ideal for All Fabrics: Some fabrics may not roll well and could still wrinkle, or the rolls might not stay in place.
3. Less Formal Look: Rolled clothes may not present as neatly as folded clothes, which can be important for items like dress shirts or formal wear.

Folding Clothes

Pros:

1. Neat Appearance: Folding provides a more structured and neat appearance, which is especially beneficial for formal or business attire.
2. Stacking Ability: Folded clothes can be easily stacked, making it suitable for shelves or flat storage.
3. Less Bulky: Certain items, like heavy sweaters, might become bulky when rolled but lie flat and more compact when folded.
4. Quicker: For many people, folding is faster and more straightforward than rolling.

Cons:

1. Wrinkles: Folding can lead to more creases and wrinkles, especially if items are not stored properly.
2. Space Inefficiency: Folded clothes often take up more space compared to rolled clothes, which can be a drawback in limited storage areas.
3. Accessibility Issues: Stacks of folded clothes can become disorganized quickly if you frequently access items from the bottom or middle of the pile.
4. Potential for Overstacking: It can be tempting to stack too many folded items on top of each other, which can lead to difficulty in retrieving items and potential toppling.

Did you know? Using a closet wardrobe is one of the most effective ways of saving space!

A closet wardrobe maximizes vertical storage and utilizes every inch of available area. By incorporating multiple hanging rods, adjustable shelves, and built-in drawers, a closet wardrobe allows for organized storage of various clothing items, shoes, and accessories.

The ability to customize the layout with modular components ensures that the space is tailored to your specific needs, preventing clutter and making it easier to locate items. Additionally, features like sliding doors eliminate the need for extra clearance, further optimizing space in small or crowded rooms.

Space Saving

The biggest benefit to rolling clothes instead of folding them is that it can often help save space.

When you roll a piece of clothing, you compress it, flattening it and removing some of the air trapped in the fabric.

Clothes that are tightly rolled often take up much less space in a suitcase, so you can pack more items without feeling cramped.

However, rolling clothing doesn’t save space all of the time. For example, bulky items like jackets and sweaters can actually take up more space when they’re rolled because they can’t be rolled or compressed as tightly.

These items are also more likely to come unrolled, so they often create more of a mess.

Wrinkles

Another important thing to consider is what your clothes will look like when you unpack them. Sometimes, rolling can help to eliminate wrinkles and can protect fabrics.

Other fabrics are crushed when they’re rolled, and this can cause many wrinkles. Rolling some clothing can even damage it.

Organization

If you fold clothes and then stack those clothes in your suitcases, you might need to dig through your entire suitcase to find the clothing item you’re looking for.

Rolled clothing, on the other hand, can help with organization. For example, if you roll t-shirts, you’ll be able to line them up neatly, and you should be able to see where all of the shirts are with just a glance.

It’s also easier to move rolled clothing around without unrolling it. This means that rolling can not only save space but can help keep your suitcase organized if you don’t plan to completely unpack while you’re on your trip.

Is rolling or folding better for storage or packing?

As mentioned, there are pros and cons of both options. Neither rolling nor folding is necessarily better. Instead, it’s often best to use both techniques. Smaller or thinner items can be rolled to create more space and increase organization.

Bulky items can be folded and laid on top. This also increases space and keeps things neat and organized.

Which clothes should be rolled and which folded?

In general, smaller or thinner items of clothing work better when they’re rolled. This can include t-shirts, leggings, jeans, swimsuits, pajamas, socks, and casual dresses.

Thinner items compress more easily, and the rolling can help keep them from becoming wrinkled.

Bigger items like sweaters, jackets, trousers, or hoodies should usually be folded. These items don’t roll well, and rolling can cause wrinkles. Button-down shirts should also usually be folded.

Formal wear, fancier dresses, and dress shirts should always be folded or placed in a separate garment bag.

It’s also important to consider the material type before you decide whether to roll or fold a particular piece of clothing.

Cotton and linen materials crease more readily, so it’s better to fold these items and make sure they’re packed or stored in such a way that they won’t be jostled around too much.

Synthetic materials tend to react better to rolling and will wrinkle less.

What are the best ways to roll clothes?

If you’re rolling pants, such as jeans or leggings, fold them in half at the waist. You can then fold them in half in the opposite direction or simply roll them up.

When rolling a shirt, there are a few options. You can fold the shirt in half vertically and then tuck the sleeves in before rolling. This creates a dense but short roll.

You can also tuck the sleeves and edges of the shirt in first by folding it inward on each side from the top of the shoulders. The shirt can then be rolled up.

This creates a longer roll, but the roll is thinner and it will let you see what’s on the front of the shirt.

Are there other ways to save space when packing or storing clothes?

One of the reasons why rolling clothes is so effective at saving space is that it removes excess air from the fabric. You can also achieve something close to this effect when folding clothes, however.

If you fold your clothes and stack them on top of each other, this stack can then be pressed down to remove the air. Even simply leaving your folded clothes to settle can help to reduce volume.

The weight of the clothes themselves will help to compress them and remove air.

Some people also use packing cubes for storing clothes. These small cubes act somewhat like mini suitcases, and they can be placed in a larger suitcase or on a shelf.

Packing cubes help ensure that, once clothes have been rolled or folded, they don’t expand, unroll, unfold, or move around. The compression of the cube keeps everything compacted and in place.

Other people wrap a rubber band around their rolled clothes to keep them compressed. Although this technique ensures that the clothes won’t come undone or expand, the rubber band can leave a mark on the clothing items.

Clothes storage ideas

Here are some creative and practical clothes storage ideas to help you maximize your space and keep your wardrobe organized:

In the Closet

1. Double Hanging Rods:
   • Install a second hanging rod below the main one to double your hanging space. This is great for shorter items like shirts and pants.
2. Closet Organizers:
   • Use modular closet systems with adjustable shelves, drawers, and rods to customize your closet space according to your needs.
3. Shelf Dividers:
   • Place dividers on shelves to keep stacks of clothes neatly separated and prevent them from toppling over.
4. Hanging Organizers:
   • Use hanging organizers with pockets or shelves to store shoes, accessories, or folded clothes.
5. Sliding Baskets:
   • Install sliding baskets or bins on closet shelves to easily access items stored at the back.

Under the Bed

1. Storage Bins:
   • Use clear plastic bins or fabric storage boxes with lids to store off-season clothes or items you don’t use frequently.
2. Under-Bed Drawers:
   • Utilize rolling drawers that can slide under the bed for convenient access to your stored clothes.
3. Vacuum-Sealed Bags:
   • For seasonal clothes, use vacuum-sealed bags to compress bulky items and save space under the bed.

Dresser and Drawer Organization

1. Drawer Dividers:
   • Use dividers or organizers to separate and categorize items within drawers, keeping everything tidy and easy to find.
2. File Folding:
   • Fold clothes vertically (file folding) so you can see all items at a glance when you open the drawer.
3. Small Bins and Baskets:
   • Use small bins or baskets within drawers to keep smaller items like socks, underwear, and accessories organized.

Shelves and Open Storage

1. Cube Storage:
   • Use cube storage units with bins or baskets to store folded clothes, shoes, and accessories. This works well in closets or open spaces.
2. Floating Shelves:
   • Install floating shelves on walls to store and display folded clothes or accessories.
3. Ladder Shelves:
   • Use a leaning ladder shelf to hang clothes, display shoes, or store folded items.

Multi-Functional Furniture

1. Storage Ottomans:
   • Use ottomans with hidden storage compartments for storing clothes or accessories.
2. Storage Benches:
   • A bench with built-in storage can be placed at the foot of the bed or in an entryway to store shoes and seasonal items.
3. Wardrobes:
   • If closet space is limited, consider standalone wardrobes or armoires for additional hanging and shelf storage.

Tips for Small Spaces

1. Over-the-Door Organizers:
   • Use over-the-door organizers for shoes, accessories, or folded clothes to utilize vertical space.
2. Multi-Hook Hangers:
   • Use hangers with multiple hooks to hang several items in the space of one.
3. Stackable Bins:
   • Use stackable bins or boxes to maximize vertical space on shelves or in closets.
4. Rolling Racks:
   • Use a rolling garment rack for extra hanging space that can be moved around as needed.

These ideas can help you make the most of your storage space, keep your clothes organized, and make it easier to find what you need.

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