Fold a shirt military-style and save space!

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“Roll clothes in your luggage to save on space.”

That’s a travel tip I’ve read many times and have always wanted to try. Instead of simply rolling up your shirt like a log though, I’ve experienced you save much more space if you roll your shirt military-style. My inspiration: Snapguide! Here’s how it worked out for me:

How to fold a shirt military-style

1. Lay it out flat.
Step 1: Lay out a shirt on a flat surface. This is Timmy’s shirt!

2. Fold sleeves inwards.
Step 2: Fold the sleeves inward.

3. Fold half of shirt backwards.
Step 3: Fold the shirt almost halfway towards the back. Don’t fold all the way to collar level!

4. Fold left side of shirt towards the center.
Step 4: Fold the left side of the shirt towards the center.

5. Fold right side of shirt over the left side of the shirt.
Step 5: Fold the right side of the shirt over the folded left side.

6. Roll from the top down.
Step 6: Roll the shirt from the top towards the bottom.

7. It should look like this after rolling.
It should look like this.

8. Get the top flap and pull it backward and over the little bundle.
Step 7: Get the top flap (which would be the bottom hem of the shirt). Pull it backward and over the roll.

9. It should look like this on one side...
Voila! A rolled shirt!

10. And like this on the other side. DONE!
Just a little bigger than my fist.

It can get quite addicting. Sizes of the rolled up shirts may vary depending on how big your shirts are. The shirts on the bottom are Timmy’s. Mine are on the second row. Top row has Timmy’s and mine.

Wrap 'em up!

This saves a lot of space especially if you have a small suitcase. Timmy and I shared a suitcase the last time we traveled. These little t-shirt buns gave us extra room for toys and presents.

Will it wrinkle the shirts? That depends on what fabric your shirt is. Our shirts are mostly cotton. They looked okay even with a few wrinkles so we didn’t mind at all.

I’m so tempted to do this for our closet since we have minimal space. I’ve already started with a few of my house shirts. Woohoo! Saving space in our crowded closet already. For traveling, this is a super helpful way to save room in your luggage. Go try it!

How to fold a shirt military-style

9 Comments on Fold a shirt military-style and save space!

  1. Toni
    June 10, 2013 at 5:57 pm (11 years ago)

    nina: Let me know how it works for you :)

    Reply
  2. Toni
    June 10, 2013 at 8:09 pm (11 years ago)

    Martine: Yey! Take pics! 😀

    Reply
  3. hazel
    June 10, 2013 at 8:34 pm (11 years ago)

    This is how we fold socks. I never thought of trying it on shirts. Will do so now. Thanks for the tip! :)
    hazel´s last blog post ..2013-03-04

    Reply
    • Toni
      June 10, 2013 at 8:35 pm (11 years ago)

      hazel: Socks!! Will try that with socks too :) Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  4. Stephen Ryan
    January 5, 2023 at 4:07 pm (1 year ago)

    Steps to fold t-shirt military style. Find a flat surface to spread out your shirt. Lift about three inches of the end of the shirt and fold it like you would with a beanie. Fold the left side, along with its sleeve, over to the center. Then, do the same for the right side. Roll the shirt from the collar down towards the end as tightly as you can. Using the folded end that you have made earlier, wrap it around the rolled portion of your shirt like a burrito.

    Reply
  5. Stephen Ryan
    February 1, 2023 at 3:40 pm (1 year ago)

    Space is a luxury in the military. Therefore, learning how to fold a military-style t-shirt is just as important in recruitment as anything else. It goes without saying that there is a “right” way to fold your clothes. It will take a little practice to get used to, but it’s not rocket science.

    Reply

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