The Complete Guide to Folding Kids Clothes
There’s no easy task when it comes to parenting your kids and keeping a house neat and tidy.
Tending to the emotional and physical needs of your kids takes priority over a home where everything is in it’s place, so I understand that doing laundry and folding clothes is far down the rungs of the importance ladder.
But parents also know that because dirty clothes and the need for clean ones is an endless cycle, maintaining a process to stay on top of this task is essential to keeping chaos at bay and in check week after week.
This post is all about folding kids clothes – not your favorite topic – but one that helps keep you and your family organized.
Let’s look at
- the benefits of folding clothes
- the different folding options
- video roundup
- must have organization products
- how to making folding kids clothes easier on parents and caretakers
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What Are The Benefits of Folding Clothes?
There are several noteworthy benefits to folding kids clothes which include:
- Space-saving: Folding clothes saves space which is especially important if you have a limited storage area in your home.
- Organization: Folding clothes makes it easier to keep your closet or drawers organized. Clothes can be separated by type or color, making it easier to find what you need.
- Protection: Properly folded clothes are less likely to get wrinkled, which extends the life of your clothes. This is especially important for delicate or expensive items.
- Time-saving: When clothes are folded and organized, it saves time when getting dressed in the morning because you can easily find what you need, which also reduces stress.
- Aesthetically pleasing: A well organized closet with folded clothes in a dresser drawer looks neater and more aesthetically pleasing than a disorganized one. This can create a more calming and inviting space in your home.
What are Different Folding Options?
There is no such thing as the best folding method.
This is subjective and varies greatly from person to person and household to household.
The real question is what you can manage and maintain. In other words, can you repeat the process week after week because we all know that laundry is a never ending process.
Select the method that creates the least amount of friction for you, that you can replicate until eternity, and will be more than tolerable, perhaps even joyful.
KonMari Method
The KonMari Method, created by organizing guru Marie Kondo, is a popular method for folding clothes.
It involves folding clothes into small rectangles and standing them up vertically in drawers or bins.
This method maximizes space and makes it easy to see all the clothes at a glance.
To use this method, start by laying the item flat on a surface.
Fold the sleeves or pant legs inwards towards the center of the item. Fold the item in half lengthwise, then in half again.
Finally, fold the item into thirds or fourths, depending on the size of the item.
Traditional Folding Method
The traditional folding method involves folding clothes into rectangles and stacking them in drawers or bins.
This type of fold might also have fewer folds that cause less wrinkling. While it doesn’t give maximum visibility in the space like the KonMari Method, it’s still an effective way to keep clothes organized.
Pocket Folding
Never realized how decisive I was as an adult until I started to raise tiny humans.
My kids are notorious for shifting back and forth between their options.
This might highlight the point that having too many options is never a good thing, but for clothing I appreciate that my kids can exercise self expression by dressing themselves.
Plus, it’s one less task for me to do.
As they decide which outfit to make, they often create a much larger mess with their small hands, unraveling their clothes when I fold the file folding way or use traditional folding methods.
Cue in pocket folding for kids and I honestly have never looked back. I describe pocket folding as creating a bundle with an article of clothing.
The key is to create a tight enough bundle that it withstands rolling around in a drawer, preventing any unraveling.
This makes it far easier to contain a messy drawer and put it back into order in seconds, rather than wasting time to refold each clothing item.
My kids are notorious for shifting back and forth between their options.
This might highlight the point that having too many options is never a good thing, but for clothing I appreciate that my kids can exercise self expression by dressing themselves.
Plus, it’s one less task for me to do.
As they decide which outfit to make, they often create a much larger mess with their small hands, unraveling their clothes when I fold the file folding way or use traditional folding methods.
Cue in pocket folding for kids and I honestly have never looked back. I describe pocket folding as creating a bundle with an article of clothing.
The key is to create a tight enough bundle that it withstands rolling around in a drawer, preventing any unraveling.
This makes it far easier to contain a messy drawer and put it back into order in seconds, rather than wasting time to refold each clothing item.
In my household this has become my preferred method and one that I’ll likely stick to for a while longer.
Pocket Folding Video Roundup
Over the years I have filmed several different folding videos for kids clothing. Take a look at each of these short videos for step-by-step tutorials on folding different articles of clothing for kids.
Sorting Clothes in Bins
The most radical folding idea on the list is no folding.
Instead of taking time to neatly prepare squares and rectangles in your drawer, you can opt for the singular step of sorting alone.
Sort your clothes by type.
Socks go with socks, and underwear goes with underwear. Corral all the common items together in a bin or drawer and you’re done. It’s easy peasy because there isn’t any actual folding involved.
While this type of storing clothes is enticing, you don’t exactly save space, or reduce wrinkles.
If these two things are important to you, I would highly recommend ditching this option for one of the three noted above.
Products To Help With Clothing Organization
Here are my top recommendations for organization products to help you and your little ones organize clothing items. It’s not an exhaustive list, but one with several helpful suggestions spanning different needs and price ranges.
- Drawer dividers are an excellent way to keep folded clothes organized in drawers. Use them to separate different types of clothes and prevent mixups. The flexibility of drawer dividers makes them adjustable to fit different drawer sizes.
- Bins work well to store clothes in closets or under beds. They keep clothes organized and protected from dust and insects. Use clear ones to make it easy to see the contents of the bin without having to open it. For opaque bins use labels to keep track of what’s inside. You can use different sizes and shapes to fit different types of clothes.
- Hanging organizers are an excellent option for storing clothes that are too big to fold, like dresses or jackets. You can use different compartments for different types of clothes, like one for dresses and one for jackets. You can also use them to store shoes or accessories.
- Baskets contain bulky items like sweatshirts and hoodies. They can be easily stacked on shelves or in closets. I really like the baskets from Parker Baby Company. These braided baskets are high quality and multi-functional. Easily contain other kid items beyond clothes such as lovies and stuffed animals and dolls.
- Clear storage containers can be used to store out-of-season clothes, extra linens, and other items. They help keep your closet or storage space looking neat and tidy.
- Bookshelves can be used to store clothes and shoes, as well as books and toys. Add baskets or storage containers to keep items organized.
- Closet organizers can help maximize your closet space by adding shelves, dividers, drawers, and other storage features. They can be customized to fit your needs and the size of your closet.
How to Make Folding Kids Clothes Easier on Caregivers
Getting organized and tidying up your things is a life skill. While it’s never too late to learn this valuable practice, the earlier you learn the better.
- Try to make folding clothes a family affair. Get the kids involved with the task. It’s their clothes too after all. I firmly believe in giving age appropriate household tasks to kids because we are preparing them for adulthood. So, insist on children learning this skill by teaching them how to fold through practice on a weekly basis.
- Do laundry more frequently. Once a week laundry fiestas can be very overwhelming. I tried it a few times myself and it simply doesn’t work for me. And that’s okay. What does work for me is staying on top of the dirty clothes with at least one or two loads of laundry every day. I build laundry and folding into my days so that I don’t end up with an overwhelming stinky pile left for the weekends. This works for me because I can catch food stains fairly quickly and I take back my weekends.
- Use tools such as a folding boards. Haven’t yet mastered the art of folding clothes? Lean on tools while you learn and invest in folding boards. These are great because you save time and your clothes are uniform in their folds.
Summary
It’s okay that laundry and folding clothes isn’t your favorite household task. It isn’t mine either. Just know that there are clear benefits to folding clothes in a way that creates the least amount of friction that can be workable solution in your household.
Folding kid’s clothes doesn’t have to be a daunting task.
With the right folding methods, storage solutions, and products, it can be a quick and easy process.
Folding kid’s clothes doesn’t have to be a daunting task.
With the right folding methods, storage solutions, and products, it can be a quick and easy process.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase something with the links.
Southern California based Professional Organizer, Sandy Park, owner and founder of Tidy with SPARK shares her joy of organization with her clients.
She serves clients in Orange County as well as the hundreds of thousands of followers on her combined social media platforms.
Connect with Sandy through her website or by connecting through her social channels.