While properly folding dresses may seem impossible to some of you, let me tell you that it is actually quite straightforward.
In this guide, I am going to teach you three ways you can use to fold your dresses, one that is very neat and fast, one that will save tons of space in your wardrobe, and a final one that is great if you want to avoid creasing your dresses while they are folded.
I have added a quick video guide so you can see how it is done (by a 6’2 Norwegian man, btw). If you have time, I recommend checking it out, and you can always refer back to it if you have any trouble during any of the steps in the illustrations that I have made for you.
How to Fold Dresses Neatly
The file fold is the best way to fold your dresses neatly. The style was popularized by famous organizer Marie Kondo over the last decade.
The huge advantage of the file fold is that you can stack your dresses with the tall side up, thereby creating a very neat-looking wardrobe.
Of course, the fact that the file fold is also very fast and easy to perform doesn’t hurt either.
Generally, this fold will work for most dresses, but you should avoid it for formal dresses, other dresses with heavy detail, or dresses that crease up easily. Then you’re better of going to the last fold in this guide.
- Place your dress flat with the front facing up.
- Fold in both arms from side to side.
- From the left side, fold the dress 1/3 of it’s total width towards the middle.
- Repeat on the right side. Make sure that this fold completely overlaps the previous one.
- Fold your dress in half from top to bottom.
- From the end with the bottom and collar, fold the dress down 1/3 of the current length twice.
- Place the dress with the tall side with a single fold facing up.
- Stack multiple file-folded dresses next to each other so they can support each other in your dresser.
Whether you have a maxi dress or a short one the steps will be the same but you will end up with a shorter fold the shorter your dress is.
I also have a step-by-step guide like this one for the rest of your clothes that you can check out next.
How to Fold Dresses to Save Space
The ranger roll is the most space-saving fold for dresses. This fold is both good for travel, and for saving some space in your wardrobe.
Keep in mind that the ranger roll does crease up your dresses a bit, so don’t use this fold for anything that will crease up easily.
But for your simple dresses (especially ones with stretch) this is a fantastic fold.
- Lay your dress down flat with the front facing up and fold in the arms.
- Flip the bottom of your dress inside-out and pull the fabric up 5 inches (6-7 inches for thick/maxi dresses)
- From the left side, fold the dress 1/3 of its total width in towards the middle.
- Repeat on the right side so that this fold completely overlaps the previous one.
- From the collar of your dress, roll it all the way down to the bottom.
- Lift the dress up and pull the inside-out fabric back over your roll to secure it.
- Stick your thumbs inside the opening in the roll to adjust it if it looks uneven.
I also have a guide on how to fold the rest of your clothes to save space. That probably doesn’t surprise you at this point. Feel free to check it out.
How to Fold Dresses to Avoid Wrinkles
The best fold for dresses to not wrinkle is the simple roll. I recommend using this fold for formal dresses that have to be folded, and also any other wrinkle-prone dress you don’t feel comfortable doing any of the previous two folds on.
It is a quick fold as well which is a big plus. You can even consider skipping step two if you have the space and the dress will wrinkle even less.
- Lay the dress flat with the front facing up, and fold the arms in from side to side.
- Fold both sides of the dress in 1/4 of it’s total width (folding in half works for dresses that doesn’t flare out at the bottom).
- From the collar, gently roll it all the way down to the bottom.
- Let the rolled up dress rest on top of the end of the roll.
As always, if you truly want to avoid wrinkling completely, you will have to hang your dress. But this is a good option if you need to fold the dress for any reason.
I also made a similar guide on how to fold your skirts that you can check out next. Or incase you’re interested in hanging your dresses, I made a list of all the best hangers for dresses here.
I’m an expert wardrobe organizer and a bit of a clean freak. I created this website and its YouTube channel to share practical guides about laundry and organizing. My teachings have been featured in multiple large news publications, and I’ve self-published two wardrobe organizing books and an entire course on the subject.
