How to Store T‐Shirts

Co-authored by Julie Naylon

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References

T-shirts can quickly pile up in your room if they’re not put away properly. If it feels like your room is overrun with T-shirts, it might be time to organize them. You can try out different folding styles, storage solutions, and donation plans to get your closet looking nice and tidy. Each option for storing shirts can help you organize your wardrobe in a big way!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Trying Different Folding Styles

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Store the shirts by usage so you know where to look at all times. Keep workout clothes, night clothes, and regular shirts in their own drawers. That way, if you’re ever in a hurry, you’ll know exactly where to look to get a specific shirt and won’t waste time going through your drawers.^{[1]
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- Make sure to put these clothes back in their assigned spots after you do laundry. It can be pretty easy to mix the shirts with one another, so try to avoid doing this!
2
Keep your shirts face up so you can identify them easier. To do this, lay the shirt down on a flat surface and smooth out any wrinkles. Fold one side of the shirt over, moving the sleeve to just below the shirt’s collar. Then, fold the other side of the shirt in the exact same manner. Bring the bottom of the shirt up 4 inches (10 cm) and then fold the remainder of the shirt in half. Finally, fold the shirt in half one more time and flip it over to finish the job.^{[2]
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- Put the front of the shirt face down when you fold it so you can see which shirt it is when you go to open your drawer.
Tip: Cotton shirts have fewer wrinkles when they’re fresh out of the dryer. To de-wrinkle them, pop them in the dryer for 8-10 minutes on a medium or high setting. You can also iron out the wrinkles yourself.

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3
Use a FlipFold to efficiently put away shirts. If you want to save time folding shirts, go buy a FlipFold to knock out a whole pile of shirts in a matter of minutes. Lay the shirt on the device and fold the bottom of the shirt up so that it’s even with the bottom of the FlipFold. Flip both sides of the device to the center and back, starting with the right side and then moving to the left. Then flip the first panel you moved to the center and back once more to make the shirt a rectangle. Flip the bottom panel up to fold the shirt in half and that does the trick!^{[3]
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- You can buy these FlipFolds online or at a local home goods store.
4
Place your T-shirts standing up to see all of them at once. Instead of stacking your shirts in piles in your drawers, fold them and have them sit upright. Make sure to fold the shirts so that the front is facing upward. This way, when you go to pick out a shirt to wear, you’ll see all of them and can make your selection quicker.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Ashley Moon, MA
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 30 August 2019.}
- This method also lets you remove shirts from your drawers without messing up the other shirts. You won’t have to rummage through every shirt to find the one you’re looking for!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Finding Other Storage Solutions

1
Hang your T-shirts in your closet instead of keeping them in drawers.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Julie Naylon
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.} If you have enough closet space and hangers for your shirts, go this route. You’ll have easier access to your shirts and can save time in the morning looking for just what to wear. Hanging your shirts also gives them a chance to air out and stay fresh, whereas keeping them in drawers does not give your T-shirts a chance to do this.^{[6]
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Research source} This will also help keep them wrinkle-free.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Julie Naylon
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.}
- You can pick up hangers at a local department store or order some online.
2
Store your shirts in cubbies instead of dressers. If you want to keep your shirts separate by purpose but don’t have enough drawers to accomplish this, go out and get a set of cubbies for your T-shirts. This way, you can organize your shirts by style and keep them in a place that gives you easier access to them than a set of drawers.^{[8]
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- You can order a set of cubbies online or at a local home improvement store.
3
Put old shirts with sentimental value away in boxes. If you have old concert shirts or other cool clothing memorabilia, put them in boxes and store them in your attic, basement, or garage. If you have room, you can also put these old clothes in the top of your closet.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Julie Naylon
Professional Organizer
Expert Interview. 18 December 2019.} That way, if you do decide to wear one out for a special occasion, you’ll have easy access to them.^{[10]
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- If you’re going to wear one of the shirts you’ve put away, make sure to take it out of the box and let it air out for about 15 minutes before you put it on.
Tip: If it’s been a few years since you’ve worn one of these shirts and you want to wear it again, consider putting it in the washing machine before you put it on.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Getting Rid of Extra T-Shirts

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Donate shirts that you don’t want but are still usable. Often times, people have more pieces of clothing than they wear. If this is the case for you, take some time to pick out shirts you can give to the less fortunate. Places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army will happily take your lightly-used shirts. Do not give away shirts that are ripped, dirty, or damaged in any other way.^{[11]
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- Make sure you wash the shirts before you give them away to ensure they’re as clean as possible.
Tip: If you have shirts that no longer fit you and know of a younger family friend who could use them, give your old clothes to that person.
2
Convert old shirts into rags or work clothes. This is especially smart for old white shirts that you can no longer wear. Turn them into cloths that you can use to wipe down dusty tables or clear your counter of extra foodstuffs, among other functions. Old shirts are worth keeping for yard work, as well. You can put them on before going outside and not worry about getting them dirty.^{[12]
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- Old shirts also make for great paint frocks if that happens to be one of your hobbies.
3
Throw out old shirts that can no longer be worn. Sometimes shirts live well past their usefulness. Clothing with huge rips, moth-eaten holes, and permanent stains can be thrown away. This will do wonders for storing the shirts you actually want to keep because it declutters your closet in a big way.^{[13]
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- Since shirts are so versatile and can be reused in many different ways, this should be a last resort.