Throw your clothes in the dryer for five to ten minutes. Clothes are easiest to work with when they've just come out of the dryer. Set the dryer to low, or tumble dry. You want the clothes to be warm and loose when they come out, but not hot. Use a fabric softener sheet for best results.
Iron all your clothes immediately after they come out of the dryer. Ironing your clothes helps them stay wrinkle free. It also makes them lay flat, which will save space in your suitcase. Undergarments and socks do not need to be ironed.
Lay the clothes on a flat, clean surface. Separate the objects by type. Shirts should go in one pile neatly on top of each other. The same with pants, jeans, sweaters, etc.
Smooth out the jeans or pants until they are as flat as possible and any remaining creases gone. Do this by using a flat hand to gently, but firmly, stroke the jeans or pants downward from waist to foot. Repeat this process with each pair of jeans or pants you are taking.
Place a layer of tissue paper over a pair jeans or pants. Make sure they are completely covered. The tissue paper prevents wrinkles.
Place a second pair of pants or jeans over the first. Make sure they line up properly. The fabric of the pair should be as close as possible. Jeans should be with jeans, trousers with trousers, sweats with sweats and so on. Layering clothes before folding saves space and provides cushioning, which helps prevent wrinkles.
Fold the jeans in half vertically from left to right. The left set of pant legs should cover the right set. The inner and outer seams should be lined up.
Bring the bottom of the pants up to meet the bottom of the front pockets. Bring the outside edge of the new fold to the top of the pants. Set the pants set aside and repeat the process with as many jeans and pants as necessary. Jeans and sweats are to be folded in sets of two. Dress pants and casual trousers can be folded in sets of three. A single pair of pants can be folded the same way.
Lay the shirt face down and cover it with a layer of tissue.
Put another shirt on top of the tissue. The shirts need to match as much as possible in length and width. Do not fold short sleeved shirts and long sleeved shirts in the same set.
Fold one side of the shirt set vertically until its edge is in the middle of the shirt. Do this with the other side as well.
For long sleeved shirts, fold each sleeve back over so it is vertical and parallel with the shirt set. The sleeves will end up being in the center of the shirt. They should not stick out of the bottom. Sweaters should be treated as long sleeved shirts.
Bring the bottom of the shirt set up until it is in the middle of the shirt. Fold it over once more until it gets to the top of the shirt. The shirt set will be folded into three equal part if done correctly. Flip it over and set it aside. Repeat as necessary. Thin short sleeved shirts can be done in sets of three. Thicker shirts and long sleeved shirts should be done in sets of three. Sweaters should be done singularly.
Stack underwear on top of each other in stacks of five. Make sure the underwear are lined up with each other. Fold boxers in half, vertically. Briefs and woman's underwear do not need to be folded.
Place one sock onto a matching sock, making sure they are properly lined up. Put two fingers in the middle of the socks and fold the socks in half from right to left.
Fold dresses as minimally as possible. Fold short dresses in half, horizontally. Fold longer dresses in thirds.
Lay the bra face down on a flat surface. Fold the left bra cup into the right one, pushing the left cup inward so it is stacked tightly into the right cup. Place any dangling straps into the left cup.
Place each type of folded clothing into a plastic zip lock bag. Folded jean sets go in one bag. Shirts in another. Each type of clothing should have its own zip lock bag.
Put the zip lock bags into the suit case. Larger and bulkier items like jeans and thick sweaters go at the bottom. Shirts and light sweaters go in the middle. Undergarments are placed on top.
Put a layer of tissue paper over the zip lock bags. Put the folded dresses on top of the tissue paper.
Cover the dresses with three layers of tissue paper. Place whatever shoes you are going to take on top of the tissue paper. Shoes should lie on their sides. They should not be stacked.
Cover the shoes with a large jacket. The jacket does not need to be folded. It can be tucked into the sides of the suitcase if necessary.
