Tips for Folding Pants at Home and for Travel

Publish date: 2024-05-04

I own a lot of jeans. At last count, I'd accrued upwards of 15 pairs. I've been meaning to edit my collection, but haven't plucked up enough energy to dedicate to that activity. Instead, I searched how to fold jeans on Pinterest, and found three genius hacks that helped me fit them all in one single drawer.

I have Natasha, the digital content creator behind the TikTok account Effective Spaces (which has over 3.6 million followers, by the way), to thank for the taming of my wardrobe. An organization wizard, Natasha's videos explain how to bring order to every area of living space, from under the kitchen sink to closets and cupboards. One of the creator's specialties, however, is folding everything and anything, from bulky bedding to clothes — especially jeans.

Scroll through Effective Spaces' impressive catalog, and you'll find a handful of videos on how to fold jeans in various ways, for various spaces and storage compartments. My saving grace was a 15-second long clip posted last year, in which Natasha shows viewers how to fold jeans in three ways: for shelves, deep drawers, and small spaces.

The video has since amassed millions of views, and watchers have flocked to the comments with praise.

One commenter wrote, "This is so satisfying to watch" (and it is), while another joked, "don't remember the last time I wore jeans but now I need to go fold some." Cue me following suit.

How to Fold Jeans at Home

Natasha shares three ways to fold jeans that will help you save space (and leave room for more pairs): For shelf storage, deep drawers, and small spaces.

The creator’s go-to method for shelving (which is great for drawers, too) is to fold the pant legs so that the ankle touches the hip, then fold again in the same direction. At this point, your denim should look like two perfect squares of blue side-by-side. Fold one square over the other and voilà! Perfect for stacking.

For deep drawers, Natasha starts by laying out a pair of jeans and folding them in half, as if they were closing a book. She then folds the leg so that the ankle hits the pants' back pocket, and follows up this step by folding any excess material along the seat over the legs.

To create a perfect square, Natasha folds the top of the jeans over the ankle, leaving the folded excess tucked underneath. From there, Natasha opens the hip of the jeans and, rather than fold the remainder of the legs, tucks them into the opening.

Last but not least, the pro organizer’s quick and efficient small space saver starts with simply laying out a pair of jeans and folding the top part of the pants over the legs. Natasha then folds the legs in increments, starting at the ankle and making her way toward the hip. When she can fold no more, she tucks the condensed pant legs into the opening of the jean, folds them in half, and stacks them.

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How to Fold Jeans On the Go

Trying to neatly organize multiple pairs of jeans into a closet or drawer can be challenging, but at least you have slightly more room to work with than when you’re met with the task of packing your favorites into a suitcase. There’s also the game of Tetris that is packing a carry-on suitcase to consider if you’re trying to avoid checking a bag at the airport.


So, what’s the best way to fold jeans for travel? There are two methods personal stylist Christina Stein swears by, and which she uses ultimately depends on the weight and style of the denim. For example, if you’re packing a pair (or two, or five) of stretchy skinny jeans, straight-leg bottoms, and even flares, Stein tells InStyle that rolling them is easiest, especially when dealing with a carry-on situation. 

“I usually roll everything when I pack in a carry-on,” she says. “You can fit more in a smaller space that way!”

True denim — think Levi's 501s or Japanese denim — tends to be heavier than stretchy styles, so Stein says she opts for a traditional fold when taking a few pairs on the go. “I like to take each end of the pants (you do this on both sides) folding them first to the knee then folding again towards the top of the pants,” Stein explains. “Then you take the mirror's side and fold it over. It’s neat and looks like how they fold them in stores.”

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