As with many household tasks, there are many, many ways to fold towels. Bed Bath & Beyond even has its own signature method—which one former employee shared on TikTok recently. But, as a self-admitted neat freak, I’m here to tell you that this is the best way. Why? This tri-fold method is basically a foundation to any type of towel fold. Fold your towels like this and you can roll them, hang them on a towel bar, or fold them in rectangles. Plus, this method ensures that, if you have monogrammed towels (like my Weezie ones shown here!), your monogram won’t get hidden in the fold. Read on to learn the foolproof method. (Oh, and if you’re confused about whether you’re working with bath sheets, bath towels, or hand towels, check our our explanation here—but this method works for every size!).
Step one: Lay flat
You’ll want to lay your towel on a flat, clean surface, with the backside facing up (so any monogram or detailing should not be visible. Smooth out the towel.
Step two: Fold in thirds
Now, bring one long edge of the towel in towards the center so the edge is a little beyond the center of the towel (you can adjust this based on your towel’s monogram or design; fold more or less to make the design visible and centered). Now fold the other side in, too, overlapping about an inch (plus or minus two inches depending on design) at the center.
Step three: Fold in half
Step four: Fold in half again
Now, fold that in half again, with the monogram on top. And voilà! You’ve got a perfectly folded towel. Do the same for your hand towel and washcloth, sans the last half fold.
Step five: Arrange
With your towel folded like this, there are several ways you can store or display it.
- Towel bar: Hang your towel from the last fold, so the monogram is visible in the front. Hang hand towels on top of bath towels or sheets.
- Guest room: Lay towels out for your guests by placing one bath towel folded like above, topped with one hand towel, folded to step 3, on the guest bed. Top with a soap for an extra touch.
- Towel roll: Rolling towels is a great way to store many towels and to ensure they stay crease free. With your towel folded to step two above, grab the end without the monogram or design and roll towards the other end, then store or display with the design on top.
- Flat fold: If you want to store your towels in a stack, you can store them folded like above, or, after step two, fold the towel into thirds for a wider, flatter fold (depending on the size of your storage space).
