How to Fold Underwear (Drawer-Saving Folding Method)

Start with a clean pair of bikini briefs on a hard, flat surface - a folded towel on a dresser, the top of the dryer, or a made bed all work. Smooth out wrinkles so the waistband sits as a straight line and the leg openings are crisp.

The flat surface is doing real work here. Trying to fold underwear in the air, on a stack of clothes, or against your chest leaves wrinkles in the fabric that prevent the finished bundle from staying tucked. A few seconds of smoothing now saves the bundle from popping open later.

Bring one side in toward the middle, folding the leg opening across the crotch panel. This first fold turns the triangle shape of the underwear into a taller rectangle and tucks the leg opening out of sight.

Keep the waistband edge straight as you fold. The waistband is what locks the bundle shut at the end, so any twist or pucker here shows up in the final bundle.

Fold the second side over the same way. The two leg openings now overlap in the middle and the underwear sits as a narrow strip about a third of its original width.

Press the fabric flat with your fingers as you go. A tight rectangle here is what makes the next fold stay closed - any air pocket at this stage turns into a bulge that pushes the bundle open when you try to file it.

Bring the gusset end up toward the waistband. Stop about an inch shy of the waistband, then fold the bottom edge up once more so it sits just below the waistband elastic. You're now looking at a small, flat rectangle with the waistband elastic running across the top edge.

The exact number of folds depends on the size - smaller panties might only need one fold from the bottom, larger or fuller-coverage styles might need two. The rule is: stop when the bundle is about the height of the waistband elastic itself.

Pinch the waistband elastic open with one hand and slide the folded bottom edge underneath the elastic. The waistband snaps closed over the bottom edge and locks the whole bundle shut.

The finished packet is roughly the size of a deck of cards and stands on its end with the waistband facing up. Stand it next to the others in a drawer organizer and you'll see the pattern, color, or trim of every pair at a glance. That's what makes this method worth the extra ten seconds per pair.

Boxer briefs and boyshorts use the same idea with one adjustment. Lay them flat with the waistband across the top edge, then fold both leg sections inward toward the center crotch panel so the leg openings disappear behind the fold.

Press the fabric flat to flatten out the seam bulk where the leg panels meet the crotch. Boxer briefs use thicker fabric than bikini briefs, so the bulk at the seams matters more - a few seconds of pressing here keeps the final bundle from springing open.

Roll the boxer brief tightly from the bottom up to the waistband. Keep tension on the roll - a loose roll falls apart in a drawer. When you reach the waistband, tuck the rolled bundle into the elastic.

Boxer briefs hold their shape best when rolled rather than flat-folded. The roll squeezes out air, the rolled cylinder is harder to deform than a flat stack, and the waistband still locks the bundle shut. Finished bundle stands on its end the same way the basic fold does.

Lace, mesh, and thong underwear are tiny to start, so the folds shrink with them. Lay flat, fold each side in to roughly the width of the gusset (the crotch panel), then fold up from the bottom in thirds.

Thongs and G-strings can skip the waistband tuck entirely - the smaller fabric area holds together once it's stacked next to its neighbors. For fuller lace styles like cheekies or lace boyshorts, do the waistband tuck the same as a bikini brief.

Stand each finished bundle on its end with the waistband facing up and file them in a drawer organizer. An IKEA SKUBB box, a fabric storage bin, or sectioned drawer dividers all work. The bundles support each other once you've filled the box, which keeps them from falling over even as you take pairs out.

This is the Marie-Kondo-style vertical filing system that turns an underwear drawer from a daily wad-and-dig into a tidy lineup you can shop. Organize by color, by style, or by occasion - the bundles stay put either way. When you do a fresh load of laundry, refold each pair the same way and slot it back into the box.