The Folding Book A Complete Guide to Creating Space and

Getting Organized

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 The

FoLDing
BOOk
A Complete Guide to creating
Space and getting organized
Janelle cohen
Text © 2022 by Janelle Cohen
Photography © 2022 by Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

First published in 2022 by Rock Point,

an imprint of The Quarto Group,
142 West 36th Street, 4th Floor,
New York, NY 10018, USA
T (212) 779-4972 F (212) 779-6058
www.Quarto.com

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN: 978-1-63106-837-9
Digital ISBN: 978-0-76037-467-2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021947618

Publisher: Rage Kindelsperger

Creative Director: Laura Drew
Managing Editor: Cara Donaldson
Senior Editor: Erin Canning
Cover and Interior Design: Evelin Kasikov
Photography: Mary Claire Roman

Printed in China
For Linda Levine and Sheri Goldner—
Two women who showed me how to
be bold, brave, and fearless.
Contents
Introduction 8
Getting Started 10
The Technique 12
Folding Basics 14
Editing While Folding 15
Glossary 16

Basics
18

Baby Kid
100 152
Feminine Masculine
48 88

Linens Travel
190 220

Index 232
Acknowledgments 237
About the Author 240
 Introduction
THE FOLDING BOOK

I have always been a detail-oriented and organized My parents don’t remember me loving to fold as
person, so much so that I turned these passions into a kid, and honestly neither do I. But when I watch
my own business, Straighten Up by Janelle, which that video, I feel like folding has been inside me
has grown into a personalized organization service, forever. I would definitely hire two-year-old me as
working with clients all over Los Angeles, including my assistant. That’s how much I nailed it! With that
numerous celebrities and influencers. I believe that said, if baby Janelle can do it, so can you.
having an organized system in your home creates a
more positive environment, and that it is possible to Folding is one of those things that you have probably
keep it maintained regardless of how busy life gets. done forever, or at least since you started doing your
Organizing your home doesn’t have to be stressful own laundry. But . . . did you ever really learn how
and can even be easy and enjoyable. Yes, you read to properly do it? Maybe you learned while working
that correctly—enjoyable! retail with a piece of cardboard. Whether you aspire
to fold like a pro or you never knew this is what you
Though I organize all aspects of my clients’ homes, needed in your life, I’m here to show you how to
in this book, I focus on one of the simplest, do it. After many years as a professional organizer,
quickest, and inexpensive ways to create space, I have figured out what really works—not just what
get organized, and save time: folding. That’s right! visually looks the prettiest and is Instagram-worthy,
When your clothes and linens are folded compactly, but what is realistic. My method is easy to master
with everything visible in drawers and baskets or on with a little bit of practice and easy to apply in
shelves, you spend less time sorting through piles everyday life.
each day and can continually weed out things that
are no longer useful to you and your family. You can follow my folding technique exactly or use
it as a jumping-off point for your own technique,
I also find folding to be therapeutic. We live in a because there is no wrong way to fold. The right way
chaotic world filled with a lot of unpredictability, and is what works for you, your family, and your lifestyle.
folding (and organizing in general) allows you to be Pick and choose what feels like a good fit and set
present and in control, even if just for a few minutes. realistic goals that you can surpass (rather than
When I feel anxious or stressed, I fold. If you are out-of-reach goals that may stress you out). If you
thinking to yourself, “What’s with this chick?” just are someone who isn’t going to fold your underwear,
give folding a chance. I promise, once you hone then don’t. Live your life! My goal with this book is to
your folding technique, it will become the easiest help you establish an organization system that you
and most enjoyable chore you have. I recently can maintain and even enjoy doing.
found a video of myself at two years old folding
to perfection with an iron and everything! Happy folding!

8
IntroductIon

9
 Getting Started
THE FOLDING BOOK

You already have everything you need to start Folding vs. Hanging
folding. You can start with that basket of clean
Most articles of clothing can be folded for a drawer,
laundry fresh out of the dryer, you can leisurely
basket, or shelf, but some things should always be
organize one drawer at a time, or you can dump
hung. Here’s what you need to know.
out all your drawers and refold everything at
once. It’s up to you! Again, the purpose of this
Things you should always hang: blouses, dresses,
book isn’t to make you feel stressed out or
blazers, dress pants, bulky jackets, coats
overwhelmed about folding and having everything
look perfect. Working at your own pace will make
Things you should always fold: undergarments,
it feel like less of a chore and more of a fun
socks, tank tops, sweaters, leggings, sweatpants,
project. You also don’t need to invest in more
pajamas, workout clothes, swimwear, linens
storage. Work with what you already own, whether
that be dressers, shelves, or baskets. Once you
Things that can be folded or hung: T-shirts,
get further into folding and organizing, you can
button-downs, polo shirts, sweatshirts, casual pants,
assess what else may best suit your needs.
denim, skirts (depending on the fabric), nightgowns
Here’s how to get started.
(depending on the fabric)

10
 How to Label a Kid’s Dresser

GettinG Started
Folding children’s clothing can be slightly more
confusing than adult clothes. This is because adults
know their inventory, so they can easily open a
drawer and pull out what they need. Many people
tend to take care of children, so it needs to be
identifiable to everyone without any explanation.
Here’s an easy way to label a kid’s drawers to know
what’s where and evolve with them.

1. Organize by item category (onesies, shirts,

pants, pajamas, etc.). Each category should
have its own row in a drawer. Typically,
categories share a drawer because baby and
children’s clothes are so small.

2. Add a label for each category to the lip of the

drawer, lined up with each row. If you don’t
have a label maker, cut a thin piece of masking
or painter’s tape and write on it with a Sharpie.
Organizing Dressers It doesn’t need to be fancy to be practical.

I like to organize dressers from head to toe 3. For a baby, label the top middle of the drawer
and short to long. In the top drawer, I place with the size (0–3 months, 3–6 months,
undergarments, layering tank tops, and socks. 6–9 months, etc.). When the child ages up,
I then move down to tops (tanks, short sleeves, you just need to rip off/replace the size label.
and then long sleeves), followed by bottoms The rows can stay the same, just with the
(shorts/skirts, capris, long pants, and sweatpants). next size up. Once this system is in place, it
And at the very bottom, I place pajamas and is easy to maintain and adjust as the child
specialty items (swimwear, shapewear, etc.). continues to grow.

If I am organizing a kid’s room, I label each

drawer/row of clothing so that everyone in the
home knows what is where, and the child can
have ownership over their space. Adding little
graphics can help with kids who can’t read
yet. It can’t hurt to start organization young so
that it becomes second nature.
11
 The Technique
THE FOLDING BOOK

The folding technique used throughout this book is

called “file folding.” File folding is basically filing your
clothes in a drawer (or basket) like you would file
paperwork. It’s annoying to search through a stack
of papers rather than flip through a file cabinet, and
the same thing goes for clothing.

With file folding, each drawer or row is a different

category of clothing, and nothing gets lost at the
bottom of a pile of clothes. If you stack your clothes
in a drawer, you will be continuously picking what
is on top because it is easiest to grab. Or if you
know something is at the bottom, then you have to
mess up the pile and dig through to find what you’re
looking for. So, rather than having, say, a big stack
of T-shirts to sort through, you have a visual of every
T-shirt right off the bat. There are many benefits
to file folding, with the main ones being that it is
incredibly space saving and increases visibility.

Keep in mind that file folding is something that

takes practice and you aren’t going to fold every
piece perfect right off the bat. So don’t give up
or get frustrated when you open your drawers
and they don’t look Instagram-worthy. Find what
works for you and you will benefit from your unique
organization system.

12
 the technIque
A file-folded item has a rounded edge and an open Here are some examples of file-folded items from
edge. The open edge acts like legs (see page 16) to a top view and a side view so that you can see how
help the folded item stand in a drawer or basket. the items look when folded.

Adult Tank Top Adult Sweatpants

Baby Onesie Baby Leggings

13
 Folding Basics
THE FOLDING BOOK

Here are some general tips to keep in mind while • Always close buttons, snaps, and zippers to
you are folding. make folding easier.

• Always fold on a flat surface, such as a dining • As you will see throughout the book, I usually fold
table, desk, bed, or ironing board. It’s easier to from right to left, because that feels natural to me,
not have to bend over. but you can fold from left to right. Just
be consistent with the direction you choose.
• Smooth out any wrinkles with your hands before
you start folding. I find an iron to be a little • Keep rows modular by folding shirts, pants, and the
extra, especially if you are trying to maintain this like the same width even when they are different
organization method. styles and sizes. Sometimes you have to “cheat” a
little to fold your items to the same size. Fold
• Keep your lines smooth/flat (again, using your in a narrow tee less than a looser-fitting one.
hands to smooth out any wrinkles) while you are Fold over the booty triangle (see page 16) a little
folding. The smoother the clothes are, the less farther on a larger pair of pants. Fold up a longer
bulky the folds will be. This is also the key to garment an extra time. Choose a folded item in
helping your rows look clean and consistent. each category as a guide for how wide you want
all the folds in that category to be so that the
rows in the drawer line up perfectly. The more
modular, the more you will maximize space.

• Always fold children’s clothing so that you can

easily see the neckline. Then you can quickly
see the size and don’t need to unfold the whole
item to make sure you have the correct one.
Kids (especially babies) grow quickly, so you
want to be able to easily peek through their
drawers to pull out what they have outgrown.

14
 Editing While Folding

Editing WhilE Folding

No time is more perfect for deciding what to keep 5. Would you want to be seen wearing it in photos?
and what isn’t serving you anymore than while you If not, then good riddance. These days, your photo
are folding and organizing. Not only can you weed can be taken at any time, so think about if you
out things like outgrown children’s clothing and would want an item of clothing to be immortalized
undergarments and socks that have seen better days, in a photo. You will want to look back on a photo
but also those items that seem to hang around but twenty years later and think, “I really liked that
are never worn. Here are some questions I like to ask shirt,” even if it has gone out of fashion.
my clients when helping them organize their drawers
and closets. 6. Can it be worn with more than one outfit? If not,
see ya. Something to consider for future purchases
1. Does it fit you? If your weight has fluctuated, is cost per wear (see page 16), and the cost per
would you be able to purchase the item again or wear is going to be high for a specific thing bought
is it irreplaceable? If you can replace it, so long. to wear with another specific thing. Another variable
to consider when shopping for clothes is the care
2. Is it damaged? Would you pay to get it fixed instructions for the item. If having to take an item
or take the time to fix it yourself? If not, say to the dry cleaner is going add stress to your life,
good‑bye. then look for things that you can include in the
wash, or vice versa.
3. Does it make you feel good when you wear it?
If the answer is no, see you later. It is not even 7. Are you keeping it for sentimental reasons? This is
worth downgrading something that doesn’t make probably the most difficult decision to make when
you feel good to the clothes that you only wear getting rid of clothes. If you still want to keep it,
around the house. You should feel incredible store it in an area for sentimental keepsakes and
100 percent of the time. not in your closet (but you’ll still want to be selective
with what you store here). You want your wardrobe
4. Would you wear it tomorrow (if it was the right to be an active item in your life, not cluttered with
occasion)? No? Get rid of it. If you bought a dress things you’re never going to wear again.
for a wedding, let’s say, and are still not going to
wear it, why are you saving it for a hypothetical As you maintain this organization system over time,
situation? The same goes with keeping something continue editing. Sometimes the hardest part about
for a potential costume that you would only getting rid of things is forcing yourself to do it in one
wear once anyway. I would suggest keeping an go, which can be overwhelming. If you find yourself
accessory for a costume but not an entire outfit. having a hard time, the good news is that a friend or
(You would be surprised by how creative you can family member may love the item or you can consider
get using pieces you already have in your closet.) donation or resale.
15
 Glossary
THE FOLDING BOOK

These are words and phrases that you will Fold in Thirds
continually come across throughout the book, so
This is when you fold up the bottom edge of a
here’s a quick guide with their meanings.
clothing item to the middle and then fold up the
bottom again and align it with the top, creating
Booty Triangle
legs (see below) for the item to stand on when
This is the extra flap of fabric that forms/sticks out filed in a drawer.
when you fold any bottoms in half. It resembles a
little triangle and is located at the butt, or the booty Grab and Go
(as I like to call it).
This refers to folded sets of items—pajamas,
sweat suits, swimsuits, bedding—that can be
Cost Per Wear
quickly grabbed by adults and children alike to
This is the cost of an item of clothing divided by make life a little easier and save time.
the number of times you wear it. If you invest in
a coat that costs $200 and you only wear it ten
Legs
times, it has a high cost per wear—$20 per wear.
If you invest in jeans that also cost $200 and When an item is file-folded, it has a smooth,
you wear them twice a week for a year, it has a rounded edge (see below) and an open side with
low cost per wear—$1.92 per wear. flaps that act as legs to help the folded item stand
in a drawer.
Facedown
Overcrossing
This is when the front side of an item of clothing
is lying down on the folding surface. You want your edges to align when folding and
avoid having one edge cross over another.
Faceup
Rounded Edge
This is when the back side of an item of clothing
is lying down on the folding surface. When you file-fold, you always want this side of
the fold facing up. The opposite, open, side acts
Fold in Half like legs (see above) and keeps the folded item
standing upright in the drawer. When folding
This is when you fold one half of a clothing item
an item for a shelf, you want the rounded edge
over the other half and align the two sides, either
facing out.
horizontally (right to left, left to right) or vertically
(bottom to top, top to bottom).

16
 17
GloSSary