To save space, fold the legs of your leggings together, using a smooth surface for support, tucking in the side, folding the legs up, folding the knees, and finally tucking the folded leggings into the waistband.
Other methods like simple folding, two folds, and KonMari can also work to fold leggings while also saving space. Keep reading to know more!
Folding Leggings to Save Space
Following a few steps when it comes to folding your leggings can be a great way to get the job done neatly while also saving up closet space by stacking your leggings together.
You can go through the following steps if you want to do the same.
Gather Your Leggings
Considering that you want to save space, it is best for you to start from scratch and work in bulk.
Remove all your leggings from your cupboard and make your way through each of them while folding so that you can then simply stack and arrange all of them together.
Doing them together will end up saving you both time and space while also making you become quicker at folding them all up properly.
Fold the Legs
To begin, the best thing to do is to first fold them from the middle by placing one leg over the other.
Make sure you try to do this as accurately as possible such that all the edges and ends meet each other perfectly.
This includes the bottom sleeves, the halves of the waistband, and the boundary of the entire length of the leggings. Once you manage to fold it properly, make sure you smoothen the leggings’ surface so you can get rid of potential creases that might form.
You can also try pressing the leggings down a bit so that any extra air or folds vanish and the surface becomes flat enough to make the remainder of the folding easier.
Use A Smooth Surface
It can be quite crucial to use a smooth surface where you can place your leggings to fold them up in a much more convenient manner.
Make sure this surface is clean and stable enough to support the leggings without creasing up on its own and creasing them up along with it.
For instance, you can use your bed, a table, or an ironing board to carry this out. This will also make the entire process of pressing the folds down and polishing them up properly much easier.
You will also be able to fold everything precisely compared to when folding using only your hands.
Additionally, this surface should be as flat as possible so that there are not many lumps present that can end up ruining or folding out all your careful efforts.
Fold the Side
Now that the legs of the leggings are folded together, and you have placed them on the surface, you might notice the part that covers the crotch jutting out on the side.
A good idea here is to take that small bit in your hands and fold it inwards so that the length of the leggings appears uniform and even.
While this is an avoidable step considering that you will still get clean results in the end, it is simply more space-efficient for you to tuck this side in too.
Since you are looking to save space in the first place, carrying out this step can lend you a good bit of tidiness once you stack and arrange the leggings.
Make sure you press this fold down a bit so that it remains in its place. If it keeps unfolding on its own, you might need to apply a bit more weight and pressure to it.
Fold Upwards
The next step in this process is to take the legs at their base (where they form the sleeve to cover your calf or ankle) and halve them up.
This basically means that you should take the folded legs and fold them up so that they end up coming in contact with the waistband.
After you do so, make a few adjustments to keep the sleeves in line with the waistband instead of any parts sticking out, as this might otherwise end up messing the folds up.
If you notice that some of the other folds have become messy, bring them back into place as well. After this, you can press the folded part down and smoothen everything up again.
Fold the Knees
The leggings are still not small enough to save as much space as they possibly can.
You will need to carry out one more upward fold, this time taking the bottom part of the folded leggings (where your knees would usually go) up to the waistband.
This will give you several layers of folds that you can view from the sides. Once again, align the folded knees with the sleeves and the waistband and make it a point to align the layers at the sides.
Press everything together and make adjustments if necessary.
Tuck in Waistband
One of the final steps in the folding process is to slightly stretch out the waistband of your leggings and use your free fingers to tuck the remainder inside this stretched-out waistband.
This will form a cover-like layer over the other folds of the leggings, making your leggings look like a pouch or a small bag.
This is a great way to keep them secure and bundled up without the risk of the folds falling apart, making for a clean, neat, and tidy appearance.
You can then press the structure down again, so it does not remain too bulging. Repeat this entire process for the rest of your leggings too.
Arrange the Leggings
The last thing to do here once you have folded up all your leggings is to arrange them into categories. For instance, you can place your workout leggings in one stack and your casual leggings in the other.
Apart from this, you can also arrange your leggings based on color to provide a more pleasing and uniform look to your closet or cupboard. Many people also prefer separating their leggings by brand or by how old or new they are.
Stack them up, but not too many at a time, so they can hold steady in the cupboard. You can also place them side by side instead so that each pair of leggings is visible to you.
You can also place your stacks in clear boxes and place those boxes in the cupboard for some more efficiency.
What to Account For
There are several things you should account for when it comes to the method you use for folding your leggings.
Some of these include the following:
Material
What material your leggings are made of can make a difference, with certain materials losing shape and stretch with frequent usage and others holding up well.
For instance, cotton loses shape too soon, while spandex and nylon (or both) are quite durable in terms of stretch.
Accordingly, you will need to adjust your folding techniques since the tucking method might not work for cotton.
Space
How much space you have is quite an important concern. If you have a smaller cupboard or drawer space, stick to the tucking method to ensure that nothing rolls or folds out.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics might be important to you, in which case, again, the tucking method might be ideal given the cluster-free clean look you can achieve.
However, you can also end up not tucking the leggings into the waistband if you have more space to spare.
How you arrange the leggings can add to the aesthetics as well.
Other Methods
Some other folding methods you can try include the following:
- Fold the leggings twice or thrice without tucking the legs and folds in.
- Fold them once and then fold them over the hanger.
- Follow the KonMari method that involves keeping the pockets out, folding the legs up to just below the waistband, folding the waistband in, and then filing the two folds together.
The method you choose depends on your preferences and requirements. The best one for saving space is the tucking method, with the KonMari method offering more in terms of aesthetics and clutter-free organization in your closet.
FAQs on How to Fold Leggings to Save Space
Is it better to fold or hang leggings?
Leggings do not wrinkle or crease up too easily, so this ultimately depends on how much space and how many leggings you have, with folding being better for smaller spaces and more leggings.
Can I roll up my leggings?
You can roll up your leggings, especially if you need to pack them in a bag. They might end up rolling out in your cupboard or cabinet, making it simpler to fold them.