How to Fold Pants, Suits, and a Shirt to Go in a Suitcase

The best way to ensure that your suit arrives at your destination as freshly pressed as it was when it left the dry cleaner's lies in how it’s folded and packaged in your luggage. This tutorial will demonstrate how to carefully fold and package your suit (or other items) before placing such clothes in your suitcase or carry-on baggage.

Steps

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    Purchase large, zip lock style plastic bags. Home and bath stores typically carry a variety of storage type bags like this. Otherwise, check with the local suit store or online for larger clothing bags.
    • Buy several bags to accommodate more than one suit and shirts. Your shirts and suit will be different sizes once folded, so you don’t want a bag that is too big or too small.
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    • Check each bag to ensure that it doesn’t have any holes or rips. The bag needs to be airtight when you seal your clothing, so a pristine bag is important.
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    • Reuse bags several times. Retire the bag once it begins to show wear and tear––a ripped or worn bag can compromise the integrity of your clothing.
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    Begin with a freshly pressed suit, free of wrinkles.
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    Lay the suit jacket face down on a flat surface. Make sure you can smooth the jacket along the surface and that no bumps or other obstructions will wrinkle the jacket.
    • Smooth the back of the jacket with clean hands to remove any wrinkles or bumps. Pick off any lint or loose strings from jacket to ensure that it packs totally clean.
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    Fold each side of the jacket inward, toward the middle. Fold the jacket the same way you would fold a t-shirt, by first taking the left side and folding it lengthwise inward, approximately 2 inches (5cm). Perform the same step for the right side.
    • Fold the sleeve along the folded jacket lines. Fold the sleeve over the jacket and then back, so that it lines the jacket fold. The sleeve should be in line with the fold on each side of the jacket.
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    • Smooth the jacket sleeves downward to remove any wrinkles. Leave the jacket in this position on the table.
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    Fold the suit pants in half on a separate hard surface or next to the jacket. Make sure the pants are clean and do not have any items in the pockets.
    • Lay the pants on the table and fold them in half again. Be sure you fold the pants end to end in order to form a square.
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    Place the pants on top of the suit jacket. Carefully lift the pants from the table and gingerly lay the pants on top of the jacket.
    • Place the pants on top of the jacket, toward the neck or top area. Make sure the jacket and pants are the same size, width-wise to create an even line.
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    Fold the bottom of the suit jacket upward and over the pants. This will create a neat package with the pants situated inside the jacket.
    • Turn the jacket over so that the front is facing upward. Carefully remove any debris, loose strings or dust.
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    Open a large plastic storage bag and place the jacket or pants package inside. Make sure you select a bag size that will accommodate the clothing so compare different bag sizes before selecting your bag.
    • Slide the suit package inside the bag so that the bottom of the suit is sitting at the bottom of the bag.
    • Seal the bag but be sure to trap a considerable amount of air inside. Test to make sure that air is inside the bag by pressing on the bag after you’ve sealed it. Keeping air trapped inside the bag will keep your suit wrinkle-free.
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    Prepare your dress shirt for folding. Inspect both sides to make sure the shirt is free from lint, dust or loose strings.
    • Lay your dress shirt on a clean hard surface, facing downward. Smooth the shirt using clean hands to remove any wrinkles or debris.
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    Fold the shirt arms into the middle of the shirt. Instead of folding the arms inward, as you would a t-shirt, take a more complex approach to minimize any wrinkling.
    • Lay one shirt arm across the back of the shirt so that the end of the sleeve touches the opposite shoulder of the shirt. Use your opposite hand as a guide by laying the side of your hand near the armpit area of the shirt.
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    • Lay your hand alongside the middle of the sleeve and fold the sleeve upward, toward the shirt neck.
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    • Fold the top of the sleeve, near the neck of the shirt backwards to create a small square.
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    • Repeat this step with the other sleeve.
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    Fold each side of the shirt inward, approximately 2 inches (5cm), toward the middle of the shirt. Smooth the shirt lines as you fold.
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    Fold the bottom of the shirt halfway up the shirt. Then fold the shirt again in half until you have created a small square.
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    Flip the shirt over so it’s facing upward and place it in a plastic bag. Make sure the shirt is free from debris or lint before sliding it into the bag.
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    Seal the bag by either zip locking or folding the top over. Shirts are not as vulnerable to wrinkling in transit once you’ve folded and packaged them properly. Now you should be set.

Tips

  • If your suit and shirt becomes wrinkled in transport, hang clothing in the bathroom and turn on the shower to steam wrinkles for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. To save water and heat, take a shower at the same time and let the residual steam do its work, otherwise this is a waste of energy.
  • Consider using airtight bags for packing ties. Fold the tie in half and then again in half until it is in a rectangle. Choose a smaller bag to hold each tie to reduce wrinkling.

Warnings

  • If you plan to travel with a carry on bag, check with the airline for rules surrounding toiletry sizes and acceptable liquid amounts.

Things You'll Need

  • Suitable bag
  • Plastic zip lock or sealable bags
  • Clothing/lint removal brush (optional but helpful)
  • Clean flat surface for folding on

Article Info

Categories: Travel Tips