Blankets add a feeling of coziness to your world any time of year. They keep you warm on a cold evening and comfortable while you’re sick or whenever you need extra coziness.
At the same time, those thick blankets can be tough to fit into a small space, like a shelf or closet. But don’t worry! Follow our simple suggestions for how to fold blankets and save space at the same time.
Blanket Folding Methods to Consider
Just because you own big, beautiful blankets doesn’t mean you can’t store them efficiently. If you want to put blankets away more completely when not using them, simply folding them differently can do the trick. With these suggestions, you can make big blankets small enough to fit on a closet shelf—or anywhere you need them for safekeeping.
Folding Bulky Blankets, Weighted Blankets, and Comforters
Follow these steps when folding bulky blankets for storage:
- Place your blanket on a long, flat surface like the top of a kitchen or coffee table.
- Flatten out any bulges or creases.
- Take either of the longer sides and fold it toward the middle.
- Do the same with the other long side, so they meet in the middle.
- Fold one side over the other to make a long rectangle with your blanket.
- Fold each short end to meet in the middle as well.
- Insert one of the ends into the other’s opening.
- Gently shuffle the piece as far back as it will go.
This ensures a bulky blanket stays tightly folded without unraveling wherever you store it.
The Rolling Method
Do you have limited space options? No problem! Try rolling instead of folding:
- Spread out the unfolded blanket on your bed or table.
- Take the two shorter ends and match them up with the other two shorter ends to form a rectangle.
- Neaten out the creases.
- Fold your blanket in the same direction a second time to form a smaller rectangle.
- Straighten out any bumps or creases once more.
- Begin at one of the shorter ends to roll the blanket tightly to resemble how you’d make a Swiss roll.
Rolling is a great way to store many blankets together in a closet or basket. Together they’re sure to stay tightly rolled until you need them again.
Folding Thin or Slippery Blankets
Not every blanket is bulky. You can fold thinner or slippery blankets by spreading them out on a table, or just do this with your hands while standing:
- Fold the long side a third of the way over toward the middle.
- Grab the other long side and fold it over the top.
- Take one of the shorter ends and fold it into a rectangle.
- Work out any creases as you go.
- Do this again.
- Flatten it down a little more when the blanket is completely folded.
Folding Into Squares
Just like folding a thin blanket, you can fold a blanket into squares by laying it out on a flat surface or standing up and folding it with your hands:
- Bring each of the short ends together.
- Flatten out any creases.
- Fold the blanket again into a thin rectangle.
- Take one of the shorter ends and fold it into a square.
- Repeat this until you get a neat fold shaped like a square.
Other Ways to Organize Blankets
Perhaps you have limited space for any blankets, bulky or thin. Here are other ways to display or store them when not in use.
Vacuum-Seal Blankets for Storage
If you rarely use your blankets but don’t want to toss them and can’t figure out where to put them, here’s an idea: buy vacuum storage bags. These storage bags shrink the size of your blankets while keeping them clean at the same time. You can put them under beds, inside nightstands, or in the back of the closet.
Use a Blanket Ladder
Consider this to display and store blankets when they’re not being used. This can go against a blank wall quite nicely.
Display Blankets
You can easily use a brightly colored or decorative blanket as the top cover over your bedsheets. Depending on the blanket, this adds warmth and depth to your bedroom decor.
What if you’d like to display your blanket as a throw in the family or living room? You can even do this in your bedroom. For an orderly or neat display:
- Bring one of the blanket’s sides to the center.
- Fold the second side on top of the first side.
- Lay over the side of a chair, bed, or couch.
You can also shake out the blanket and lay it down, open, and flat. This looks especially nice on the back of a long couch or loveseat.
You may want to fold the throw in half by holding the blanket by the corners on one side and bringing them over to the other side. If you’re doing this with a rectangular-shaped blanket, fold it in half lengthwise and then display. Drape it over the back of a chair, as a runner at the foot of your bed, or as a decorative throw over your bed’s headboard or footboard.
Make sure you smooth out any wrinkles or creases. Make it as flat as you can. This creates a warm and cozy feel in any room!
Folding Bedsheets and Fitted Sheets
It’s also challenging to fold certain bedsheets and fitted sheets. Do you own extra sheets you want to fit neatly into a closet or shelf, where they can remain neat and clean? It’s possible! Just find yourself some space, like a bed or kitchen table. If you use the floor, make sure it’s been cleaned before you spread out your sheets:
- Begin with your fitted sheet.
- Fold it in half with the “wrong” sides facing each other.
- Insert each elastic corner inside the other.
- Fold it in half a second time.
- Insert each elastic corner inside the other again.
- Smooth out any creases.
- Form a rectangle or square, depending on your sheet’s size.
- Fold it into thirds if you can or fourths if it’s big enough.
- Make sure you’re not exposing any edges.
- Fold it into thirds or fourths the other way if possible.
Do the same with your flat sheet and stack them both together. Then fold the pillowcase. Once this is complete, choose from among these different final steps:
- Place both the fitted and flat sheets inside your pillowcase. Fold the excess from the pillowcase underneath.
- Fold your pillowcase in thirds. Do this lengthwise. Then wrap it across the flat and fitted sheets.
- Take your folded pillowcase and then simply place it on top of the flat and fitted sheets wherever you want to store them.
- Fold your pillowcase, so it’s the same width as your folded flat and fitted sheets. Wrap it around nicely, so it’s flat and smooth to display in a linen closet.
In the End
With a little practice, it’s easy to learn how to fold blankets in a way that will save space. Check out our easy-to-fold minky blankets for both adults and children.