What should lie flat

Short answer: Everything in knit should lie flat. T-shirts, sweatshirts, underwear, socks and knitted tops keep their shape best when the weight is spread over a shelf instead of a hanger. Keep the piles low.

Knit keeps its shape lying down

Without a hanger, there is no point where all the weight gathers. A knitted top folded on a shelf rests with its weight spread over the whole fabric, and the loops are not pulled down. That is why it keeps its length and shoulders, even after many months in the wardrobe. The same goes for light women's bamboo tops.

T-shirts and tops

T-shirts and tops are folded back side up, sleeves in, sides towards the middle and once across. They then have the same width and sit in neat piles. Thin tops with narrow straps can be folded in two or three and placed in a drawer. They keep their shape best when they do not hang from the straps.

Soft pieces with elastic lie best

Elastic that hangs freely is slowly stretched by gravity. This is especially true for underwear and a soft bra, where the elastic in straps and edges should keep its spring. Lay a bamboo bra flat in the drawer, with the cups nested if it has a moulded shape. The elastic can then rest.

Sweatshirts belong on the shelf

A sweatshirt is heavy for a knitted piece, and that is exactly why it should lie flat. Fold it back side up, fold the sleeves in along the sides and fold once across. Hoodies are folded the same way with the hood laid over the back. Place them on a shelf with a little room above.

Keep piles low

More than six pieces in a pile press the bottom one flat. The weight of the top pieces pushes the folds into the lower ones, and they are hard to shake out again. Low piles are also easier to take from, because you can pull out a piece without toppling the rest. Split a tall pile in two instead.

Underwear and socks in the drawer

Underwear and socks are small and soft and belong in a drawer. Fold them and stand them on edge, so you can see every piece at once. Socks are laid on top of each other and folded once instead of being turned over each other. The cuff can then rest and the pair stays together.

Only put away dry clothes

Clothes that sit close together in a pile must be completely dry. A little moisture in a waistband or a thick seam can cause a stale smell when there is no air around it. Feel the thickest spots before folding. If they are cool and dry, the clothes are ready for the shelf or drawer.

A shelf for soft clothes

The simplest rule is that everything knitted lies flat and everything woven hangs. Give soft clothes their own shelf or drawer, so they do not mix with heavy items. A bamboo sweatshirt for women keeps its shape best when it lies folded on a shelf.

Frequently asked questions

What should lie flat instead of hanging

Everything knitted. T-shirts, sweatshirts, underwear, socks and knitted tops keep their shape best lying down, because the weight is spread out.

How tall can a pile be

Up to six pieces. Beyond that the bottom ones are pressed flat, and the folds are hard to shake out again when you take them out.

Should bras and tops lie flat

Yes. A hanger gathers all the weight in a single point, and elastic that hangs freely is slowly stretched by gravity.