How to Fold Towels 4 Different Ways

If you've ever tried to replicate the way hotels and spas fold their towels but haven't had much luck, we're here to help. Learning the fine art of towel folding isn't just great for that spa aesthetic; neat towels are easier to keep organized and help to free up space in your drawers and linen closet.

To start, it's essential to fold towels on a large, flat, and clean work surface, which allows you to smooth them down in between each step. It's also important to remember that towel folding isn't a one-size-fits-all approach—the fold you choose depends on the type and size of the towel you're working with. To simplify the process, here's how to fold the most common types of towels, including bath, spa, beach, and dish towels.

Bath Towels

This technique creates one clean folded edge that, when stacked, faces out, says Jamie Gibberman, a professional organizer and the co-owner of Get Organized RVA.

1. Spread the bath towel out on a flat surface.
2. Fold the towel in half widthwise.
3. Fold the towel in half again lengthwise so both short ends are touching.
4. Fold the towel into thirds.

Spa Towels

If you want to replicate the rolled look you find at a spa or in luxury hotels, follow this simple technique.

1. Spread the bath towel out on a flat surface.
2. Fold one corner down to create a triangle (the rest of the towel should remain unfolded and look like a rectangle attached to the triangle).
3. Fold the towel in half lengthwise.
4. Flip the towel completely over and start to roll from the rectangle end toward the triangle end.
5. Keep rolling tightly, making sure to line up the edges, until all you have left is the small point of the triangle.
6. Tuck the small point inside the edge of the roll.

Beach Towels

Beach towels are sometimes longer than the standard bath iteration, so you'll want to take a slightly different approach. This method will result in a more compact, manageable result, says Gibberman.

1. Spread the towel out on a flat surface.
2. Fold the towel in half lengthwise.
3. Fold the towel in half again widthwise, so both short ends are touching.
4. Fold the towel into thirds.

Dish Towels

Since dish towels are typically kept in a drawer in the kitchen, file-folding them is ideal, says Gibberman.

1. Spread the dish towel out on a flat surface.
2. Fold the towel in half lengthwise.
3. Fold the towel in half lengthwise again to create a smaller rectangle
4. Fold the towel into thirds.
5. Place the towel into your drawer like a file in a cabinet, with the folded edge facing up.

Note: If your drawer is too shallow to fold the towel into thirds after step three, Gibberman says to fold both ends of the towel in towards the center and fold the towel in half.