How To Fold Socks [4 Easy Ways]

There are few things in life less glamorous than folding socks.

As with all housekeeping tasks, it's simply a matter of good life administration that can help you stay organized and keep your belongings easily accessible without needing to dig through a drawer of socks attempting to pair them up on the fly or while you’re in a rush.

Some people may think that life is too short for matching socks or folding socks, but until you find yourself digging around for the right pair of socks for your outfit or shoe choice you have no idea how frustrating it can be to not have the right pair of socks ready and waiting to be put on.

To help you avoid this issue we’ve put together a guide on how to fold socks so that you’re able to keep your sock drawer neat and tidy and can get ready that little bit quicker when you’re in a rush.

Let's take a look at the first method.

The Quick Cuff Fold

One of the most common and simplest ways to fold your socks is to use the quick cuff fold technique.

This method can be used for almost any type of sock but is particularly good for casual socks and is very easy for children to learn so that they can begin to build good habits and start to learn the value of good organization.

First, make sure you have a clean pair of socks that are matching and ready to be folded. 

Put the socks down on a flat surface such as a table, then line the socks up so that they are one on top of each other and perfectly symmetrical.

It should look as though they are perfectly mirroring each other. Ensure the cuffs and toes are lined up.

Next, smooth out the socks. Then take one of the cuffs and fold it over the top of the other sock. You can pull the fold down as far as you want depending on the type of sock.

Practice this fold with different types of socks and ensure that the end result is tight and neat.

You can get very efficient and fast at this method to make folding socks quick and easy, and this method may not be as neat as some others but it's a great compromise for busy people who want to store their socks well.

The Neat Cuff Fold

This method is similar to the quick fold method but is a little more complex and it creates a neater fold.

Once again take a clean pair of matching socks and lay them down flat on a surface. 

Lay one sock on top of the other and ensure that they are lined up evenly and are symmetrical. 

Fold the cuffs over towards the toes around a third of the length of the sock and flatten the socks out with your hand as you do so.

This can be a little difficult to practice this step to ensure that the heel doesn’t protrude as you do so.

Then take the toes of the sock and fold the socks again around a third of the way toward the folded cuffs.

There needs to be a small amount of overlap between the cuffs and the toes.

Open up the cuffs elastic and tuck the toes in to help them stay in position.

Then straighten and flatten the socks again, and the end result should look like a flat, neat square perfect for storing away and saving space.

This method works with many different types of socks and works well for shallow drawers where space is tight.

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The Military Fold/Roll

One of the most simple and practical ways to fold socks, this method works for all kinds of socks and is a great space saver while being quick to use.

First take a pair of matching clean socks and lay them on a flat surface. Flatten them out with your hands and lay them on top of each other, flattening again.

Line them up so that they are perfectly symmetrical and are properly lined up.

Fold the top cuff  and tuck it down by about an inch allowing the other sock to fold also.

Roll the socks up from the toes as tight as possible and once you reach the top use your finger to take the outer cuff and pull this over the top of and around the rolled socks, tucking in any loose parts as you do so.

The end result should look like a tight little roll.

This isn’t as neat as other methods but is quick and simple and works well in a pinch.

The Cross Sock Fold

The cross sock fold is one of the neatest folds for socks and works particularly well for long sports socks or knee high socks.

The end result is a very neat and square folded sock that preserves the elastic of the socks and makes the socks easy to store and identify.

To start with, take a pair of clean matching socks and put them down on a flat surface. Straighten them and ensure they are flattened out.

Lay one sock on top of the other so that they make a cross, with the heel of the bottom sock facing up.

The top sock should pass over the bottom one around halfway.

From here hold the bottom sock by the toe area and fold it across the top sock.

The cross should look like a T shape if done correctly. Now tuck in the toe which is sticking out past the top sock beneath. 

Hold the cuff of the bottom sock and fold it so that the end crosses the top sock, and pull it as far as it will allow.

Tuck in the unfolded sock by bringing the toes across to make a square, then tuck anything which is sticking out.

Make the folded sock into a square and tuck in the loose cuffs that remain, flattening to finish.

This one requires a lot of practice and is particularly difficult, but is excellent for neatness and storage.