Is there a ‘right’ way to fold a towel?

Naturally, Matty’s remarks led to a conversation within the Home Beautiful team on the best way to fold a towel. While I confessed to being on Team Tri-Fold, others were folding them in squares, or even rolling their towels. What emerged was that people tend to have a strong preference for their chosen towel-folding method — and they tend to stick to it.

While we wouldn’t go so far as to say there is a ‘right’ way to fold a towel, we did parse the easiest and the neatest ways to get the job done, with some help from our friends at Sheridan and Mondrian Gold Coast.

Whether you’re looking to try a new folding method, or simply want to affirm your choice, we’ve selected three popular ways to fold a towel, with instructions on how to do it yourself.

Best for: Stacking and efficiency

Folding your towels into a square is popular for those with a lot of towels. The square fold is the flattest, and is the best method for stacking towels if you don’t have much vertical space. Many would argue it’s also the easiest and time-efficient! The downside is that it can look less neat than other methods on this list.

The truth is, there are multiple ways to fold your towel into a square, and the neater you want your edges, the more complicated it becomes. However, if you’re looking for the quickest and easiest, follow our instructions.

How to fold your towel into a square (step-by-step):

1. Lay your towel flat and fold it in half lengthways, matching corner to corner.
2. Fold it in half again across the mid-section.
3. Fold it in half again, and you should have a square!

Best for: Neatness

The tri-fold towel was the preferred towel-folding method among the Home Beautiful team. Its proponents concluded it was the neatest way to fold towels, and also helped save space if your linen closet isn’t particularly wide. With most edges folded, this is a nice treatment for those wanting a luxe-looking treatment for their favourite towels.

How to fold your towel into a rectangle (step-by-step):

1. Lay your towel flat on a surface and then fold it in half lengthways, ensuring the corners meet.
2. Fold your towel in half again at the mid-section so that end meets end.
3. Working from the top end of the towel, take the top third and fold it in towards the middle.
4. Fold that third over itself again, so the fold aligns with the bottom edge.

Et voila! You should have a rectangle-shaped, folded towel.

Best for: Aesthetics

For a luxury look, you may want to start rolling your towels. “If you’re looking to create a true spa feeling at home, rolling your towel gives you a neat, put-together look,” explains Sheridan Head Designer, Romaine Sutton. “It also allows you to make efficient use of bench or storage space, which is always a bonus.”

Rolled towels can be easy stacked in a stable triangle formation, creating a statement on any open shelving. Rolling is also the best way to avoid harsh crease lines, if this is something that bothers you. However, ultimately, many towel rollers just like the way it looks.

The downside of a rolled towel will become apparent to those with particularly large towels, like bath sheets. While rolling can still look nice, it becomes less compact with larger towels.

While the simple technique rolling your towel may seem fairly self-evident, Romaine let us in on the secret to how Sheridan rolls their towels.

How to do a Spa Roll, a step-by-step guide:

1. Lay your towel flat and fold the top edge down diagonally to form a triangle point — this will become the featured header finish on the outside of your roll.
2. Take the shorter folded edge and bring it across to meet the longer side, so the triangle tucks neatly underneath.
3. Flip the whole towel over, then starting from the opposite end, roll it firmly and evenly toward the folded edge.
4. Once you reach the end, tuck the remaining tip into the roll to secure it.
5. Stand upright or display on its side — the header wraps the outside of the roll as a neat finishing detail.

At the luxury hotel Mondrian Gold Coast bath towels are folded using a classic four-fold technique, which creates an attractive, folded outer edge. “The four-fold creates a thick, plush-looking rectangle with a smooth folded edge facing outward. Stacked on open shelving, every towel sits flush and uniform,” explains the Director of Rooms at the Mondrian Gold Coast, Sam Anand. “At Mondrian, towels form part of the room’s visual styling, so consistency and presentation are just as important as practicality.”

How to fold your towel like a hotel, a step-by-step guide:

1. Lay the bath towel flat on a clean surface and smooth out any wrinkles.
2. Fold one long edge into the centre of the towel.
3. Fold the opposite long edge over to meet it, creating one long, narrow panel with all hems and tags tucked inside.
4. Smooth the towel again to ensure it is flat and evenly aligned.
5. Fold the top end down and the bottom end up so they meet in the middle.
6. Fold the towel in half at the centre, closing it like a book.
7. Position the towel with the smooth folded edge facing outward for a clean, polished presentation.