Thursday, July 9, 2009

Into the Fold


I love order and organization. (At the moment, there is not much evidence in our home that could possibly prove this to you so you will have to take my word for it.) You may know of my somewhat challenging laundry situation. I fold a small island of shirts every week. In order to keep the stacks from toppling and merging into one big cotton pile of I-just-wasted-40-minutes, I use the Japanese t-shirt folding technique.

This thing has been around on YouTube for years and is still my secret laundry boyfriend. Or as my kid would say, “I just love it, love it, love it all the time.” I enjoy the classic Japanese video but you can also find the video instructions in English.

Apparently there are some Gap retail alumni who are still obsessed with the Gap fold, which utilizes a plastic folding board as its centerpiece. The sleek Japanese fold offers similar results but requires no equipment.

ご幸運を祈ります。

(The Japanese phrase above translates to “Good Luck.” Or possibly, “I cut and paste information I find on the internet without a real vetting process.”)

8 comments:

  1. This is too cute! I have a modified Gap/Japanese folding technique from years in retail. Glad you shared this. :)

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  2. I crave order. I do. If I started on the shirts, I'd get frustrated with how easily they are unfolded by children.

    Will you come to my house and organize it?

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  3. I'm a pretty good t-shirt folder, but I will have to try this just because it looks so cool!

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  4. i can't even plant my farm correctly on farmtown.i'll never be able to master this

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  5. WOW! That was impressive. I had to replay that 3 times, and I still don't know if I can do it :)

    I used to work at the Gap, but this looks WAY faster!

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  6. Oh how I neeeeeeed this in my life. I think I'm going to go practice now.

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  7. brilliant. thanks. you have transformed two more people today. husband and i are watching video in awe. we share laundry duties in this house--i think mostly because we don't agree on the other's folding techniques. like, man, he does not know how to fold a towel. well, now he does after i told him--but that's also one fight chit i spent on the question of laundry when i could have been fighting with him about umlaut usage in "the new yorker"...

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  8. i hate folding. i hate ironing. basically, because i'm bad at it and i want short cuts. now i found it. i would pay 3 easy payments of $9.99 for this. but hey i don't have to! now i just need to learn japanese. actually, just like "it's your movie" said above - i want to go practice now!!! thanks lisa!

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