How to Fold a Towel

Whether it's a small dish towel or a mammoth beach towel, the principles for folding it remain the same—think of it as the 'three-by-three' method.

Step 1: Lay towel lengthwise Lay the towel so it is lengthwise in front of you.
TIP: It can be faster to fold large towels holding them in front of you, folding them against your chest.
Step 2: Fold left edge Fold the left edge of the towel just past the center of the towel, lining up the top edges.
Step 3: Fold right edge Fold the right edge of the towel to the left side. You've created a long narrow rectangle one-third the width of the original.
Step 4: Fold top edge Fold the top edge of the long narrow rectangle down just past the halfway point at the center of the rectangle.
Step 5: Fold bottom edge Fold the bottom edge up to the top. From the side, the folded towel should have three layers resembling a G-shape.
TIP: If the towel is too thick to fold into thirds, simply fold it in half.
Step 6: Hang towel Either way, your towel is neatly folded and can be easily hung on a towel rack with its vertical folds intact.
FACT: Every May 25th, fans of the author Douglas Adams carry around towels to commemorate the author's strange obsession with them.