Sorting out Your Jewelry
Empty out your jewelry box. The best way to start organizing your jewelry box is to empty it completely. This will allow you to see everything you have and sort it out, so when you put it back into the box it will be organized. You may want to lay down a towel on your dresser or table before you empty out your jewelry box so that neither your jewelry nor dresser gets scratched.
Untangle your jewelry if it’s knotted together. Necklaces, bracelets, and long earrings can easily get tangled in a jewelry box. You may be able to separate them by hand, but if you’re having a hard time getting knots out of a chain, try dabbing a little baby oil onto the knot to help loosen it. You may need to slide a safety pin or needle into the center of the knot, especially if it’s a very thin chain.
Group similar items of jewelry together. Place all your necklaces in one area, then all of your bracelets in another, then your rings, and so on. How you sort your jewelry beyond that will depend on what makes the most sense to you. Some people prefer to sort their pieces by color, for instance, while others group their jewelry by the style or the type of metal.
Use a jewelry box organizer to keep pieces separated. You can purchase organizers for almost any size jewelry box online or at a craft store. Look for an organizer that will hold jewelry of different sizes. For instance, depending on the size of your jewelry box, the organizer should have longer different-sized slots, compartments, and even drawers.
Make your own organizer out of strips of cardboard if you're crafty. You can make your own partitions by cutting pieces of cardboard into the shapes you want. Cut strips of cardboard to fit your jewelry box, then cut notches into the cardboard where 2 pieces will intersect so they'll fit together securely. This will give you the freedom to customize your jewelry box based on the jewelry you have.
Pin your earrings to a piece of ribbon to keep them organized in the box. If you want to keep your earrings together but you don’t have a very big jewelry box, cut a small piece of heavy ribbon, such as grosgrain, then attach each pair of earrings to the ribbon. You can then place the ribbon in your jewelry box. This will help keep even the tiniest earrings from getting lost in the bottom of your jewelry box. If you don’t have ribbon on hand, you can use a small piece of fabric instead.
Place your rings on a round binder clip to keep them together in your jewelry box. If you have a lot of rings, placing them on a circular binder clip can help keep them from getting disorganized. Place the rings on the clip, then close it to keep them all secured. You can take one of the clips out of a 3-ring binder, or you can purchase binder rings individually from an office supply store.
Wrap your necklaces in tissue paper to keep them from getting tangled. Tissue paper is a great way to keep your necklaces separated, especially if you have a few delicate chains that you don’t wear often. Fold each necklace 1-2 times in the paper, then lay the tissue paper in your jewelry box. You can also use press-and-seal plastic wrap instead of tissue paper.
Straighten up your jewelry box at least once a month. Keep your jewelry from getting disorganized again by taking the time to tidy it up every few weeks. Replace anything that’s in the wrong spot and smooth out any chains which have gotten bunched up. In addition to keeping your jewelry organized, this will help keep you from forgetting about pieces you don’t wear often, and you’ll be more likely to rotate your jewelry.
Finding Other Storage Options
Keep pieces that you wear every day out in the open. Your jewelry box will be less likely to get dishevelled if you’re not rifling through it every day. If you have certain pieces of jewelry which you wear every day, try storing them by your bed, on top of your dresser, or near where you get dressed each day. Just because the jewelry is in plain sight doesn’t mean it has to be disorganized. Place a pretty tray, bowl, or dish wherever you take off your jewelry to keep things tidy.
Display a few of your favorite pieces on a tray. Some jewelry just deserves to be displayed. If you have a few pieces of jewelry you’re especially proud of, get a decorative stand to show it off. Jewelry trees come in a variety of options, including some that look like hands, trees, antlers, or geometric sculptures.
Hang long necklaces from a wall organizer. Since long necklaces have a tendency to tangle easily, it’s best to organize them by hanging them from pegs or hooks. Sort them by color and style, then hang them somewhere easily accessible, like the inside of your closet door or beside your mirror. You can hang your necklaces from hooks on a pegboard, thumbtacks pushed into a cork bulletin board, or adhesive hooks attached to your wall.
Unclutter your jewelry box by storing pieces you rarely wear. If you have some fun costume pieces that are impractical for most situations, or a few valuable pieces that you never wear, store them in a box in your closet or a tray in a dresser drawer to free up space in your jewelry box. Place chunky bracelets and necklaces in the pockets of a hanging shoe organizer to keep them separated. If you have jewelry with precious stones, you should consider investing in a small safe to keep it from get damaged or stolen.
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