Jewelry Boxes - Tips for Organizing & Storing Your Jewelry

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A modern jewelry wardrobe can contain everything from precious gems to rhinestones and beads. Without some organization necklaces can get tangled and ruined, you may only be able to find one earring from a pair (and while the one dangly earring look may have been "in" during the 80's it's a little dated today!), and items may just plain get lost. Think how nice it would be to have all of your jewelry organized and at hand so you could just grab it, put it on and go without having to hunt around for it! This article provides tips on organizing all of your jewelry from bulky cuff bracelets all the way down to the most delicate earrings using jewelry boxes, jewelry trees, or other innovative homemade storage solutions. The first step in organizing your jewelry is to see what all you have.

Dig around your house and find all of your jewelry pieces. Try to place pairs of earrings together and group your jewelry into logical piles (ie. group your more valuable jewelry in one pile and your costume jewelry in another, or group together bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings into separate piles.)

Odds are that depending upon the size of your jewelry collection and the size of the different pieces you own you will not be able to fit all of your jewelry in a single jewelry box. However, a good first step in organizing your jewelry is to find a jewelry box that will fit most of your items. Once you have most pieces of jewelry taken care of it will be easier to find other jewelry boxes, jewelry trees or other storage solutions for the bulkier or more awkward pieces.

Jewelry boxes come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. When shopping for a jewelry box, it can be easy to get distracted by a pretty pattern decorating the box or the shape of a particular jewelry box. Patterns, colors and shapes are all important since you want to be sure to get a jewelry box you love, however, also be sure to take into consideration how much jewelry you can actually fit in the box, how easy it is to access your jewelry, whether there are separate compartments for different types of jewely and any other features that will make it easier to find the exact piece you are looking for when you are putting on your jewelry before rushing out the door. Remember that the easier it is to get your items into and out of the jewelry box the more likely you are to actually use it instead of just tossing your jewelry on the nightstand after a long day. You may also want to look for a jewelry box that can serve multiple purposes.

 For instance, the Powell 647-233 Antique Oak Wall Jewelry Storage Mirror shown at right acts not only as a great place to store your jewelry, but also as a mirror that can both prove useful and look nice hanging on your wall.

Any jewelry box you choose should be lined inside with a soft fabric since jewelry boxes are not only there to store your jewelry, but also to protect it from dirt, dust and humitity. The lining will help to keep your jewelry from tarnishing over time. Once you have found a jewelry box that fits the vast majority of your jewelry, you can start to look for solutions for the pieces that don't fit in it.

Consider hanging bangles and link bracelets from a velvet t-stand which will look pretty while still keeping your bracelets organized and easy to access. For larger, bulkier cuffs and other bracelets you can find a pretty container to stack or line them up in, depending if the container is deep or tall. Look for a storage container with a lid to protect them from dust and humidity.

Have a lot of jewelry that won't all fit in a little jewelry box? Consider turning one of your drawers into a "jewelry drawer". You can purchase a wide variety of drawer organizers and use them to create a custom storage solution for your jewelry. For instance, if you have a lot of watches, you can create a section of the drawer with deep compartments to hold the watches.

Most earrings can store well in divided, stackable containers. If possible, designate one segment of the the divided sections per pair so that you always keep pairs together and have both earrings close at hand. You can hang your more delicate earrings from a piece of lace ribbon stretched across your wall or attached to a stand. Just poke the earrings through the holes in the lace to create a simple yet beautiful storage solution.

Whatever jewelry box or container you choose to organize and store your jewelry, probably the most important consideration is if it is a system that makes sense to you and that is easy to use. After all, you most likely want to organize your jewelry so it is easier to find and so it stays safe, so if your storage system is too hard to use or doesn't make sense for your lifestyle and you don't use it that defeats the purpose.