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A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Organize Jewelry

A variety of male wrist watches.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If your watches and watch bands are a jumble or your necklaces are tangled together, this is the project for you. When you can never find what you are looking for or everything is a tangled mess, this adds even more stress to your already busy day. Whether you have a bunch of family heirlooms, trendy costume pieces or invest in the finest jewelry, keeping all your jewelry organized will be the perfect solution.

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Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30 minutes

Organizing your jewelry will make it easier to visualize your entire collection and ensure that you are wearing every piece, not just the pieces that are easily found. Keeping things organized will also help you protect the jewelry from getting lost, and maintain routine cleanings to ensure that jewelry is looking its finest.

There are many ways to organize jewelry that can be stylish and functional. Keep reading to find foolproof ways to organize your favorite jewelry.

A variety of male wrist watches.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 1: Take Inventory

First, gather all your jewelry in one place to separate it into piles. Some ideas for categorizing are to organize jewelry by type and occasion. For example, jewelry for everyday wear and then jewelry for nights out or specific work functions. For specialty jewelry, we recommend storing in cloth bags. You might also want to include a pile of jewelry to donate if you find things you no longer wear. As you categorize, inspect each piece for damage and wear and set aside items that need to be polished and repaired.

Step 2: Clean and Repair

Silver and pearl jewelry tend to look dull after months of wear. This is an opportunity to polish and clean your jewelry to be fresh and ready to wear. Take the time to polish gold and tarnished silver pieces, especially rings. Take any broken bracelet clasps or necklace chains to a local jewelry shop to be repaired.

There are many methods you can use at home to remove obvious dirt and grime and restore your jewelry's shine. Although when it comes to polishing or specialty items, we recommend taking them to a professional cleaner. To clean jewelry yourself, you can use a soap and water solution with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Fill a bowl with filtered warm water and two squirts of a mild dishwashing liquid. Let your jewelry soak in the bowl for 15 minutes and then use the toothbrush to gently remove the dirt and grime. Then dry your jewelry with a very soft cloth.

Step 3: Organize - Countertop

Suppose you're storing your jewelry on the countertop. In that case, you'll want to use your vertical space by using stackable jewelry boxes or organizers. These come in various materials, including glass and acrylic, and you can also DIY. Look for jewelry organizers with divided compartments to keep necklaces and bracelets separate. We advise putting jewelry you wear most often in the top drawer for vertical containers. This is an excellent way to keep pieces you wear daily accessible.

Another fun way to organize jewelry is to keep a little dish on your entry table or bathroom counter. Significant perks of using a dish are that it's super easy to toss jewelry in and still look intentionally organized. This can be a great way to store rings and consider it just a catchall dish. You'll never panic over a misplaced ring again!

Step 4: Organize - Drawer

You can turn any drawer into a jewelry drawer by simply putting pieces of jewelry in it. It truly is that simple! If you decide to store your jewelry in drawers, the best option is to use expandable trays and organizers. This can be sized to fit your drawer and can be a great way to keep everything separate and tangle-free. It might involve a bit of trial and error to find the right size so we encourage you to find a few to try and take home. Another thing we encourage is to find organizers with a velvet lining so everything stays where you planned it and remains super clean. It can also be beneficial to use organizers that are stackable so you can make the most of the drawer space.

Step 5: Organize - Wall

Hanging organizers can be a great option to organize jewelry in small spaces, especially for necklaces. You can keep a hanging jewelry organizer on a door or even hang it from your closet rod. One of our particular favorite ways is to have a bulletin board with push pins to hang jewelry on. In addition, hanging your jewelry can be a form of artwork with decorated hooks and knobs. Another crowd favorite, is to use an entry wall decor with hooks to hang your favorite jewelry on by the front door. This way you never leave home without your favorite pieces.

We hope you found this helpful and managed to clean up your jewelry. It's so much easier getting ready in the morning when everything is neat and easily accessible. No one needs this extra stress at the start of their day! Have fun and come up with an organizational system that works for you. Happy organizing and you may even find that this leads to more organizing in your life , such as by using a daily planner.

Erica Breen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Erica Breen is an international Pilates & Yoga instructor, Functional Nutrition Coach, and Freelance Writer. Her work and…
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