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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The Art of Storing Jewelry

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I love costume jewelry. Pretty necklaces, glamorous earrings, fun bracelets… you name it and I’ve got it. A ton of it. My problem is storing it all. I went a little nuts with Stella and Dot’s new Spring line and now that my shipment has arrived, I have been thinking about where I am going to put it all. I have a large jewelry box on my bathroom counter, a smaller one on the shelf in my bathroom, and several organizers in my linen closet. Generally speaking, I am a very neat and fairly organized person, but I know that many of you are bound to be far more organized than I am! How do you store your jewelry?
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I would love to find a small, vintage dresser in which to store and organize my jewelry. Perhaps I would then be able to consolidate it all!
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I am open to any ideas you might have. I am sure many of you have clever solutions for jewelry storage, so please share!
 
And while we are on the topic of jewelry, be sure to enter my latest giveaway if you haven’t already. It ends tomorrow at midnight CST!

Image Credits: # 1 and #2 via Domino, #3 via This is Glamorous

39 comments:

Sara Baldwin said...

WOW. You are completely psychic, because just this morning I thought to myself--"How in the world can I store my jewelry so that it's not all tangled up in the bottom drawer of my vanity? There's got to be a better way!" I will be reading all the comments posted, believe me. Thanks a TON!

Paula Grace Designs said...

This is a fantastic question. I'd like an answer myself. I have a large, free standing jewlrey cabinet but I need something more practical for my daughter.

This is an incredible post for me because it speaks to a new party I am hosting on Tuesdays. What could be more classic than storage issues.

Beginning Feb 2nd, I am hosting a party every Tuesday on all timeless classis things ~ interior design, fashion, special occassions and entertaining, art, ..... See how this post fits right in?!!

Your blog is one of my classics now so I hope you and your readers join the party.

Here is a link to let you know more about it ~ http://paulagracedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/01/timeless-tuesday.html

Looking forward to seeing you and your readers there!

Paula Grace ~

Null said...

I used to hang my jewelry on a mini dress form that I found at a flea market. But, I just came across these rustic tin candelabras that may be nice to drape necklaces from when not used to light up a dinner soiree?

Jami - XOimagine said...

I know. I've been accumulating more and more jewelry and I don't know where to put it all! I'd love to have Rachel Zoe's jewelry closet...

Anonymous said...

I bought some cute glass knobs from Anthropologie and hung them, and I drape my necklaces over them! Keeps them from getting tangled, and also a great way to show them off! :)

Christine said...

I recently purchased an old flat file cabinet from a garage sale that was used to store blueprints, and lined the drawers with felt. It works wonderfully because the drawers are narrow enough to fit one layer of jewelry (no digging necessary) and you can group jewelry into different categories. It is not the most glamorous piece of furniture, but I was lucky enough to fit it in the back of my walk-in-closet.

TERI REES WANG said...

I hang my favorites from the curtain rod, the lamp shade, the knobs on the book cases, dressers and wardrobe.

La Maison Fou said...

The tray storage thing is genius, my sis picked up a couple at Pottery Barn recently for me & her. They are in a drawer and are a wonderful addition with all the compartments for earings, rings, bracelets, necklaces.
Thanks for sharing,
Leslie

Sarah Ring said...

Honestly my costume jewelry is in all jumbled in a linen covered box from the container store in my closet. It's bad - I need help! At least I keep my precious things in an organized box I suppose...

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

I'm embarrassed to admit that I just have it lying in stacks upon the chest of drawers! Sad! Love your idea about a vintage chest!

I ♥ You said...

ooh, i would love to know good storage solutions for this too! i love the photos domino used to have of compotes and teacup and such with little items in them - but a girl only has so much dresser top real estate to devote to such things. if there is a good solution out there please share!

ashlina {the decorista} said...

oh i absolutely LOVE using cork boards to hang all of my jewelry...
when i lived in Houston I would go to Harwin and shop the jewelry stores around there.
they have TONS of amazing jewelry display pieces...including black velvet bracelet, earring and necklace holders that go so well for any girls jewel collection....

Carrie said...

I am lucky to have a little built in dresser in my closet, in the top 2 drawers I have put drawers dividers/compartments in, and also have purchased some of the jewelry trays from Bed Bath & Beyond. For my long necklaces I had my husband screw in some tea cup hooks right above the dresser, this way I can have them all displayed right in front of me. It is about time to have more hooks installed!

thelovelist said...

I love this post. I buy fun hooks from places like Anthropologie, flea markets, what have you that I've collected along the way and hang my necklaces on them on the back wall of my closet. Then I have a large ring box that I got from a department store when I worked in the visual department doing displays and such, it was their trash but definitely my treasure as I use it to store rings, post earrings, and anything else tiny and delicate. Sitting inside of that I have a little bracelet post to stack bracelets on, though I don't need much storage for bracelets... I really only wear the same two every day, along with my watch!

Aneyefordetail said...

I am JUST putting together a post titled "Does Jewelry Grow on Trees", showing different ways of storing, hanging and sorting jewelry!!! I probably won't have it together until next week, but check back! You will see some great ideas!!!

dcgirl said...

I too have a jewelry sickness. Most of it vintage or picked up on travels. I have used most of the ideas above and it is still overflowing.

My necklaces are stored in three main places: an over the door rack with 6 hooks for the chunkier pieces. I have one of those wooden people with bendable arms and legs with chains traped over the neck and I have an smallish candlelabra for more delicate pieces.

I have an old Bentley Tea chest with divided compartments for big bracelets and pins. I have a plastic divided craft box for earrings that goes in my drawer. For rings I put them on the arms of my wooden figure and on a glass ring holder. In addition, I have several pedestal soap holders for random pieces that overflow. All of this is on top of my chest on chest.

And, I have a large cut-glass bowl in my bathroom for dropping things in as I take them off.

I am in total lust over the domino chest and I think it would solve my problems. I always worry the hanging necklaces will fall and break - the silk threads in the vintage pieces break down over time. Sorry this was so long!

TheIconicBlog.com said...

Hi Paloma,

I had your exact same problem. I used to try and artfully display all my jewelry on my vanity but as my collection grew it became more and more difficult.

My solution is to designate a drawer to my collection using these:

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/accessoryStorage/jewelry?productId=10021573

and these:

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/accessoryStorage/jewelry?productId=10021574

I used the smaller slots for all my earrings and the larger rectangular or square trays for my statement necklaces and cuffs. All of the pieces can be made to fit together side by side so you end up with this custom fitted drawer organizer. Plus all of the colors of the jewelry looks so great against the matte black. I feel like I'm shopping out of a boutique display case every morning.

Hope this helps!

Melanie xxx

Stephanie said...

My friend made great jewelry boards for herself. She used homasote, available at hardware stores, but you could also use corkboard or that porous ceiling tile. Cut to desired size, cover in fabric (simple burlap or linen looks nice and sets jewelry off) and hang on the wall. She bought long, decorative push pins to hang necklaces, bracelets, and dangly earrings from. Same idea as this: http://bit.ly/b9Td8m (actually, there are lots of great ideas in that picture!).

Jaime @ laviejaime said...

Right now mine are in various areas- jewelry boxes, in a drawer in individual boxes, rings on a ring stand, necklaces hanging on a necklace piece from The Container Store... It's alll over the place! I need to sort and toss some old stuff and reorganize at some point! Probably the next time I move, because that type of stuff happens then, right? haha ;)

Candi said...

My mom went to the Alameda antique fair near SF and found me a vintage bamboo rack that I have hung on my wall. It's perfect for my necklaces, and bracelets!

Lynett said...

When in doubt, head to the container store!

These are fab:
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/accessoryStorage/jewelry?productId=10025750

And this is where I keep all my rings, earring and bracelets!
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/accessoryStorage/jewelry?productId=10014111

Susie @ Maddie G Designs said...

Ok, so this goes in the practical, not pretty category. But, when we looked at our house before we bought it....the homeowner was super organized. She had her earrings arranged in ice cube trays. I thought it was a good idea. I've got a jewelry box and it is a disaster, so I will keep an eye on solutions offered here.

I love your blog. Would love for you to check mine out...it's brand new.

Southern Aspirations said...

Fabulous post and love all the suggestions! I have several of the jewelry stands from The Container store. They now have prettier versions out there and I'm tempted to trade up! It's easy and convenient- if I had to put it away in a drawer, I'm sad to say I might not put it away.

Sarah-Rose said...

Oo. I just organised all of my jewellery after a move. I used hooks on the wall (little 3M removable ones), two jewellery boxes, and a coffee cup rack that I picked up for $3.
I posted photos here: http://sarah-craig.blogspot.com/2010/01/peek-inside-my-bedroom.html

Marci Ginsberg said...

I keep my earrings and rings in a ceramic egg carton holder from Antropologie:)

Jamie said...

I recently found some fun, colorful plates and platters at Target on clearance. I bought the matching bowls, which I turned upside down to hold the plates to create stands which I'm using to display my jewelry. Fun and cheap.

Emily A. Clark said...

You would laugh/cry if you saw my sad jewelry drawer right now. A huge, jumbled mess.

I recently clipped a picture where they had used the end of an antique rake and hung their necklaces on the "teeth." Sounds weird but it was actually pretty cute.

CaRoLiNe said...

Two cork boards from Target saved my life!! Photo here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cr77/4310261207/in/set-72157594458018167/

=)

the adventures of a modern housewife said...

I pick up different pieces as I come across them - right now I have a stand up box that my husband bought me years ago and a Vera Bradley 'choo choo' box and I also have two different wire stand up/ tree types - one with multiple holes for earrings and one with hooks for bracelets - I make jewelry so I am always looking for interesting and unique displays

Haven and Home said...

I still have not figured out how to store my jewelry. This inspires me to give it another go!

The Statens said...

It's not so chic, but it's cheap and hidden away in the closet. Tons of small hooks that screw into the wall are perfect for hanging tons of long necklaces. For smaller pieces I love using office supply trays, the ones that normally go in desks, the different sizes work nicely for different pieces. For jewlery that I wear everyday, I have a couple of capiz shell bowls that sit out and are easy to throw things into. Having this organization saves me so much time when getting ready! No more untangling necklaces or trying to find the match to earrings.

Mary said...

Hey Paloma (and other ladies seeking a way to store their jewels),

I've got a great little find from Ikea of all places; it's probably not as vintage as you'd prefer, but it absolutely does the job of keeping my jewelry contained and organized. It's a great 6-drawer chest that's easily broken up with miniature boxes to separate/organize the drawer space.

I've got the black-brown version and love it. There are probably others out there with the same type of functionality but the look and feel that you're seeking. Just wanted to share what works for me. :)

Saludos,
Mary

Katie @ Noodle and Boof said...

Well... I'll admit I have a TON of jewelry. I can't seem to purge any of it. I have a lot in plastic craft boxes and then some in pretty bowls atop my desk/vanity.

lauren said...

For my necklaces. . . they are hanging on a bullitin board I covered with black linen and hung on a wall in my closet. Just stick in pretty pins (or just silver sewing pins) and hang.

For my dangly earrings. . . almost same concept. My sister in law came up with this one. She took the glass out of an 8x10 pitcture frame, covered the back with satin, then covered the satin with fishnet (cut up a pair of tights). The earrings hook right onto the fishnet. So basically instead of a picture in the frame, you have fishnet covered fabric. Everything is in sight and fabulously displayed. The frame sits on a shelf by the full length mirror in my closet.

Leslie said...

AWESOME--take a look (even if it is just to see the fab website!)

http://thebijouxbox.com/

Cheers!

Sue Rutherford said...

Like many of you I had masses of costume jewellery with many pieces gathering dust and forgotten.
The problem became a business opportunity and in November 2009 we launched Swag-bag. Designed to hang over a door, Swag-bag stores and organises all your jewellery beautifully and allows easy accessorising with clothes.

Swag-bag also enables easy storage for hair accessories and the Spotty Dotty version was specifically aimed at the 'younger market.'

Swag-bag is currently for sale online at www.swag-bag.co.uk. Hope this is of interest to you.

fashion jewelry said...

Great post- well written, and fantastic examples and images. I love the look!

gemstone jewelry said...

gorgeous images .. thank you .

loose cubic zirconia said...

this is really a good post from you ... i really enjoyed it