Organize Your Life! Day 4: How to Organize Your Jewelry

Go beyond the jewelry box.

By Emily Goulet· 2/27/2014, 6:36 p.m.

Keep display-worthy pieces out by incorporating them into your decor.

Maybe it was the 72-hour stint of warm weather last week, but we here at Shoppist are ready for a little spring-cleaning. Each day this week, we’ll be compiling the best ways to organize your life. Trust us: Imagine how good it will feel to spring clean, before spring. Collective sigh of relief, everyone.

Organizing your jewelry, especially if you’ve got a lot of it, can be tough. And jewelry boxes don’t always cut it: Chunky bangles don’t fit, necklaces get tangled and earring backs get lost. Enter: Legions of crafty folks who’ve come up with all manner of ways to store their gems. Some of the ideas are great—I’ve rounded up my picks below, and shared how I store some of my favorite pieces—and some, well, aren’t. (See: hanging earrings on old shutters.) Keep reading for some inspiration and tips on how to organize your baubles in ways that would make even jewelry stores jealous.

7 Ways to Store Your Jewelry

Rethink Household Items.

Ice cube trays are the perfect size for smaller baubles like rings and earrings, and they're shallow enough to fit in drawers, either stacked or side-by-side.

Keep Earrings in Painter's Palettes.

The tinier the jewelry, the more likely it is to get lost. Keep small earrings in ceramic watercolor palettes, which you can score at art stores in town. Photo via Martha Stewart.

Display Jewelry in Teacups.

Either keep the cups out on top of a bureau or vanity or tuck them inside of a drawer. Way prettier than a clunky jewelry box, if you ask me. Photo via Paige Smith Designs.

Get Crafty With Nature.

This is a very Free People-esque idea: Hammer in hooks to a sturdy branch, cut some rope and hang away. Follow this DIY post for specific instructions. Photo via Leaf.

Stack Bangles on Candlesticks.

Chunky bangles can take up a lot of room. Stack 'em vertically on cool candlesticks (new ones are fine, but you can also find cheap, awesome ones at flea markets, thrift shops and antique stores). Photo via Bromeliad Living.

Incorporate Objets d'Art.

Keep your favorite, most frequently worn pieces out—but do so in creative ways. A gorgeous object d'art—like a horn, bowl or gorgeous ashtray—keeps your displays as luxe-looking as your jewelry collection.