Closet Jewelry Organizer Ideas

Ah, bling. Icing. Bedazzle. No matter what you call it, jewelry has been a staple in the fashion world for centuries! The problem is, most people don't know how to organize it properly in their custom closets. 

Here are some effortless ideas for organizing your jewelry and untangling the mess! 

• Organize Your Collection: Throw out or donate any unwanted jewelry. Set aside pieces that need repair. Untangle and clean your jewelry. Make sure there is absolutely no moisture left on any of the pieces! 
• Separate the jewelry according to type and material: i.e., Rings with rings, long necklaces with long necklaces, high-quality pieces separated from costume jewelry, silver with silver, gold with gold, etc...
• Identify a morning “prep space” inside your closet: You want everything in a centralized area.
• Decide if your collection should be hidden or on display. Is security or style more important to you?
• Choose containers or DIY storage accessories for each group of jewelry. Airtight containers are best for most types of jewelry, but you can use whatever works best for you. 

Ready to make choosing your daily bling the easiest part of your morning? Here's how to do it! 

You've already done the hard part—gathering up all your jewelry. You want to make everything wear-ready, so clean your collection as you sort through it. You should finish with three piles: what to keep, what you plan to repair, and what you want to toss out or donate.

Tip: Instead of throwing out old jewelry, keep it for DIY crafts.

Keep your fine jewelry away from your costume jewelry, even if you have very expensive costume pieces. The pros at Life Storage explain that different metals can interact to cause "tarnishing" and deterioration. The same is true of your gold, silver, and bronze pieces; keep them all separate. Group the pieces by type (rings with rings, etc.). 

Since it’s likely the first place you go in the morning, your closet can (and should) serve as a launchpad for the rest of your day. See what space is available on the walls, counters, and drawers. It’s the perfect environment for jewelry because it’s already cool, dry, and dark. Think of it as your collection’s natural habitat. 

 There’s no right or wrong way, just know that your collection has a better chance at withstanding tarnishing when stored in a dark, cool, dry area with little or no humidity. Anything on display is exposed to humidity, dust, and oils. As a result, those pieces will need to be cleaned twice as often to prevent tarnishing.

Choose any container with compartments or dividers to keep your jewelry from touching. Shallow jewelry drawers are a sleek solution to limiting damaging elements like sun, humidity, and dust that turn your best pieces from treasure to trash. It's also a discreet solution if you want to protect your collection from home thefts. 

According to Better Homes & Gardens, you can save time and money with those thrift store finds you’re not quite sure what to do with. Use them as snazzy solutions to display your collection and promote your creativity.

• Old paper towel spool laying around the house? Make an instant bangle stand by wrapping it in cute contact paper. 
• Repurpose an old picture frame to hang as a necklace holder.
• Make a jewelry pegboard out of wine corks. 
• Simple hooks are beautiful when arranged in a staggered pattern on a closet wall.
• Remember your broken pieces destined for the trash? Get out the hot glue and see what you can do! 

Tip: Cork and wooden containers are safe for all types of jewelry.

You can use whatever you want to separate your collection, just remember that metal containers of any kind should always be lined with felt to absorb moisture and protect against rust. Be sure you line the entire box, not just the base of it. Pearls and gemstones should never be stored in plastic containers as the chemicals in the plastics cause them to break down. 

Overall, jewelry organization really isn't a super difficult task. Once you’ve gathered your jewelry, clean and separate your collection by the types of metal and the quality of the pieces. Pick out a prep space in your closet and decide if it's better to hide or display your collection. Then, decide on containers for your pieces. You can buy airtight containers, but DIYs will work too if you clean and protect your jewelry as needed. Now, you’re all set to grab, bling, and go!