Working as a Stylist for Stella & Dot, I’ve learned that jewelry can elevate the simplest outfit from ordinary to extraordinary. For example, pair jeans, a white t-shirt and summer espadrilles with a colorful statement necklace, some bangles and a pair of small hoops and suddenly your simple outfit just landed on the pages of Vogue. Or, that LBD hanging in your closet? Take it from a business meeting to cocktails with your girlfriends by adding a fabulous bracelet and a pair of chandelier earrings. So many professional stylists know this and use it to their advantage. Jewelry is just the easiest and quickest way to update your wardrobe.
I have been storing a majority of my jewelry in the top two drawers of my dresser and it was becoming a tangled, disorganized mess…
Not proud to show this, but this is what my necklace drawer looked like!
Earrings and bracelets were not much better…
It was clearly time to get to work on organizing this mess, but I wanted to do it a way that gave me the option to display a small portion of my collection, like the pieces that I’m currently wearing a lot (summer turquoise). Here were my goals for this mini-project:
1) Go through my collection and decide what to keep and what to give away.
2) Obtain some hooks to display my frequently-used necklaces.
3) Create some options for displaying and storing jewelry on top of my dresser (the pieces I wear a lot).
4) Organize my overall collection and come up with a way to store necklaces in my drawer that won’t leave them all tangled.
The most time-consuming part of this organization project was going through my collection and deciding what to keep. I used the Marie Kondo litmus test, and with each piece asked myself, “Does it bring me joy?” If it didn’t, I put it in the “Give Away” pile. That was very freeing. It turns out I don’t like watches and I gave away nearly every one. I also realized my style preferences have evolved and what I like has changed. Accepting this allowed me to give away the pieces I no longer enjoy wearing.
When I was left with only the items I love and use, I set upon organizing them. Here’s what I ended up with…
Necklaces in Drawer – organized using plastic trays with linen inserts from Nile Corp.
Much more pleasing to look at and easier to assess what’s there.
Earrings and bracelets…
I used the tray I previously owned, but worked to organize the collection and purged items that no longer brought me joy or use.
Finally, I mounted some hooks I found at TJ Maxx and created some display / organizing outlets on top of my dresser…
These hooks were inexpensive ($6.99) and exactly what I wanted for displaying / storing the necklaces I frequently use.
A ceramic egg tray makes for a perfect earring organizer! Bracelets, statement necklace and drop-earrings hang on linen organizers from Nile Corp.
The top of my dresser is now a great place to accessorize!
Organized, functional and pleasing to the eye. Mission, “Jewelry Organization” – DONE!
Moral of the story: instead of hiding your collection in a box, organizing and displaying it in creative ways allows you to quickly assess what you have and coordinate your outfits in moments. You can easily do what I did with a little creativity and some hunting around at places like Home Goods and TJ Maxx. For the linen trays, busts, and a slew of other options, check out online distributor Nile Corp. They are inexpensive and have just about anything you could dream of for jewelry display and organization. And, for more creative ideas, check out Bring Home Order on Pinterest. I’ve created an entire board for all of you called, “Jewelry Organization.” I’m not a DIY person, but I found several projects for those of you that are so inclined. I hope I’ve inspired you and given you some useful ideas!
Happy Organizing! ~Maria
Goldenrod Place Interiors 