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How to Organize Your Jewelry
It never fails, your running late and you just can't
find that second earring that you just must wear with
that outfit … or where is your mother's pendant. If
it were true that all that sparkles are diamonds,
our jam-packed jewelry boxes would be worth a fortune.
You may not own the crown jewels, but keeping your
jewelry tidy and organized means you will always be
able to pull out exactly what you want to wear with
that outfit of the day without the stress of searching
and untangling.
Here are a few organizational tricks for
our jewelry boxes.
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First step is to decide where
you will store your jewelry. A traditional
jewelry box on a dresser can adequately accommodate
smaller collections. Shallow dresser drawers
outfitted with trays and organizers manage
larger collections in style. So choose a location
that works for you, and then always keep all
your jewelry together. Buy the jewelry box
or organizers you will need. Then you are
ready to actually start organizing. |
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Always store similar items
together. If you keep your specialty items
in their original boxes, be sure to label
the outside of the box as this saves valuable
time rummaging through all the boxes to find
what you're looking for. |
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Protect valuable pieces of
jewelry and items with great sentimental worth
in an at-home safe or in a bank's safe-deposit
box. Take a picture of your valuable pieces
and consider getting an appraisal certificate.
Then check your insurance policy to make sure
you properly value and insure these items
in case of loss or fire. If it is really a
valuable piece, make sure you have a copy
of the appraisal and the photo stored away
from your home as double protection. |
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Storing silver pieces in felt
jewelry pouches to prevent tarnishing. This
trick will always keep the items ready to
wear. |
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Organize your jewelry into
two types - the things you are constantly
wearing should be in your main jewelry box.
Everything else should be in a secondary box
or location. This eliminates you having to
sort through everything all the time to find
those 5 favorite pieces you wear all the time.
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On a regular basis, such as
annually or summer and winter, scan your jewelry
with a critical eye. If you have any mismatched,
worn-out, or broken pieces, either get them
fixed or throw them out. Sort out those out-of-style
pieces and either give them away or put them
into your other jewelry box. (We all know
some fashions return so you or your daughter
might wear it again; especially it was a valuable
piece). And those never-worn pieces, take
them out of your main jewelry box as well.
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All jewelry tarnishes, except sterling. Occasionally wipe your jewelry with a soft jewelers cloth to remove tarnish. Always keep your valuables clean. Be sure to fix any keepers that get tarnished or into disrepair. |
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For those tiny earrings, you can create an attractive storage piece for pierced earrings by placing a cut-to-fit window screen or a piece of crossstitch fabric in an easel frame. Secure earrings through the material. |
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Want a great way to guarantee
never losing just one earring again?
- When storing hoops, lock them together
by placing an open hoop in a closed
hoop & secure the clasp.
- When storing studs or earrings with
backs, slide the post of one earring
into the small hole of the back of
the other & secure
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Using ziplock bags is a really
quick, economical way to keep your jewelry
looking great. You can buy very small sizes
to store your pieces in and the Ziploc bags
allow you to see what's inside. |
A Few Final Tips
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To prevent kinks from forming in link necklaces, run the chain through a straw and fasten the clasp. Then lay the straw flat in the jewelry drawer or box. |
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Keep jewelry away from chlorine and harsh chemicals, as this can erode the finish and polish of the gems. |
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Consider using a mug tree to hang your necklaces. Place the long necklaces in the top branches and bracelets in the lower branches. This is a great way to easily see and access all of your necklaces. |
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A cute way to hold some of your earrings is to get a fun wine glass or martini glass and hang your earrings on the outside. A rounded glass works better than a slanted one! |
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