How To Store Your Jewellery

If you’re an accessories lover, like me, you’ll notice that there is a huge gap in the market for jewellery storage that doesn’t take up crazy amounts of room.

If you go shopping for jewellery storage or you look up how to store your jewellery online, the majority of the options only cater for those with a few accessories. But what about us addicts? We’d have a whole field of those little metal jewellery trees lined up if we used those, so what can we do? Never fear, I’ve arrived with some fantastic jewellery storage ideas that will get you in the mood to organise.

How I Store My Jewellery

These next two solutions are going to do one or possibly both of the following: A: Turn your accessories stash into an organised haven or B: Entice you to buy more accessories now that you have the room for them. And I apologise to your bank account in advance.

The Ziplock Bag:

Ziplock bags should be just as coveted as a Birkin Bag because they save so much space and protect your jewellery from scratches and getting tangled up. Let me tell you how I came across this fantastic jewellery storage miracle.

When I was about 15 I worked at an accessories store that’s walls were stocked with glitzy costume jewellery, had a beautiful white store layout with lot’s of mirrors – you get the gist. As a 15-year-old it felt luxurious. As my time working there got on, I accumulated about one hundred thousand pieces of costume jewellery, okay, I’m being slightly dramatic, but I really did have a lot.

We had to wear five items of jewellery each shift and none of it could be reduced sale stock. As you can imagine, I had a lot. No one would want to line up behind me in airport security if they were in a rush, but if you lost me in a shopping centre, hey! at least you could hear me jingling from a mile away! I have since learned that accessories layering at airports isn’t the best option and that scarves are far more time savvy.

I went into work one day, not thrilled that my accessories tree from home had tipped over and I thought, who better to ask about accessories storage than my manager who had worked at that store for years who I knew had so much more jewellery than I did. She pointed me towards the stock drawers of the store and said she stores her jewellery just like we store it at work – in Ziplock bags. This was a revelation to me, even though I had to pack these bags every shift, it never dawned on me.

It’s the most cost-effective accessories storage option and if you have lots, like I did, rather than buying the bags from the supermarket – visit a bulk packaging centre and get them for less. Think of the size of your jewellery when you get the bags to make sure you buy a pack of A4 ziplock bags too.

Categorise

Sort your jewellery out into categories, big necklaces, finer necklaces, chunky bangles, thin bangles, etc, and put each item in its own zip lock bag. Then, if you have lots of accessories, store each category in their own A4 zip lock bag. If you don’t have heaps, store the chunkier, bigger accessories down the bottom and the lighter ones up top. Then all you need to do is label the bag and put it in a box. I used to store mine under my bed but depending on the size of your wardrobe you can store it in there too.

Jewellery Storage Ideas – For The Super Organised, Tupperware Party Throwing Type People

So I used to store my accessories in zip lock bags until my Styling career really picked up and I had to start transporting my accessories kit everywhere. I’ve since discovered the beauty of tackle boxes.

Tackle Boxes

Every single time I look at my accessories now, I think of those people that like to containerize everything. I’m a bit anal when it comes to organisation, my wardrobe is a testament to that. So, as you can imagine, I’m one of those people that love to containerize everything and if there is a Tupperware party happening, you better add me to the attendee’s list.

As you probably predicted, my love for organising just about everything actually spouted this idea in the first place, I used to use them to store small cookie cutters and food dyes in. Then one day, after losing the clear backs of another pair of earrings, it dawned on me. I had a lightbulb moment. These little rectangular storage holes shouldn’t be outlawed like their associated fishing attire, they should be hugged and celebrated because they save our wardrobes so much space and in turn, help us get ready faster!

I store my earrings in one and my rings in the other and I have bigger tackle boxes for bracelets and necklaces and the best thing about them is that I didn’t have to set foot inside a fishing or camping store to get them, Kmart did the trick and I picked them up for $7 each. (Mantra: More money for savings and more savings for shoes.)

The only thing you don’t want to do is store these boxes in direct sunlight or your coloured jewellery might fade, but apart from that, fill the boxes up, stack them in your drawers or wardrobe and enjoy the extra space you now have in your wardrobe! Plus the added bonus is that you can see everything easily!

IMAGE: FENNA AT BELLA MODEL MANAGEMENT | STYLIST: ALARNA HOPE | PHOTOGRAPHER: JAN-ERIK LUZURIAGA

Take a Trip to Ikea

I love Ikea, I’m probably there once a month as I live near one and love looking in organised cupboards. I’ve had a few ah-ha moments in there and it’s an inexpensive alternative to specialised jewellery storage products.

I personally love:

Paper Towel Holders or Toilet Roll Stands

These are fantastic for stacking bangles on and are so cheap. You can get them in a range of colours and materials and they can fit into those otherwise useless corners of wardrobes and cabinets!

Lazy Susans / Rotating Plates

So, once you’ve gone totally bangle stacking nuts, why not make them even more accessible? Put them on a lazy susan and you’ll be able to turn the display to get to whatever bangles you need!

Ikea Mirror Hack

You could definitely buy one of those mirrored stands designed to stores jewellery in them, but they’re not going to perfectly fit your collection of jewellery. Why not get yourself an Ikea mirror, build a box behind it with shelving and hooks and mount it to the wall – add two or three sets of hinges to attach the mirror and no one will know where you store your prized possessions and they’ll stop getting tangled in your drawers!

If You Have the Room Get a Set of Drawers

If you are lucky enough to have space for a dresser that fits all of your accessories – then I envy you. You can buy a set of drawers with a clear top (Ikea also sells these), put a few shelves on sliding tracks and line them with velvet or suede for a lux non-slip finish.

Before You Organise

As always, before you organise your accessories, you need to do a cull so you don’t have too much storage and not enough jewellery or vice versa. While you’re in the culling mood – get yourself over to my other post about organising your wardrobe for spring and give it a good clean out.