If you have a large collection of jewellery items, or even just a select few treasured pieces, finding the best ways to store them, both for your needs and theirs, is crucial. You don’t want to lose your jewellery amongst a clutter of other things, and you want to make sure it is kept looking its best for whenever you want to wear it.
There are several things to consider when it comes to effectively storing your jewellery. Do you want to keep all your jewellery together, or are there certain objects you want to keep separate from others? Will you be storing your everyday jewellery differently to the items that are worn on special occasions? Will some items be on display so everyone can see them and others hidden away safely where only you know where to find them?
This blog will look at the various options available to you, so you can decide what best suits you and your lifestyle.
Best ways to avoid tarnishing
Tarnish happens to metal when it is exposed to the air or any damp area, so to keep your jewellery looking tip-top it is important to store it away somewhere rather than leaving it out to slowly corrode. And definitely don’t keep it in a bathroom.
Opting for an airtight jewellery box is the obvious solution, while adding something like a silica gel packet or two, which will absorb any moisture, is a two-pronged approach that can work wonders. Keep items made from different metals separate too, whether that be cheaper costume jewellery, gold or silver.
Each metal reacts slightly differently to the others and you want to avoid them interacting. Often, keeping each item in a ziplock plastic bag within the box can help too, as it stops them rubbing against each other and ensures no air can get in.
This is also an ideal way of transporting and storing jewellery when on holiday in humid countries, to best protect it from the elements.
Source: DERA BURRESON
Displaying your jewellery
If you do want to put your jewellery on display, either to make it easier to find what you need, or to show it off, then the aesthetics of how you store it are just as important as the jewellery itself.
A revolving jewellery organiser is great for something like earrings which may be less susceptible to tarnishing due to the smaller amounts of metal involved. Choosing one which can accommodate stud earrings, drop earrings and hoops, as well as any other body piercings you may have, means you will never be left searching for the other half of a pair, and it also looks great – especially if you have several different styles of earrings.
Using jewellery trays which can be put inside drawers or in a glass cabinet – much like you might see in our own shop in Guildford – gives each piece its own resting place and you can be quite creative with how you display them. A velvet-lined jewellery tray not only looks smart and glamorous, but it is also the best material to protect the jewellery from any inadvertent knicks or scratches.
Alternatively, clear acrylic jewellery boxes, separated into designated compartments and drawers, still enable you to see what jewellery you have, but manage to keep everything in a compact area – ideal for smaller spaces or for putting on dressing tables when you don’t have much room.
Practical storage items
Keeping all your jewellery organised means you will be better placed to find what you need, when you need it, without having to go scrabbling through drawers or searching scattered items on dressing tables or bedside units.
For everyday jewellery, something small like a trinket dish which just holds a few items that can be picked up and put on quickly and easily each morning is ideal. For anything else, a jewellery box is a traditional and popular way of storing items.
If you can find one that has separate compartments for each style of jewellery – for instance, ring cushions, earring holders, and necklace and bracelet partitions – that will enable you to head for the area you want, without everything getting caught up in each other.
Something like a jewellery armoire or cabinet is also perfect if you have a lot of jewellery and is particularly useful for storing long necklaces as each item has its own hook or compartment, making it easy to find at just a glance.
A cheaper, but no less effective, alternative is to have a jewellery holder that hangs on the back of a door or in a wardrobe. Again, this creates an at-a-glance storage solution that is also nicely tucked away with your clothes, for exactly when you need it.
Source: MICHAEL PARTENIO
Get rid of tangling
One of the best ways to avoid tangling is to make sure each style of jewellery is kept separate. You don’t want your necklaces getting wrapped around your rings and have to spend ages extricating them from each other. Storing necklaces on their own individual hooks, leaving them dangling, reduces their temptation to get tangled up.
Divided jewellery organisers and jewellery drawers can be tangle-free options, but only if you don’t overfill them. Otherwise, they will just tangle in the same way as they might in a standard jewellery box.
One way to get around this is to have stackable jewellery trays in a designated drawer – whether that is in a chest of drawers, perhaps alongside your under wear, or in a dressing table where it can be stored with make-up and beauty products, as part of your morning or evening regime.
Final thoughts
For particularly expensive items, you may well consider using a safe to store your jewellery. Again, protection will still be important, so small velvet pouches to keep items at their freshest and most sparkly is a must. And at least you will never forget where you have put them.
For more helpful advice on caring for your jewellery, and further inspiration, don’t forget to check out the rest of our blog posts.
