Organizing the Crown Jewels

My oversized dresser in the master bedroom (shown in the last post) has a small jewelry drawer conveniently located top center.  For the past few years I have used a fabric lined divider tray (that I found at TJ Maxx, of course) to keep the items organized.  Accessories I wear on a daily basis in one cube, ponytail holders in one, necklaces and bracelets in one, and earrings in another.  I thought this system worked well for me, but found myself dumping it out on the bedroom floor from time to time to either find a particular earring or put items back into their respective spot.  Then my best friend sent me a link to a cute jewelry organizer that hangs on the back of your closet door (found here).  I thought, "well, that's cute but I already have an organizing system for my jewelry that works great".  And then i realized, no i don't.  Mine sucks.  If it worked I wouldn't have to dump it out and re-work it on a regular basis.  I then realized that I could no longer live this way.  How did I survive so long with such as unorganized jewelry drawer?  I was on a mission to find a better system.  (I actually played hooky from work to go shopping for products.  No lie.)  Thanks Jackie.  I appreciate you bringing this travesty to my attention! 

 

I liked the hang up system that my friend initially sent me, but after some thought realized that my habit is to walk in the bedroom and take off my jewelry at the dresser.  If I were to use an organizer that was in the closet my jewelry would begin to camp out on the dresser instead of making its way to the organizer in the closet.  Eventually a piece of jewelry would get knocked on the floor, eaten by my Jack Russell Terrier who is convinced we don't feed him enough, and then I would have to go on poop patrol to recover my lost jewels.  (Not that I have ever had to do that).  Plus, I'm not sure what use I would have for the tiny jewelry drawer in my dresser if I didn't use it for jewelry. 

So, I scoured the internet and all of my organization go-to stores:  Bed Bath and Beyond, TJ Maxx, Ross, Target, Michaels, even Wal-Mart.  I eventually found what I had in mind at Michaels (which means 40% off coupon!).  I realized the flaw in my original system was that although items were divided up by category, they each needed their own home.  I had 15 pair of earrings and found myself wearing the same two or three pair simply due to the fact that I couldn't really see what I had since they were all in a jumbled mess.  So I found a jewelry organizer with enough compartments for each pair of earrings to have their own spot, clearly visible. 

Now, all of my smaller earrings each have their own compartment on the left side, the necklaces have a large compartment, my ponytail holders have a place, my larger dangly earrings each have a compartment, my watch has a home, and the pieces I wear on a daily basis are stored together. 

The organizer I used was from Michael's and can be found here.  It is intended to store beads and jewelry making supplies, but worked great for what I needed.  Since Michael's sells so many jewelry making products, they had a very large selection of organizers to choose from.  In addition, these organizers are meant for transport so they all come with lids (which I simply popped off of mine).  I had originally wanted a felt lined divider tray, such as this one sold by a company called NeatNix.

 

However, due to my small area to work with and my need for multiple sized compartments, I could not find a combination of trays that worked for my needs.  The bead organizer did the trick, although I don't think it's as cute.  You may have room to store an actual jewelry box, but the key to having a functioning jewelry organization system is first, make sure it is in a convenient spot for you.  If you take your jewelry off in the bathroom before getting in the shower, have a system in the bathroom, not in your bedroom closet.  If you make it inconvenient, you are more likely to ignore it.  Second, make sure there is a place for everything.  My original system failed because I lumped too many items together.  You need to be able to see what you have or else you won't make use of the pieces you own.

 

Please let me know of ways in which you have organized your jewelry collection. And if you live in the Birmingham, Alabama area and could use my help in taming any organizational issue in your home, email me at TheNeatFreakOrganizer@gmail.com.