Organizing jewelry – 10 ways to keep treasured pieces neat and tidy

There’s no one size fits all when it comes to organizing jewelry. Unlike clothing, bags and shoes, jewelry pieces come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, meaning they require completely different methods of organization; practical solutions for storing long necklaces won’t work for studs and bracelets, for example. With that in mind, it’s best to tackle each jewelry type separately – this makes the whole task feel a lot less daunting, not to mention makes for a neater, more efficient organization system overall. 

When organizing a bedroom, taking aesthetics into consideration is just as important as practicality. By its very nature, jewelry can add a decorative flourish, so it’s worth bearing this in mind. Whether it’s necklaces hanging from decorative hooks or a stylized display of trays, boxes and stands on a chest of drawers, taking a mindful approach to organizing jewelry can bring beauty to your bedroom, as well as your outfit. 

Organizing jewelry

The key to organizing jewelry is allocating a place for everything, so that it’s easy to maintain order – clever closet organizers and neat bedroom storage ideas can make all the difference, for example. We’ve put together some inspirational ideas, with tips and strategies from the experts, to help you put some extra sparkle into your daily routine.  

1. Curate a collection 

Similarly to when you organize clothes, it’s best to start by decluttering when it comes to organizing jewelry. Once you’ve untangled everything, lay it all out and edit down to only the pieces you want to keep. Alongside your timeless classics, there’s bound to be a few questionable pieces it might be time to say goodbye to. 

‘Free yourself from any pieces that are damaged beyond repair, tarnished, or missing backs or pieces,’ says Sarah Dunn of Get it Dunn Organizing. 

Set aside pieces you’d like to donate or sell, as well as sentimental pieces you don’t wear anymore but you want to store. While everything is out, take the opportunity to clean your jewelry – try and make a habit of doing this regularly from now on to keep pieces in good condition. 

2. Group jewelry into categories

As jewelry types come in a variety of shapes and sizes, grouping like-items together is the best way to organize them efficiently; separate rings from earrings, necklaces from bracelets and so on. That way you’ll always know where to look for items. You could also group jewelry pieces you often wear together – a particular necklace, earring and bracelet combination that works well with workwear, for example.

If you’re grouping items into separate bedroom organizers, consider investing in stackable ones to save on space. As with organizing makeup, try clear designs so you can see exactly what’s been stored where and label the top or side of the box depending on whether you’re stacking horizontally or vertically. 

3. Use jewelry organizing trays for everyday pieces  

For storing pieces you wear all the time, a trinket dish or jewelry organizing tray are your best option. They’re small so can be left out on easy-to-reach surfaces without taking up space, making it easy and quick to access what you need. 

What's more, there are times during the day where you might want to remove jewelry, when you’re washing up or going to bed, perhaps. Strategically positioned trinket trays – next to the sink, on the nightstand, etc – is a useful way of ensuring you remember where you’ve put things down. 

4. Hang hooks to suspend necklaces from

Whether it’s chunky costume pieces or long delicate designs, necklaces are one of the trickier jewelry items to organize and store. If you want to avoid untangling knots on a regular basis, hanging them up is your best bet. If you’ve got too many for a store-bought stand, consider hooks instead. Mount them on the back of a closet door – this won’t take up much space even if you’re organizing a small closet – or on the bedroom wall to create an eye-catching display. 

‘Ideally, you’d want to position wall-mounted hooks above a chest of drawers or in a space with little foot traffic as this will reduce the risk of them being knocked and precious items being lost,’ says Martin Gill, Managing Director of And So To Bed. 

5. Organize jewelry in a drawer

Consider designating a specific drawer just for your jewelry. A shallow drawer works best, with just one level of storage so you can see everything at once. Velvet jewelry organizers will keep your pieces in place, and look beautiful, too.

‘If you’re storing jewelry within drawers, use dividers, compartments or bespoke jewelry organizers to help you keep your pieces separated into categories – this makes it easier to find what you need in a hurry,’ says home organizer Emma George of Declutter with Emma. 

If you’re short on storage space, consider combining your jewelry storage with other accessories, such as sunglasses, watches and hair pieces. You’ll likely be styling with both at the same time, so it makes sense to have everything at one place.  

6. Find storage in unexpected places

Lesser-worn jewelry doesn’t need to take up prime storage space – something that’s particularly relevant if you’re organizing a small bedroom. In fact, as it’s small and easily contained, it’s one of the few items that can usually fit nicely into underused spaces elsewhere. 

‘With limited counter space, I would look at using draws in nightstands with stackable organizers to keep rings, necklaces and earrings out of sight yet well organized,’ says interior designer Jenni Greenwood. 

7. Organize jewelry in a closet

If you’re storing jewelry on a closet shelf, consider investing in a lazy Susan. A top tip when organizing kitchen cabinets, it also works brilliantly for organizing jewelry. Trinket trays or clear, stackable containers can be spun around you so you can locate what you need quickly and easily. 

‘If you have the room for it, there are a number of bespoke closet organization ideas for jewelry,’, adds Heather Goerzen, design editor at Havenly. ‘One of my favorites is sliding drawers with individualized compartments to separate earrings from necklaces, bracelets from watches, and so on.'  

8. Use a stylish jewelry box

Jewelry boxes are specifically designed to keep all of your pieces clean, safe and well-ordered, and they have the added benefit of looking rather lovely positioned upon a chest of drawers or dressing table, too. 

‘Traditional jewelry boxes not only make for a neat way to organize your accessories, but also double as a styling element. Go for something glass and brass for an elegant touch or lean towards cane and wood to bring an organic and free-spirited vibe to your bedroom’, says Heather Goerzen. 

Choose one with multiple storage drawers, then line each one with a different category of jewelry. 

9. Make a decorative display

By its very nature, jewelry makes a beautiful finishing touch – to your bedroom décor, as well as to your outfit, so it’s important to be mindful of your displays. 

‘Artfully displayed jewelry can transform the aesthetic in a bedroom, not to mention your mood; draped over wall hooks or arranged in pretty trays. Find unique ways to hang your necklaces, which not only prevents the chain from tangling but serves as a sparkly touch in a room or as part of closet organization ideas’, says Alexandra, co-founder and interior designer at Clairrow.  

Heather agrees and adds: ‘you can also group jewelry into mini, scattered styling moments to create a more layered vignette on your dresser. Personally, I like to drape necklaces on a stand for added verticality and a graceful accent, while larger earrings and bracelets are corralled in a bowl. I also have a pretty vintage tray to display momentous jewelry moments, such as my wedding earrings.’

10. Invest in a bespoke jewelry safe

Precious pieces belong in a safe, but to keep them well organized, consider investing in a bespoke design specifically for jewelry. Trays that slide in and out with separating partitions is the best way to avoid damaging or misplacing items. Be sure to keep the boxes or bags your jewelry originally came in – they’re handy for long-term storage and can be useful when traveling, too.  

How do you store and organize necklaces?

Of all the jewelry types, necklaces are arguably the most difficult to store and organize as they tangle so easily. The best way to avoid this is by hanging them up, either on a speciality stand or on hooks. Mount inside a closet to keep your jewelry behind closed doors, or create a stylish bedroom feature by using decorative wall-mounted hooks. Be sure to position them away from areas with heavy footfall to reduce the risk of anything being knocked, damaged or lost. 

If you’re storing necklaces in a drawer or on a shelf, lay them out separately inside a jewelry organizer. Opt for a velvet-lined design with compartments to keep them from sliding out of place. 

Dedicate a single trinket tray to a favorite necklace, or one you wear everyday. This will prevent it from getting mixed up with other pieces, plus it can be left out on an easy-to-reach surface without taking up much space, making it quick and easy to locate. 

How do you organize jewelry in a small space? 

When you’re organizing a small bedroom, you need to get a little creative with your jewelry storage. One clever trick is to display jewelry so it doubles up as décor, whether that’s necklaces hung from hooks on the walls, a carefully curated arrangement of trays and boxes or a stylish jewelry box. This has the added benefit of easy access, too. 

Lesser-worn jewelry doesn’t need to take up prime storage space – something that’s particularly relevant if you’re organizing a small bedroom. In fact, as it’s small and easily contained, it’s one of the few items that can fit nicely into underused spaces elsewhere in the home. 

To utilize surface space in the best way possible, invest in clear, stackable containers. Label each section clearly so you can see what goes where. If you’ve got a tricky corner, consider filling it with a lazy Susan; it can be spun around you so you can locate jewelry items quickly and easily. You can also make the most of cabinet doors by hanging organizers or hooks on the back of them.