What do you do with your jewelry? Anyone decluttered it?

[sweetjasmine]

Over the years I have pared down my jewelry which, admittedly, has been easy to do since I haven't always worn much anyway. But there was a time when I had alot of costume jewelry and that kind of stuff I have weeded out. I now have just a few special necklaces, bracelets, watches and earrings. Not much really but a couple of years ago I bought a jewelry box the size of a 4-slice toaster. I keep my bedroom fairly clutter free but I've had to make room for this box. Now I'm wishing I'd never bought it. It's nice but there is ample room in it for more jewelry, in other words, tempting me to buy more to fill it up. Blech.

If any of you wears jewelry, how much do you have and what do you store it in?

[accountclosed15]

I put a towel in my kitchen drawer and I store my watch, earrings and bracelets on top of it. I hung a few hooks in the upper cabinet for my necklaces. I wear big chunky necklaces and I have around 8-9. I have 5-6 bracelets, 5-6 sets of earrings and my watch. I live in a very small space so I don't have room in my closet. This works out for me because I take my stuff off right after work as I am cooking. A little weird, yes, but I try to maximize my storage space. I don't have a dresser or else you could do the same in a drawer and hang hooks in your closet.

[mumkimum]

I have two stainless bento boxes that are divided inside, and aside from a few extra-special jewelry items, I keep things in there.  (Most often worn rings do end up in a small dish on my dresser instead, and a few necklaces or whatever stay in the boxes they came in.)   Right now I keep these inside my dresser.  

[Rainey Daye]

I really, really want to pare my jewelry down...I know some of my more casual stuff (wooden bead necklaces, leather cuff, etc.) I don't wear anymore, so I could get rid of it. I do have some costume jewelry I use strictly for faire, so that could probably get packed away with my faire garb. 

My problem is that what I'm left with is a few sentimental or practical pieces that I actually wear...and a bunch of stuff my MIL gave me. Seems she and my youngest BIL (a teen) can't figure out what to give me at birthdays and holidays...so costume jewelry it is!! I feel bad getting rid of it, and occasionally my DH will ask me "why don't you wear that necklace/pair of earrings/etc. that Mom gave you?"...so I do...but the rest of the time it sits there in my jewelry box.

Another thing I'd love to minimize on is my actual jewelry box...but that is really a hard one!! As a missionary kid, then a college kid, then a nanny, then a missionary...I never had a nice jewelry box for my stuff...it was either in a cloth jewelry roll or in a caboodles. So after we married DH got me a nice wooden one that I have loved and that fits the amount of jewelry I currently have perfectly. BUT, if I minimize like I want to...and if we move into an RV like we plan to...I don't need such a big jewelry box. I'm thinking something more along the lines of this (http://pinterest.com/pin/24948515/) which is 5" square and I'd keep it in my top dresser drawer. World Market may even have something similar (but prob more rectangular and shorter) that I can even use my birthday credit to get. The hard thing is letting my husband know that what he gave me for Christmas 2007 and still looks very nice is not gonna fit our new minimalist lifestyle.

[ChristyMarie]

I'm not admitting how much I have.  ;-)

For chunky costume necklaces the best solution I've found hangs in the closet.   It is actually meant for ties.  Like this:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14364544&RN=50&

For rings and earrings I like clear, segmented boxes with lids.  Larger ones for necklaces.  Similar to these but with a hinged lid:

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/jewelryStorage/traysOrganizers?productId=10025073&N=80359&Nao=0

I also have a jewelry box for misc costume stuff but I agree that it is hard to keep those organized and things untangled.

[sweetjasmine]

Lots of nice options posted, thanks ladies! I'll have to keep a look out for something smaller and less bulky.

[Katico]

I bought a little framed earring hanger, something like this:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/38865547/light-green-shabby-chic-jewelry-display?ref=sr_gallery_21&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=earring+hanger&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

And actually found it VERY useful - it takes up no surface space and because I can see everything, I wear things more often!

I have been thinking about this lately - I have a neat vintage jewellry box that was my mother's.  I love it but really don't need something so big.

[MiniMum]

I'm a jewelry minimalist as well. I always wear only my wedding rings, and my inherited antique drop diamond earrings which are gorgeous and perfect because I never have to take them off, I can sleep in them. If I take my jewelry off, then it never gets put back on! I have a simple wooden cross I really like and wear it when I remember to put it on.

I do have more but everything fits loosely and nicely organized in my antique wooden, mother-of-pearl inlaid box I bought from Cambodia. It looks so nice it's kept in a shelf in our book case.

I have decluttered my jewelry a lot, but I have some special heirloom pieces and sentimental pieces I'm saving to give to DD and my nieces and something for my God daughter.. I would not need any of it for myself as I just don't wear it anymore.

[Serendipity]

All I have is one necklace with 2 charms that I swap out, my wedding ring and a pinkie ring from my mom. The necklace and two charms Sit in a little box with bobby pins, hair ties, and safety pins in my bathroom drawer. The rings I always wear.

Before I got rid of everything else I bought one of those hangers for belts. I hung all my necklaces and earrings on it and put rings in my box in my drawer.

[clutterwarrior]

I've just noticed you all spell it like jewelry, never noticed that you guys spell it differently (from the english spelling that is). (we spell it like jewellery)

Anyway that is totally not of any help to you but just making an observation, lol. 

I have a beautiful antique china hand that holds rings, one on each finger.

My costume jewellery I hang the necklaces on a retro wooden stand I found at the 2nd hand store, and it looks rather cool in my bedroom.

My best jewellery is in a safe, one of those portable ones, and unfortunately the batteries went dead and now I can't open the darn thing because I can't find the keys, I am totally bewildered about what to do about that.

[sweetjasmine]

Originally Posted by clutterwarrior 

I've just noticed you all spell it like jewelry, never noticed that you guys spell it differently (from the english spelling that is). (we spell it like jewellery)

Anyway that is totally not of any help to you but just making an observation, lol. 

I have a beautiful antique china hand that holds rings, one on each finger.

My costume jewellery I hang the necklaces on a retro wooden stand I found at the 2nd hand store, and it looks rather cool in my bedroom.

My best jewellery is in a safe, one of those portable ones, and unfortunately the batteries went dead and now I can't open the darn thing because I can't find the keys, I am totally bewildered about what to do about that.

Interesting observation, CW! I do notice, also, that you and our Canadian friends spell some things a bit differently than we do. Or use words I'm not familiar with but I can usually guess at their meaning from the context.

I suppose I should list what jewelry I do have. Besides my wedding ring I have a couple of rings from my mother who passed away a few years ago. I used to wear them but these days I wear alot less jewelry. I have 2 necklaces, one with a mother of pearl that I can exchange out with a small gold heart. A sweet pair of gold earrings I received from my German grandmother at my Confirmation when I was 12. I don't wear them anymore because they are a bit fragile. Small gold hoop earrings and 1 or 2 others including diamond studs. And 3 or 4 bracelets and couple of watches. But I only wear my wedding ring, watch and the studs.

[MovnMama]

Originally Posted by Katico 

I bought a little framed earring hanger, something like this:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/38865547/light-green-shabby-chic-jewelry-display?ref=sr_gallery_21&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=earring+hanger&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

And actually found it VERY useful - it takes up no surface space and because I can see everything, I wear things more often!

I have been thinking about this lately - I have a neat vintage jewellry box that was my mother's.  I love it but really don't need something so big.

I actually made one of these frame holders myself with window screen material and cheap wall molding. I tacked the screen onto a square made from 1x1 and then I paper mache'd all these little pieces of coloring my son had done onto the molding. Then I nailed the molding to the frame. Finally I nailed every two inches on the top and bottom for the necklaces/bracelets. Looks like this:

I love it! So great for decluttering, space saving. And I line up my matching earrings with my necklaces and bracelets. I make jewelry, for fun and for sale, so I have a lot of "sets". I feel naked without earrings and a necklace at least. I even have jewelry I wear while camping, etc. Weird, I know. But that's me!

Then my friend gave me one of these. Which is totally cute and I use it for jewelery that's not in sets (matching earrings and necklace). But not very de-cluttery - takes up a lot of counter space. But looks great!

[clutterwarrior]

I love those jewellery trees, we have a neat design store only a few doors away from our house which sells some gorgeous ones in white, black or red, but I agree they could add to the clutter. I have avoided the urge to buy one for my daughter for that reason plus the price!

[sweetjasmine]

The jewelry tree is cute. I wouldn't have room for it, though.

Movnmama, I really like your frame holder! Nice job!

[Panserbjorne]

yup, I've decluttered it.  Sold most of it.  Not easy as I'm a *big* jewelry gal.  Growing up that's where my disposable income went-antique and estate jewelers. After paring down I kept 3 pairs earrings, 6 bracelets, 4 necklaces and 10 rings. 

It's a lot of rings, but there was some sentimental attachment to some and 2 antiques from the mid 19th century that I can't ever see giving up.  One ring I did sell and by odd circumstances and some unbelievably kind strangers it found it's way back to me.  I guess that's a keeper too! 

I also have 1 watch but it needs to be properly sized and I haven't brought it to a jeweler yet.

Lastly I have one box of costume jewelry with some pretty spectacular stuff!  That I'm holding on to as well.  It's in a small cedar chest, maybe 5x8x5?

All jewelry is stored in boxes-mostly the ones they came in.  I have a thing for boxes so the antique ones are in their original tiny leather boxes with the little brass pushes.  They'll stay there!  The nice thing is all the boxes stack so they actually are pretty easy to store that way.