Organizing Your Collection
Over the past decade or so, I've worked with clients to appraise, sell and redesign their jewelry.
When I work with them, they walk me through their pieces and collections. I've noticed lots of tiny boxes with jewelry inside of them, and have some advice on how to better organize your collection.
When it comes to jewelry, if it's in a box chances are you're not wearing it. You often don't have the time before going out to go through every box to decide which piece to wear, so it's better to have your pieces visually displayed.
After working with professionals from the National Organization of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO), I've come up with a few tips to help organize your jewelry collection:
Invest in a jewelry trunk to organize large collections. I use this white organizer to visually display my collection.
Use jewelry trays to lay out each piece and stack trays on top of each other
Purchase small, clear organizing containers and put each piece of jewelry in its own compartment
Choose whichever method works best for you and your collection.
Another benefit from organizing is knowing exactly what you have. When you know which pieces you like, and which pieces you want to redesign, sell or appraise, you can enjoy your collection even more. You should also keep a polishing cloth in your cabinet or tray to polish a piece before wearing it.
Ultimately, the idea is to have all your jewelry laid out in front of you, so you already know what you have in order to choose which piece to wear.
For myself, I choose jewelry that matches the outfit I’m wearing. Visually displaying your collections is the best way to truly know what you own. If you don't know where a piece is, you likely won't wear it.
You may be worried about storing all your valuable jewelry in one place.
My solution is to lock away your jewelry trunk any time someone comes over to your home or when you are traveling.
TIP: Use 2-3 inch plastic poly bags to store your thin chains. Avoid tangles, protect from scratches, and slow down the oxidization process. Gems scratch gems, and diamonds scratch diamonds. Using little bags can help protect the integrity of your pieces.
Now you can see all your jewelry and fully enjoy your collection.
~ Jane
(212) 923-3328 jane@jbjewels.com
