It’s a tale as old as time – your jewelry is a tangled heap or scattered in a dark corner of your dresser, and you are too afraid to rise to the challenge. What challenge? The day-long project of pulling it apart and organizing it. But you can no longer ignore it. You can’t escape it. It’s time.

The reasons are many. Maybe there’s a special piece you can’t find, like your grandmother’s pendant or your daughter’s baby bracelet. Maybe you need to take inventory of what you own for an insurance quote. Or maybe you’re just curious about what you actually have – the items that you are not wearing.

Whatever your reasons, we’re here to help you out with these simple steps to organizing your jewelry – because staying on top of the fine jewelry you own will help you keep the pieces you love safe.

Step One: Take inventory

This is where you get your hands dirty. Lay out all your jewelry on your bed or the dining room table. You’ll find pieces you no longer want. Set those aside in a separate pile. Do you have any appraised jewelry? Give them a special space too.

Step Two: Categorize

Now that you have the “big picture,” it’s time to categorize the jewelry you plan on keeping. Choose a system that works for you – you can categorize by:

• Style: Elegant, Fun, Work, etc…
• Type: Ring, Bracelet, Necklace, etc…
• Material: Gold, Silver, Pearls, etc…
• Emotional value: Romantic Gifts, Family heirlooms, Every-Day Items, etc…

Use whatever system makes the best sense to you. Make sure your appraised pieces have their own category. You want to keep those alongside the paperwork in case you need to present them to an insurance agent – this is a good time to check to make sure the appraisals are current. 

Step Three: Display

Now that you have your jewelry loose and categorized, you need to place them somewhere where you can display them individually. Bottom line –  if you can’t see them, you won’t wear them. The best strategy is to set up your pieces as if it was a jewelry store. Make sure wherever you put them – your dresser, vanity, etc… – that there is enough space to keep what you own in full view.  Remember to avoid storing the items in direct heat or light and to allow space between the pieces to avoid scratches and more tangles.

Step Four: The Unwanted

Remember that pile of jewelry you no longer wanted? Time to remove them from your life. It might hurt a little, but that’s OK. Breaking up is always hard. You have several options:

• Give them away. They make great surprise gifts. You should never miss an opportunity to make someone feel special.
• Sell them. If your piece is unique enough, you should first try selling it directly to the public on Ebay or other platforms. You’ll get the most cold hard cash for your jewelry there. You can also try to sell the item to your local jeweler for cash or credit. But since they plan to resell it, be prepared for an offer lower than if you sold it privately.  However, the upside is you don’t have to wait to find a buyer.
• Donate them to a reputable charity. Goodwill is a great choice. Support Our Troops also has a great program for jewelry donations. A quick Google search will help you find the right charity.

Final Thoughts

We hope this guide helps you to step up and take care of that pesky jewelry organization problem. When you follow through, you will have organized your jewelry and maybe made a little cash in the process. Plus, you might have found something unexpected or something that brings back the warmest feelings as you relive the story behind the piece. We can’t state strongly enough how important it is to know what jewelry you have and know where your jewelry is. You can’t protect the pieces that are special to you if you don’t know where they are.