Reader question: How store earrings?
Reader Laure sent us the following question:
Do you or any of your readers have a suggestion for storing earrings so that they are (preferably) not visible at all (i.e., in a dresser drawer or someplace else) or at least displayed elegantly in a way that takes up minimal space and doesn’t add to a visual sense of clutter? Thanks!
This is a great question, Laure! I use Stacking Ring Organizer Trays and Jewelry and Accessory Trays, which I bought at my local Container Store, for all of my earrings. I use a tool chest as my jewelry box and the trays set in the drawers nicely.
I think that egg cartons could serve the same function. You even could wrap the egg carton in fabric if you wanted it to look more sophisticated.
I think it is best to put your jewelry in a drawer for protection. It’s a lot more difficult to lose a valuable earring if it’s not out where someone could accidentally bump it.
Thank you, Laure, for your question. I hope our answer was helpful!
38 comments posted
Posted by Sarah - 10/29/2007
When my mom is traveling, she uses a seven-day pill box to keep her jewelry together.
Posted by Kathy - 10/29/2007
I keep my earrings in a drawer in ice cube trays.
Posted by Aliza - 10/29/2007
I use the small clear fishing tackle boxes – they’re cheap and have two sides – and lots of little spaces for necklaces, earrings and bracelets.
Posted by Kirsten - 10/29/2007
I’ve always used a bead organizer for all jewelry (necklaces, earrings, and rings).
Posted by Ayesha97 - 10/29/2007
Pieces of plastic canvas are also really great for earrings. They also provide the earring something to hold onto so that the earring back and earring stay together.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_canvas
Posted by Erin Doland - 10/29/2007
@Kathy — I LOVE the ice cube tray idea!!
Posted by Jacki Hollywood Brown - 10/29/2007
I used a “chiclet-type” gum wrapper to organize small pairs of earrings. There are also tonnes of bead organizers at Dollarama that do a great job of organizing earrings.
Posted by Corinne - 10/29/2007
I use an antique jewelry box from my grandmother. It sits inside our armoire, but it’s pretty when I open the doors. In the drawer where I keep the earrings, each pair is on a button, so I can easily find both earrings at once.
Posted by Lux - 10/29/2007
The button idea is genius, Corinne!
Posted by Erin Doland - 10/29/2007
@Corinne — Can you explain the button idea a little more? Do you put the posts through the button holes? It sounds like a great idea, if I’m imagining it correctly!
Posted by Katie - 10/29/2007
Since most of what I own are costume jewelry (huge earrings), I place them in one of these and hang them in my closet:
http://www.solutions-stores.ca.....nizer.html
I place smaller, more valuable earrings (ie, pearls, studs, etc) in small sectioned beading craft boxes made specifically for dividing beads
Posted by Pattie - 10/29/2007
My earrings are in my top dresser drawer in two side by side desk drawers organizers, like the ones you pick up at Walmart, etc for a dollar or so. The smaller sections hold my earrings, the larger ones hold my barrettes, boxes of bobby pins, etc.
Posted by Debbie M - 10/29/2007
I attach my stud earrings to a long ribbon. My French hook earrings are in film cannisters.
Posted by katie t - 10/29/2007
I have a corkboard about 1.5 by 2.5 feet that I’ve hung on the wall, and I use 1/2″ pushpins to hang my earrings and necklaces on — I realized I forget pieces if I can’t see them, and I’ve got it hung on a nice ribbon with some color on the edges, so it’s more interesting than just junk on a wall.
Posted by Kris - 10/29/2007
I, too, use a plastic bead organizer for my earrings. It has 25 small plastic areas inside and I separate the earrings by color and type. Snap the lid on, slide it in a drawer and you’re done.
For necklaces and bracelets, I put tiny adhesive hooks on the back of my medicine cabinet door and they hang there. I close the door, they disappear. I, too, forget things if I can’t see them so this way, I open the door, and it’s all there.
It also helps that I don’t have a ton of jewelry.
Posted by Nicole - 10/29/2007
My grandmother was an earringaholic. She always stored her collection in ice cube trays stacked in her dresser drawer. You could also try the clear compartmentalized craft boxes with lids (the ones for storing floss, small beads, etc)
Posted by berta - 10/29/2007
i use a rectangular piece of plush (black) and attach the earrings there. For my rings i made a kind of sausages made out of cotton and plush, and there i put them (as if the sausages were long fingers).
Both are placed inside a rectangular box, to keep it all in one place and dustfree.
Posted by Amanda Redmond-Neal - 10/29/2007
follow this link to see a photo and explanation of the solution i worked out for the same problem. the only thing it doesn’t have a particular spot for is brooches and rigid collar-style necklaces. i was very happy when i finished it. http://www.curbly.com/binary-p.....mment_4620
Posted by Heidi M - 10/29/2007
I use these stacking pill containers that I get at the Container Store. They screw into each other so when I travel, I just take the ones I want. I keep them in my dresser drawer.
http://www.containerstore.com/.....D=10013111
Posted by Corinne - 10/29/2007
@ Erin – that’s exactly it. Each post or hook goes through one of the holes in the button, and backings go on the opposite side of the button. Viola! No more searching for the match in the morning
Posted by tricia of bitsandbobbins.com - 10/29/2007
i have a pax wardrobe from ikea, in which i have a large 2.5 x 3 (approx.) drawer that holds all my jewelry, organized by type and color. the front of the wardrobe has sliding doors…all “clutter” is then hidden away behind it, and jewelry stays organized. it’s an especially good jewelry or accessory solution for those who need more space for storage anyway. i have another drawer exactly like that in which i store my belts (i have a sizable vintage collection of both belts and jewelry). would also work well for scarves.
Posted by Stephanie - 10/29/2007
I picked up a screw/nail sorter from the tools department at a nearby Target. And the way the one I have is set up, there are small parts for earrings, and larger areas for coordinating necklaces.
Posted by Raquel - 10/29/2007
I use the little 2×3″ or 1×2″ zip lock plastic bags from the craft store to put my jewelry in and keep them in my jewelry box sections and drawers. It allows me to keep small pairs of earrings together, prevents necklaces from getting tangled, and keep together matching earring, bracelet, and necklace sets. It also makes it easy to grab stuff and toss in my toiletries bag for travel.
http://www.joannfabrics.com/jo.....DID=174153
Posted by wren - 10/29/2007
I’m notorious for reusing containers that came with one thing for something else. As such, all my jewelry (and there isn’t much) is in:
*check boxes – bracelets and necklaces and super big earrings
*egg carton – earrings, finger rings, toe rings
These things get stacked in a old shoe box. Also, I use an old shoe box to hold all my headbands and hair clips. Inside of that is also a thin piece of cardboard which holds bobby pins.
Fwiw, check boxes are my primary mode of organizing.
With the advent of blank cds, all my old floppy disk boxes are getting new uses too.
Posted by Nadia.t.. - 10/29/2007
I have mostly long dangling earrings so what I did is took a bamboo mat (you know those things people use to make sushi roles)
Loop a ribbon and hook it on my cupboard door (the inside)
And hang all my earrings nicely displayed!
At the same time i stuck hook all around the earrings display and hang my necklaces!
For me, If I do visually see it, I will never wear it or even remembered I even owned it in the first place!
Posted by dancing monkey - 10/29/2007
I too use a bamboo place matto hang my dangly earrings, because I like to have those items on display. But it doesn’t work for necklaces or studs, really, so I’m going to check out the Target tool section. Amy Sedaris recommends using chicken wire or mesh from a screen door, as well as an egg carton.
Posted by Aisha - 10/30/2007
My mom uses old chocolate boxes, kind of along the lines of the ice cube tray. Just prettier. But less sturdy in the long term, I suppose.
Posted by a - 10/30/2007
How store earrings? I not know.
Posted by TallDave - 10/30/2007
I’m surprised no one suggested “have fewer earrings”.
Posted by Lisa - 11/01/2007
This isn’t exactly “uncluttered” but I, too, need to see my earrings to remember them. I almost exclusively wear french wires.
I took a small wooden photo frame, removed the glass, and stretched a piece of window screen over the backing (with a pleasant sheet of paper behind the screen). The frame stands on my dresser relying on the built in stand. It could hang in a closet or dressing room if I had such luxuries.
It’s easy to hang the french wires on the mesh. My 4 x 6 frame neatly holds 9-12 pairs of not too large earrings. The studs and rubber stops for the wires live in a small wooden box that lives on my dresser. The box could easily move to the drawer except that it still makes me smile to see it.
Posted by Laura - 11/01/2007
I use a great device that I found over at Etsy…basically a picture frame with earring mounts put in.
Ever since I switched I use more of my earrings more often, and I know better what I’ve got!
Laura
Posted by Laure - 11/01/2007
Wow–thanks so much for posting my question–and for all the fantastic responses! I’ve got LOTS of ideas to play with now. (walks off muttering, “egg cartons or bead sorters or ice cube trays or . . . ?”
)
Posted by wobri » Blog Archive » Reader question: How store earrings? - 11/01/2007
[...] the details here Author Skyler Massey Comments [...]
Posted by Dale - 11/05/2007
A friend of mine (female) does the same thing as Nadia, except that she keeps her hanging cloth on display on the otherwise empty side wall next to her vanity in the washroom. As well as earrings and broaches, she adds buttons and pins she collects, and it is a great conversation piece. She has a couple open-hoop earrings that she never wears anymore but on which hang her necklaces.
She is not too worried about security, because there are never more than 2 or 3 guests in her small apartment at any one time.
Posted by forvrin - 01/04/2008
Wow. This is late, but I love what my wife does with her earrings. She got herself a standing photo frame with a black cardboard backing. Punching holes in it, she then hangs her earrings in a tasteful display.
I thought it was such a neat idea.
Posted by Mirthe - 03/02/2008
I’ve been struggling with storing my earrings for ages, but a while ago I had the idea of buying a picture frame and stapling bits of chain to the back. I finally got round to putting it all together today and it turned out even better than I’d hoped. Check out the results on Flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/mirth.....026068538/)
Posted by Mikel - 09/26/2008
I wanted something cheap and temporary.
I strung dental floss tautly between two pushpins on a wall inside my closet.
This is good for hanging earrings, but doesn’t work for studs or posts.
Posted by Michelle - 11/03/2009
I love the chocolate box idea!
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