29 Jun Creative, Affordable Ways to Organize Jewelry

When you’re cleaning out your closet, an often overlooked part is the accessories. In the same way you need to get rid of some clothes, jewelry also has to be evaluated as well.

Instead of just sharing tips, I decided to show how I clear out my own accessories and how I organize them using thrift store finds!

Do you follow me on Snapchat {PatriceJWill}? Then you already saw the items I scored this weekend at the thrift shop, which included a few vintage trays, a candy dish and vases for $20 total. While I mostly hit up thrift stores for clothes, they’re a great source for home decor items. From picture frames to vases to vintage containers, you never know what you’ll find. And as I mentioned on Snapchat, organizational tools and containers can be insanely expensive, so repurposing some pieces from the thrift shop is way cheaper and will give you a unique look.

Here’s how I organized everything.

Remember last week’s post on cleaning out your closet and how I suggested taking all of your clothes out and categorizing them? The same goes for jewelry. I had a small pile of stuff to give away {in the top left corner} and then grouped everything else by thin bangles, cuffs, earrings, rings, etc.

Next it was time to display everything. I like having my jewelry as visible as possible {versus in a jewelry box} so I don’t forget what I actually own. It’s all about repurposing the old for new ways. In this case it’s a thrifted memo board. The ribbons on the board were great for hanging sunglasses and earrings.

Another tips is to add some height to your display area. That means don’t feel the need to keep everything so flat. Dimension creates a bit of depth but also maximizes your space. In this situation I placed a vintage suitcase on top of the table and style books to prop things up a bit.

In addition to using the items I thrifted, I also used a few pieces from my recycling bin. While I used two of the small vases to display thin and chunky metallic bracelets, I also displayed some on empty wine bottles. Yes, wine bottles. I left the bottles as is {I really like the colorful sangria label!}, but you can certainly remove labels, spray paint or do whatever you want.

And finally, I suggest leaving a few open spaces. Your jewelry selection will grow so you want to be sure there’s space for future items. A few months ago I showed how I converted broken jewelry into DIY necklace storage. I still utilize this for hanging my necklaces, but I got rid of a few and the space below is much clearer. A few of my dainty chains are stored on this hand thing-y I bought from Urban Outfitters years ago and the rest of the items {deck of cards plates and gold trays} are thrifted. I use the top of the tray for pendants and the bottom is for the pieces that need a bit of TLC. I want to keep this area as clear as possible and free from clutter.

Another final tip, try to keep like items together. So when you’re looking for necklaces, they’re all in one area and when you want earrings, they’re all grouped together. This way you can just grab what you need and be out the door. No need to search for anything.

I love this new setup and it really combines fashion and function. Everything is readily available and organized in a cute way!

How do you display your jewelry? Do you shop at thrift stores for home decor and storage items?