I know that you love and protect the jewelry that you wear each day. But do you give much thought to your collection back home? How do you care for your jewelry in its downtime? 

Things get busy day-to-day. It's not uncommon to plop our rings down on the kitchen counter, toss our necklace across the nightstand, or lose an earring or two in the couch cushions. I've been there. And I've lost a few great pieces along the way.

After one too many times hunting for a piece behind my dresser, I picked up a few solid habits for keeping my collection safe and sound. I learned that proper storage keeps the appearance of your jewelry top notch. It cuts down on the number of pesky losses and costly repairs.  And it will also increase the likelihood you'll actually wear it! 

So before you toss that old necklace in a drawer, consider these tips for storing your jewelry when it's not in use.

Give it a Happy Home

Perhaps you've DIY'd a Pinterest-worthy jewelry hanger, or scored a coveted jewelry box. If you've got a serious fine jewelry collection you might want a safe for your valuables. Whichever suits your style, having a designated place for your jewelry to rest will make you far less likely to lose it. You will have peace of mind knowing your collection is always where it should be.

Close the Clasp on Your Necklaces

You’re getting ready for a night on the town and you’ve planned your look to a ’T’. The final touch is a necklace from your jewelry box that’s sure to complete the look. But you sigh as you reach in to find it’s tangled in a knot of other pieces. Even though it would have gone just right, you put it back in the box since you’re out of time to deal with that hot mess of chains.

Closing the clasp on your necklaces cuts down on how severely your necklaces can become entangled. Make sure it’s hooked and the pendant in place before putting it away. Jewelry trees or wall hangers are good tools for keeping necklaces separate too!

Store Earring Mates Together

Before tossing them in your jewelry box, hook your earring pairs together so its easy to find the mate when you want to wear them again. If you are storing a pair of studs, slip the post of one through the back of the other before securing the earring back. You can also thread earrings through holes in a small piece of cardstock to store them as pairs.

Store Jewelry in Ziplock Bags

With your clasps closed and earring mates together, you can opt for the next level of protection: individual baggies. 

Airtight ziplock bags slow the development of tarnish on sterling silver pieces. Even if your jewelry is not made of silver, it's still good practice to use this method. Individual bags prevents chains from tangling, keeps your earring mates together, and most importantly, they protect delicate items from being scratched by neighboring pieces. In my studio I keep every finished item enclosed in its own protective baggie.

You can get these mini bags from craft stores. Also try these anti-tarnish strips to slow the development of tarnish on your silver. 

Don't Forget the Pouch

Jewelry pouches are another protective layer for your jewelry in its downtime. I sell this double-pocket logo jewelry pouch and I have one in every bag and purse I carry so there's always a safe place to stash my rings. Pouches are easy to pack for trips out of town. And they're also good padding for the time your jewelry is tucked away in your jewelry box too.