Get Organized Month - Declutter Your Jewelry

The last day of Get Organized Month! If you haven't had a chance to do all the organizing tasks we've talked about this month, just use them as guides as you get a chance or have an urge to declutter. I know it was a lot of info to digest, but use it as you have need or desire.

Today let's organize some jewelry. If you have a large quantity of jewelry, just attack one area - rings, for example.

I've used jewelry boxes, standing necklace containers, hooks, plastic needlepoint canvas for earrings, and many other systems. There is no right way to organize your jewelry. If your system is not working, you may investigate another one.

I'm currently using divided plastic boxes usually used for embroidery floss for my earrings. I take the top off and can stack them in a drawer. Then I organize according to color and/or season. I use small containers for other categories of jewelry and keep them in the same drawer, so everything is together.

First, take out all the jewelry in the category you are organizing. I had a "decluttering emergency" when I dropped one of my earring containers on the floor and everything went flying! One of those forced decluttering tasks. :-)

Remove everything you don't like, don't wear, is broken, or doesn't have a match (in the case of earrings). If you will repair your broken jewelry, place it in a container to take to the jeweler or put it by your TV chair if you're going to do it yourself. For the rest, repurpose:
- if you make jewelry, take apart jewelry and re-use beads
- if you know someone who makes jewelry, give him/her your old jewelry
- or donate your jewelry to family, friends, or charity.

Toss anything you can't repurpose.

When you've purged your jewelry, organize according to category, color, season, etc. Take inventory - are you missing a color or type of jewelry? If you still have excessive amounts of jewelry, go through the above process again until you have a manageable amount.

Accessorizing your outfits will be so much easier!