Jewelry Storage | Family Economics

By Cathe Holden

Whether you wear only fine jewelry, costume jewelry or mix it up with a bit of both, you know how drastically the look of your pieces can change once they begin to tarnish. Tarnished jewelry is due to many things, including oils from the skin, but happens primarily when unworn with exposure to humidity and air creating oxidation.

Many store-bought or handcrafted jewelry racks for displaying your jewelry, though attractive, allow harmful exposure of the elements to your jewelry. Fine jewelry, such as silver and gold, can be polished; however, costume jewelry quickly looses its luster and is not so easy to clean.

Rather than tucking each piece away in tiny plastic storage pouches, it’s a good idea to keep your jewelry unexposed inside small-compartmented cabinets such as large, multi-drawer jewelry box or in a non-traditional piece, such as a toolbox.

Years ago, I purchased a new, large machinist's toolbox from an online auction which I instantly transformed into my beloved jewelry box. Machinist's toolboxes are made of wood and usually beautifully finished with multiple felt-lined and divided drawers. With my desktop printer, I printed out a lovely graphic and poem written by my husband and decoupage it to the front.

Vintage watchmaker's cabinets also make wonderful and unusual jewelry storage. Give a metal parts cabinet a fresh coat of colorful spray paint to create a vibrant and practical piece for storing your jewelry. Label your drawers with free printable labels, and line the drawers with simple craft felt or scrap fabric cut to size. Even a collection of lidded cigar boxes make great tarnish-free jewelry storage once lined.

Beautifully altered tool boxes and parts cabinets or cigar boxes are a great way to not only keep your jewelry in beautiful and new-looking condition, but they are often much less expensive than traditional large jewelry boxes and provide an excellent way to keep your pieces untangled and organized for quick selection.