First in my heart and in this article, is jewelry. My birthday is coming up if anyone wants to add to this monstrous collection I like gold and I like opals (Diamonds aren’t bad either if anyone’s got Daddy Warbucks dough.) But seriously, whenever my friends from high school visit me they don’t even bother packing jewelry because it’s common knowledge I have my own little library setup with all the jewels necessary for a night out or a trip to the mall.
Shiny Things: The quickie version: put necklaces on bars, stack rings, separate out bracelets, lay earrings flat. Below is what that might look like.
Hang necklaces to see all your options and to minimize tangling. I clasp my prized gems onto a horizontal rod. When ready to wear, simply unclasp the necklace! By hanging necklaces on a bar this eliminates difficulty in access, making mornings more manageable. I recommend hitting a store closing and snagging the bracelet bars for your at home necklace storage! Chokers can be draped on the sides since the chain is smaller or hung. I hang chokers on chains and drape those made of fabric.
For nicer jewels, stow them in the (Tiffany Blue?) box they came in or on your person for safe keeping.
Rings can be stacked, just like how you display them on your finger! This allows for all stones to be visible so you can easily make your selections. Clean rings with your standard glasses cloth for extra shine, as needed.
Bracelets I lay stacked and scattered...did I mention I have a bracelet drawer? It's my favorite thing! If you can decrease the number of tanks and tees you have in order to make room for a full blown bracelet drawer, I would highly recommend it. It’s much easier to incorporate more bracelets on my wrists now that I can see all my options. I used to have my bracelets in an overflowing heap in my jewelry box. Traditional jewelry boxes are officially cancelled!
Earring holders haven’t adapted to the late 2010s statement earrings craze! Earring holders are too small so until I find one big enough but not full-fledged life-sized, I keep them in pairs on the base of a shelf. Chaos can be organized sometimes. I organize my earrings by color, just like I do with the clothes hanging in my closet.
Fuzzy Things: For those of you who have a seemingly endless supply of infinity scarves, or just a few oversized blanket scarves this hack is for you! Start by rolling your scarves hot dog style to create their most compact form. Neatly line one scarf through the hole of a double sided wine bottle rack and stretch the scarf through the other side. Spray paint to make your scarf rack look like its a part of your furniture set. This trick can also work for small blankets, bath towels, and even t-shirts!
I keep winter hats in my coat closet on the top shelf, as if my coat closet was a person with a chic hat on its head. Baseball hats I also tuck up top with the back of the cap pressed in to allow the caps to nest inside each other. If you align the baseball caps parallel to the shelf you can see the side view of all your lid options.
Coloring Things: Now we’re talkin’ beauty. Keep daily use products on the counter if possible. I repeat, keep products you use daily out in front of your face for a) convenience and b) so you actually use the products in your arsenal. Trust me, most people only use what they can see.
Stash nondaily items in a medicine cabinet or under the sink. In your cabinets sort by most to least used, and align front to back. Put open bottles in front of unopened lotions, shampoos, etc.
Over the years, I have tried a variety of tactics to sort out my make-up. I have finally found the right solution for me and that is to have it out in cups. Designate cups for the following categories: eyes, lips, face, and brushes. I got these pretty rocks glasses from Anthropologie and I love filling them with something so feminine as liquid liner and lipstick. Whatever cup you select, ensure the base is wide enough to carry all your goodies. You’d be surprised how much space lipstick needs.
Cinderella Things: A life size shoe rack – no doors. You don’t need to keep your shoes in your oven anymore! Make Carrie Bradshaw jealous. My stepdad made this thick wonder as a means to fill space of an awkward dip in my hallway’s walls. The only criteria I gave him was “industrial chic” and he ran like the wind. My mom also has a shoe closet that utilizes the corner of her bedroom and is shaped like an outdoor shower to match her beach themed state-of-mind.
Let’s dive into its composition, shall we? Metal piping with stained plywood resting on top. A top bar to hook taller boots with a clip or to loop handbags through the rail is crucial because, thigh high boots take up the most space and lose their shape when stashed under a bed or smushed on the closet floor. Add half rectangular wooden blocks as an expansion pack for low surface area footwear like flats and flip flops.
Since boots take up my full top shelf (as they should) my totes and purses are tossed in the bottom of my tiny coat closet, likely getting crushed as we speak. So, if anyone has any bag organizing ideas for me, bring ‘em on! I use the same mini cross-body daily but have lots of totes to stash. Some sort of hook configuration to put your pretty carriers on display is likely the best bet! Luggage and larger weekender bags call my regular closet home.
Accessories are not excess! Can you believe you made it through an organization article without a single Marie Kondo reference? Wow, novel.
Comments