The other day I got to wondering, how do you guys store your jewelry? I picked up a ceramic egg crate from The Container Store about five years ago and it has served as my “jewelry box” ever since. It’s perfect for containing my limited collection (I’m all about earrings, but I generally never have more than a dozen in rotation) and the finish works perfectly with my love of all things white and ceramic.
What you’re actually seeing above is my “night table” of sorts. Since we flanked the bed with two curtained wardrobes from Ikea, we each use one of the concealed shelves to house a few things that we typically grab before we hit the hay. Which explains that white ceramic bowl on the left. It’s actually just a bowl from the kitchen that I repurposed to store my contact case, face lotion, and lip gloss at arm’s reach. It’s kinda funny when you think that both of these handy storage items are really meant for the kitchen.
And you may wonder where my engagement ring and wedding ring go before bed, well, John and I actually sleep, shower, paint, and do everything else with ’em on. In fact, John’s ring hasn’t left his hand since I slipped it on at our wedding a year and a half ago (!) and mine only comes off about twice a year for an inspection at the jewelry store (to make sure nothing’s loose from all that constant wear). Is that weird? We know we’re definitely in the minority here (based on the strange looks we get from friends and family when we mention this fact), but we’re wondering if there are others like us out there. Come out of the woodwork fellow perma-ring-wearers and make us feel less strange!
But back to the jewelry storage subject at hand. Here’s how John’s sister Emily stores hers. She’s the lucky owner of a fabulous pull-out drawer with space for her extensive collection of baubles and bling (she also chose Ikea wardrobes for her master bedroom, but she opted for super modern frosted glass doors instead of curtains):
Are you green with envy? Cause I am. Would it not be amazing to be have so much space to store your stuff? Although I’m sure John’s thanking his lucky stars that I only have a little egg crate to keep my jewelry buying habit at bay. Now it’s your turn- tell us all about how you store your gems and jewels. From wooden boxes to cool display trees (like this one or this one from Urban Outfitters) we’d love to hear what works for you.
Check out a great DIY hanging jewelry box project here on Newlywedisms by Bryn.
Update: We’re not the only ones who love a white ceramic egg crate as a jewelry organizer! Our friends at Better Homes & Gardens featured this idea in their April 2009 issue.
Sarah says
I like the egg crate idea, but it wouldn’t work in our narrow walk in closet. I use a small bulletin board and T pins to hang all my jewelry which makes it easy for me to coordinate with my clothes which hang on the opposite wall in the closet. For the jewelry I wear everyday (wedding ring, watch) I have a repurposed crystal candy dish that sits on my dresser so I can grab those items easily in the morning. Also, I take my rings off all the time – when I shower, when doing something messy, when cooking something messing. I have this fear of doing something to them so I prefer just to take them off and be safe. I’m no less married when I am not wearing them!
Melissa says
The majority of my jewelry gets stored in my jewelry cabinet. I have alot of necklaces stored in my closet just because I can’t fit the boxes in my cabinet. I want a lingerie chest but i’m looking to find a thrifter instead of purchasing an expensive one so i’m still looking.
As far as my engagement/wedding rings. We eat/sleep/shower/etc in ours as well. I actually think it is weird not to but then again I don’t wear a huge blinger.
Emily says
Constant ring wearers here, I panic when I put my thumb on my ring finger to realize my ring is missing on the rare occasion that it’s not on (cleaning and inspection quarterly)! I keep all of my jewelry in a monogrammed Pottery Barn jewelry box that I love.
Marta says
I am wearing my wedding band and a ring also constantly, even in lab where I deal with different sorts of chemicals (I try to wear the gloves at all times) warthog (my hubby) does the same. Honestly saying I have never known anyone that would take of their rings. Thats weird for me!!
abby b. says
I love the egg crate idea! I’m also coming out of the woodwork to say 1) that I love love love your blog and 2) that I am a perma-ring wearer, too. Ever since I heard a horror story from a friend of how she left it in a Hardee’s bathroom (of all places! ick!) when she took it off to wash her hands, I haven’t taken mine off. You’re in good company. :)
Rachel says
My jewelry is in a cute little candy box my husband brought back from Hong Kong, I love it! It opens up to so many different little compartments. I used to have the same egg carton, but worried that my jewelry was getting dusty, it’s so cute though!
Bethany at Emmy Lu says
My husband’s and my rings never leave our fingers! Perhaps they’re a bit worse for the wear (after much landscaping, gardening, and tough projects, they show some scuffs), but isn’t that the idea? They are to be symbols of enduring love… which, like anything else, goes through plenty of trials, shows some wear and tear, but still looks beautiful!
Anna says
I keep my wedding and engagement ring on at all times too. They were my grandmother’s and I’m more nervous having them off and than keeping them on. At least if they’re on my finger, I know exactly where they are.
Kristen says
I have a plastic tackle box :) Not cute, but definitely functional. I keep it in my top dresser drawer.
NEPD says
Love the egg crate idea. Might have to use that at home. My stud earrings are in a small jewelry box, my hanging earrings hang from a sculpted female figure covered in mesh. My necklaces – this idea I think works so well – hang on thin cafe curtain rod that I placed in between the walls of the shelf that i have my earrings, lotion, etc on. this way they don’t get tangled, the don’t kink from laying in a drawer, or from a hook or something else hard, and I can see them all at once.
heather s. says
I have a small white bowl that my dangly earrings are displayed in and a circle jewelry box for rings/bracelets/earrings (it is hard to describe but each section rotates out). Necklaces are in a jewelry portfolio (similar to this: http://gifts.redenvelope.com/jewelry/jewelryportfolio-30001458?viewpos=15&trackingpgroup=rffjw&ref=&pagesplit=HomeSplitB&catid=rffjw) so that they do not get tangled and they are out of the way.
I take my rings off when cooking if I need to get my hands into something really messy (hamburger meat or when mixing things by hand) and when I am doing house/yard work. I constantly bang my hands into things so I prefer not to knock the stone loose (which has happened).
jo says
I’m de-lurking to say, I don’t think you’re in the minority. I don’t take my ring off except when I’m making pastry or cooking something that requires me getting my hands in! In fact, I feel really bizarre when I’m not wearing it.!
Katy says
i don’t think you guys are weird! my dad hasn’t taken his ring of in 28 years since my mom slipped it on him. i play rugby, though, so mine has to come off for practice and games. alas!
LeilaMac says
We’re perma-ring wearers too! I’m way too forgetful to risk setting them down somewhere and forgetting where that somewhere was. :)
I have the white tree stand from Urban Outfitters and it keeps my excess of necklaces in check! I also have a small box for earrings but love your ceramic egg crate idea…I have a pair of decorative ceramic egg storers from Anthropologie that I have tried in vain to use in the fridge – re-purpose!
sarah says
i wear my ring all the time too! i took it in to get it cleaned once and the lady started getting in a hustle because she thought the diamond had chipped. Turns out it was just a speck of black paint! :)
Karen says
My earrings and other small jewelry (like rings) are stored in double sided fishing tackle boxes. The boxes are about 8x3x5 with hinged lids on both sides and varying size (and depth) compartments inside. They are small enough to fit, one on top of the other, inside my dresser drawer.
For the hanging stuff, necklaces and the like, I have 2 very small peg hangers on the wall next to my dresser and full-length mirror. Hanging keeps them from tangling, but also reminds me of what I have and so I tend to wear them more often.
On my dresser is little ring holder, only about 2″ diameter. I wear one ring (not wedding) and remove it and my watch when I get home from work, Ring goes on the holder, watch hangs on a peg hanger. I know right where they are in the morning–otherwise, they’d probably go out with the garbage (like a gorg antique ring I’d taken off and put on a pile of newspapers).
Niki R says
I stole an idea from Martha Stewart and slightly modified it (http://tinyurl.com/boqxcf). I bought two shadow box picture frames that swing open from the front (at Michael’s using a 40% off coupon, total cost = $36) and mounted them inside my closet. Then using push pins and the like I “hang” my jewelry inside the shadow boxes.
I find that I use my stuff a lot more now that I can see it when I’m standing inside my closet getting dressed.
p.s. we’re perma ring wearers too.
Sarah says
I don’t have very much jewelery, but I’m hoping to buy some more this year. I have always wanted a beautiful jewelery box with the drawers and the side doors to hold my necklaces. I finally bought myself one for $50 (originally $100) with my Christmas money and I absolutely love it! It’s sleek, contemporary, and a beautiful expresso color. I love the egg crate idea, though, if you don’t want to shell out a bunch of cash.
Jen says
Permanent ring wearer here too! We got the exended warranty on my rings so I get them re-dipped every 6 months or so and I clean them regularly with jewelry cleaner at home. I’d rather know it is safe and secure on my finger rather than forget to put it on or have it develop legs. I do take it off when I put lotion on my hands just because it gets all gummy in between the stones if I dont.
Brittany says
I love all of these ideas!
I hang my necklaces on three nails I hung in our closet. I keep my rings on a little Eiffel tower statue I picked up in Paris, and I hang my earrings in a (real simple idea) emptied out picture frame. I attached eyelet screws on the inside of either side of the frame, then tied a thin wire between, and voila! you have yourself a pretty hanging rack for earrings!
Erica says
I use a couple of clear plastic craft boxes that I picked up at Michael’s a while ago. They are perfect for fitting earings and such. One of them even has adjustable dividers so you can make the spaces large for long necklaces and keep things from getting tangled.
I also received a wood picture frame that was repurposed with a mesh back and is perfect for hanging earings on. I just haven’t found the right wall to hang it on so it isnt getting any use now. (Easy DIY project though!)
Sara says
I have several jewelry boxes with drawers but what really makes me organized is a label maker! Each drawer is sorted (silver earrings, colored bracelets, etc.) and labeled. It is great!
As for our rings, I never take mine off either. I used to at first (feeling a little paranoid I guess) and would for just showering, painting, etc. But now it’s a part of me and I never take it off (except for the occasional inspection). My husband takes his off to shower and play basketball.
Cate says
I always take my engagement/wedding ring off at night and put it back on when i am getting ready in the morning. My husband wears his all the time though. I will give you this piece of advice because something happened to my center stone recently. I have dropped my ring a couple of times and I have banged it a few times too. But recently I dropped it in my guest bathroom the other morning as i was picking it up to put it on. I didn’t think anything about it, but later i was sitting in a meeting and felt the edge of it with my pinky finger. I looked at it and it had a small chip in it – and what’s worse is that where it chipped it also had what looked like stress fractures down in it. Thankfully it is insured, but not something I really wanted to deal with. I never realized that diamonds can chip more easily than I imagined. My jeweler says that he tells his wife and clients that they should take rings off when they get home in the evening and that dropping them on tile is probably one of the worst surfaces for them to hit. I will be keeping mine in my bedside table from now on – where it is over carpet. Anyway, sorry this got so long – just thought I’d give my two cents.
Jennifer says
A few years ago I purchased an ugly framed picture from Home Goods for $7 that had 5 knobs going across the bottom (I think it was meant to hang in a kitchen and put your keys on. I knocked out the picture and put chicken wire in (from Lowe’s $5). Total cost $12. I use that to hang my earrings with hooks on, and I use the knobs to hang my necklaces and bracelets from so that they don’t get tangled. This hangs on the wall in my closet when I first walk in, so it is easy access. For all of my earrings that don’t have hooks, I use a small jewelry box, but I love the egg crate idea! Thanks for all your brilliant ideas!
Jenny says
I love it when I see people that are perma ring wearing couples. My parents have been married for 35years and only time my mom’s ring came off for an extended period of time was while she was pregnant with my sister and I. Otherwise she and my dad take them off twice a year to get cleaned.
I always thought everyone kept their rings on until my friends started to get married and take off their rings to do things around the house.
Courtney says
our rings never leave our fingers either. i’m more afraid of losing it when it’s off than when it’s on!
Shanee says
We both always wear our rings unless we’re working on cars. And yeah we both have had to work on a car before.
I keep my jewelry in one of these- http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=56856&CatID=56933&GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=12fb8cf&attrtype=&attrvalue=&CMID=56856|56869&Fltr=&Srt=&QL=F&IND=2&CmCatId=56856|56869|56933
I love it!
LeeAnn says
My husband and I wear our wedding rings all the time with the exception of very specific circumstances: working with electricity and any hands on activity in the kitchen with dough or raw meat. So I don’t think your odd at all!
anon says
another perma ring couple, my parents are too, so i learned from my mom to just wear them all the time. much harder to loose that way :)
Whitney says
we both wear our rights constantly. I purposefully bought a channel cut diamond band so nothing would stick up. It’s thin and hardy. I’ve done everything in it – cook, clean, paint, it all. And it cleans right up with soap!
Kimberly says
Right now all my jewelry is stuffed into various small boxes in a bureau drawer, but I am working on a better solution in my head. I really like Bryn’s solution (Newlywedisms by Bryn) using a shadow box.
I take my rings off at night because I wore my rings overnight once and when I woke up my fingers had swollen a tiny bit and I got all freaked out because I couldn’t get the rings off…which wouldn’t be a problem if I never took them off…I know it doesn’t make any sense :) I also take them off when I mow the lawn because my fingers swell a little then, too. Weird swelling fingers…
Renate says
I store my jewelery in a jewelery box my dad got me from China (I think) when he worked on oil tankers. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember, and it definitely shows a little wear, but I still love it. It’s solid, dark wood, beautifully carved, and it used to have a dancing ballerina inside, but unfortunately the ballerina and her winding mechanism are both broken and gone. :(
Also – my husband and I wear our rings more or less permanently. I take mine off when I bake, to keep dough from getting into the grooves on the ring.
Meredith says
We’re pretty close to perma-ring wearers. The husband works a construction job, so he’s sometimes required to remove his ring when using certain equipment.
As for me, I used to wear it all the time, but now that my fingers are *ahem* a bit larger than when I got married, sometimes I’ll take it off at night if it starts to feel a little uncomfortable.
CWB says
I keep jewelry in two places, both enclosed as I would constantly knock over something like the egg crate in my morning rush. One is a crazy “shabby chic” cabinet with a glass door that I got for free when our old apartment complex dismantled the model unit & gave away the furnishings. I put some small nails on the inside of the door to hold necklaces and I keep my earrings in little plastic boxes from Office Depot. (Total cost: $12) The other is a swanky silver jewelry box that my DH gave me for Valentine’s a few years ago–I’d just inherited some lovely things from my grandmother and he wanted me to have a special place for them.
Finally, on the rings–I, too, had the horrible experience of having my engagement stone (not a diamond, obviously) chip out while doing some home chores. I’m also a nurse and worry about what gets trapped in the little crevices of my rings no matter how careful I am about cleaning them. Solution? DH gave me a beautiful plain band to wear at work or when doing anything laborious, so my wedding set is safe.
Cindy says
Currently I have a collection of hot pink leather jewellery boxes of different sizes from Home Sense ( I think the Canadian equivalent of Home Goods). They work really well, and the pop of color on the bottom of my nightstand is a great accent. Plus, since they each house a different type of jewellery (rings, earrings, neckalces, etc.) I can grab what I want and go.
However, a few years back, I designed a jewellery chest for myself. The design was based on an apothocary chest/library card catalogue I had seen in a magazine years ago. My mom built it for me, however, I couldn’t at the time afford the hardware or velvet lining I had selected for it. Plus, didn’t have the space for it. It has been sitting in my dad’s basement for about 4 years… I’d love to finish it off and bring it into our new house. With 70 drawers and a couple doors with necklace hangers, it’s an amazing piece!!
Teeni says
I’m a perma-jewelry girl–my diamond stud earrings from my dad, my wedding ring and two other gold rings and my gold St Christopher necklace never leave my body. (The necklace breaks occasionally and has to be repaired.) I specifically picked our wedding rings so that they would be easy to clean. I did have a long, drawn-out discussion with my carpenter hubby about wearing his; he didn’t want to wear his to work after hearing horror stories about people losing fingers in various work related accidents because they kept their ring on. However, he has worn his without incident for 5 1/2 years! My “engagemement ring” was a new house. Better than a diamond anyday, in my opinion!
Shannon says
I am green with envy over Emily’s jewelry storage! I sell jewelry and I don’t even have something all that fancy to store it all in! :)
I have a jewelry cabinet that was given to me as a high school graduation gift…and it does the job..but how cool would it be to have pull out drawers like that!
And I also rarely ever take my wedding ring off…every once in a while to clean it, and that is it. I wore my rings through out both of my pregnancies..never had to remove them…thank goodness.
Amanda says
I bought a vintage jewelry nightstand a few years ago. It’s oriental looking a maybe a little tacky, but I love it. I made myself an earring organizer that sits inside its open compartment.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greateryesterday/3068657159/
Miranda says
I’m one of those paranoid people about my rings. I take them off every day when I get home from work and put them back on in the morning. It’s hard enough for me not to knock them on everything during the day, I just don’t want to worry about it at home. My husband never takes his off (even when we were doing some painting this weekend!!). They are insured but I would just be absolutely heartbroken if anything happened.
Lauren says
Neither my husband nor I remove our rings either! We do get weird looks when we reveal this information so we stopped telling people. About twice a year I clean our bathroom with clorox and I remove my ring when I do that. Otherwise, it’s glued to my finger.
I have a plastic craft box with little compartments where I keep all my jewelry. That box sits in my closet. My finer stuff goes on a crystal Waterford ring thingy my mom got me. It sits on my dresser.
I love the idea of having bowl for the little things you keep at your bedside. My little things (chapstick, lavender oil, lotion, etc) currently sit loose on my bedside table and are always rolling off. I think I am copying your idea. Thanks!
Colette says
…and here I was thinking that EVERYONE kept their rings on all the time. I’m suprised to hear otherwise. I’m too afraid of losing it. Only took them off the last 2 months of my pregnancy when my sausage fingers gave me no choice!
Averill says
I hang all my necklaces on the little burch jewelry stand from Urban Outfitters — it definitely keeps my necklaces from getting tangled (as they always did when I stored them in a jewelry box or the like) and it doubles as a rather attractive sculpture on my bureau!
Oh, and my husband and I wear our rings all the time, too. Whenever I take it off, I’m always paranoid I’ll misplace it, so I just don’t unless I’m REALLY going to be getting my hands dirty.
Cherylp says
hubby and I wear our rings constantly with the exception of cleanings, inspections, and in my case, resizings, since i keep needing to go smaller! I wear three of them – my wedding band, engagement ring and anniversary band, stacked, and have gotten used to the weight – I can tell immediately when one is missing!
The rest of my jewelry is stored in a large mahogany jewelry box on my dresser – lots of my necklaces are hanging, and my earrings go in the drawers. I do have several long necklaces that dont fit, so I hang those off the corners of my mirror. Im lucky to have my parents(who were married for 46+ years) beautiful bedroom set(ummm, the dressers anyways) and the mirror is perfect for hanging the long necklaces – they don’t slide off or get tangled, and they are high enough up to not be interesting to the sticky fingered three year old that lives in my house!
Jill says
I just chronicled one of my ventures into accessory organizing (mostly for all of my bangle bracelets) here…
http://goodlifeforless.blogspot.com/2009/01/fun-with-labels-and-empty-wine-bottles.html
and the final product here…
http://goodlifeforless.blogspot.com/2009/01/final-product.html
Megan Taliaferro says
My husband and I wear our rings constantly – even when we’re doing house projects. A good cleaning now and then and they don’t seem to be the worse for wear! :) I do take mine off when I do surgery (I’m a vet), but put them right back on the minute I’m done!
Brian says
My husband just bought me a small jewelry armoire from Target over the summer. It has about 5 drawers and then 2 side doors that open up for necklaces. I love it!! I love classic pieces of jewelry that never grow out of style, so my collection just keeps growing and growing and…
of course the trendy stuff gets cycled through every couple of years.
Benita says
Yohoo! Constant ring wearer over here! Martin and I got maried in 1990 (yes, nineteenninety) and the rings have not left my finger but a couple of times for polishing. No rocks on there as you can imagine, just plain white gold engagement and red gold wedding bands. I can’t even take them off and pretend I’m not taken because I have a permanent groove where they belong :)
Three moves, one house renovation, one wooden boat dito and countless of hours gardening later and they stay firmly where they are. Other than those two rings
I only ever wear a silver heart on a chain my son gave me over ten years ago when he was three and occasionally a strand of twin pearls which my parents gave me ages ago. I work in the jewellery industry but am so not a good spokes person when it comes down to wearing what we sell…
LJK says
My husband is a perma-wearer, and I’m mostly a perma-wearer. I only take mine off when playing softball (because of the glove & bat) or going rock climbing (I worry about the rope messing up the bands when I’m belaying).
I have a jewelry box from Pottery Barn for everything else.
julka says
we dont wear my constantly , the moment i come back home i take off my engagement ring and wedding band. but i always wear them outside the house, somehow without them i feel not married;) and i hate when twe are out together and tomek forgets to wear his wedding band when i have mine…grrr i feel like with a secret lover hahah :D
oh and i love my wedding band as every year for our anniversary tomek puts another little diamond on it ;) well now its 3 ( we are married for 2 years but one was as an encouragement hahah:)
Keatra says
We are perma-ring wearers as well. Once in awhile I take mine off if we are painting…I am worried that paint will get into the deep corners of the channel setting.
For jewelry I use ice cube trays in the shallow top drawer of my dresser. It would be nice to have something more stylish but at $.99 for two trays it is a good fix for now. I loved the shadow box with hooks idea someone posted from Martha Stewart…maybe that will be my next project.