Where is my jewelry box?

January 28, 2020 10:09 AM

I, a grown-ass adult, have finally accepted that my mishmosh of jewelry would be better served inside an actual jewelry box, not the assortment of small containers & dangling nonsense I have going on now. Where is the jewelry box I need?

What I have:
-- lots of earrings currently on an earring tree (might keep this for my typical daily wear stuff)
-- a handful of thin gold necklaces with charms and small pendants (high probability of tangling)
-- several larger beady-type necklaces that are longer and heavier
-- beady-type bracelets
-- some large brooches and smaller pins
-- other random small bobs and bits
-- virtually no rings

I want to spend under $200. I don't want something open/display-ish. I'd probably prefer something box-shaped, rather than armoire-shaped.

I see a million options on Amazon (so many as to be overwhelming). I see some things at Pottery Barn and Mejuri. I'm...just overwhelmed, so I hope the jewelry-lovers out there can help me streamline my collection and keep my items safe.

(I see some older questions on this subject but by now all the links are broken.)

posted by BlahLaLa to Shopping (15 answers total)

Best answer: I have a combination of stackers which work really well for me due to the mix and match component.
posted by plonkee at 10:12 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: (re: shipping: I'm in the US.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:16 AM on January 28, 2020

Best answer: I store my jewelry in this Bisley 5 drawer cabinet and it's totally improved how often I wear things and how often I put them away instead of leaving them on the sink or the bedside table. You can get inserts of all different sizes to make them appropriate for a couple of pairs of earrings or a large necklace or set of jewelry. I can't tell you how happy I am with this solution.

They're a little industrial, rather than classic, but they make me so, so happy for ease of use.

(Also, incidentally, they fit almost perfectly inside the Ikea Expedit/Kallax cube bookshelves.
posted by mercredi at 10:55 AM on January 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

I have a drawer in my dresser for see through plastic organizer boxes that I keep brooches, earrings, etc in and then a necklace and bracelet stand on top of the dresser with a base for loose rings etc. I find that if I can see the jewelry I remember to wear it more often and also to put it back when I take it off. Also nothing tangles on the stand.
posted by fshgrl at 10:59 AM on January 28, 2020

Mother Renault has had great success with clear tackle boxes, which are $20 bucks or less online.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:48 PM on January 28, 2020

Best answer: I like the Stackers series at the Container Store, which come in a few different sizes. Actually, it looks to be the same product that plonkee linked, but buying from The Container Store will be much easier if you're in the US.

I particularly like the one with a bunch of tiny divided boxes, which are good for small pendants/thin chains/earrings.
posted by serelliya at 1:04 PM on January 28, 2020

I use Uniqlo acrylic storage for my jewellery. I did a count on what types of items I had before I purchased, as they are modular pieces and you can buy more shelves for necklaces if you have lots, etc. I do wear my jewellery more often now that it’s visible and not tangled.
posted by Concordia at 1:16 PM on January 28, 2020

I use a jewelry armoire, which I bought in the 90's at Kmart. It stands on the floor, and has a necklace hanger door that covers the drawers inside. The top is a lift-up one with a mirror, some dividers, and areas for rings. Many of the drawers have compartments, but the bottom ones have collected a few little unnecessary things. I looked up "standing jewelry armoire" in a search, and a number of web stores have them. Amazon also brings up ones that are standing mirrors, or mirrors that hang over a door. I quite like them!
posted by itsflyable at 1:43 PM on January 28, 2020

I really like Wolf. I use their travel cases, but if I needed a box, case, or a tray I would consider Wolf first because their products are handmade, really well crafted, and they line the insides of their jewelry storage with an anti-tarnishing fabric. Their prices vary depending on design and size.
posted by vivzan at 2:36 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

This clear hanging pocket organizer hits the sweet spot for me of 'out of the way' but also very visually accessible. For larger beaded necklaces, I like tie racks or belt hangers.
posted by cocoagirl at 2:40 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Jewelry boxes are the kind of thing that winds up in thrift stores. A good one of those stores will have an assortment.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:38 PM on January 28, 2020

I went on the same search a few years ago and found this storage case (Amazon link) by searching "jewelry storage display case." It was exactly what I was looking for: multiple drawers with removable inserts, black box, holds a lot of shit. Still use it. Still love it.
posted by E3 at 5:41 PM on January 28, 2020

A wood machinist's toolbox, with a few inserts to keep things organized, works great. You can get inserts from eBay, all kinds of sizes, and just cut then to the shapes you want.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 6:12 PM on January 28, 2020

I bought this wall hung jewelry box from this same seller when they were on Etsy. I have a ton of earrings, not all of which are completely compatible with the earring hanger on this box, so they hang on the top edge of it or go on one of the little shelves; lots of necklaces; some rings and some bracelets. buying it helped me finally get all of my jewelry in one place and I can see what I have so much better now. I put a print I chose in the frame on the front. The jewelry box was a bit pricy but now I put things away in their proper place and I don't lose stuff regularly like I did before. You have to do some finessing sometimes to make sure it closes properly as it's only held shut with magnets, and sometimes I hang my chunky earrings where they meet a divider when the thing is closed and I have to rehang them. That's my only issue with it, though I do sometimes think I should have gotten the one with a mirror.

I see they are just doing pre-sale right now; I had no issues with them as a seller but that was on Etsy's platform.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:55 PM on January 28, 2020

Response by poster: I splashed out on a set of 3 large Stackers from the Container Store. Wasn't cheap, but I am pleased with the quality and also wanted to treat myself to something nice. Thanks for the advice!
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:23 PM on January 30, 2020 [1 favorite]