I always love to receive a gift from my husband after he’s been off traveling solo. He gets to go to some pretty amazing places in and out of the United States and its fun to hear the stories about his experiences and to see what he brings back.

My husband’s not really a shopper, but he knows that in a house full of women he can’t come home empty handed either, so he’s started a tradition of buying me jewelry. He also purchases necklaces and bracelets for special occasions too because he knows it will always be well-received (and it’s pretty much one size fits all so he doesn’t have to stress out.) It’s a great keepsake I can wear from a culture half-way across the world or as a keepsake to remember a trip or anniversary that we’ve enjoyed together.

After years of enjoying this great tradition, I’ve realized the challenge in keeping track of my precious gems. After some trial and error, here’s the system I’ve developed for storing everyday jewelry and accessories.

First, you should weed out items you no longer want, use or are broken. Pass items along to your kids, nieces, or babysitter that you used to love but no longer work with your style.

Second, figure out what you have left to store and dedicate a space just for your jewelry. I use an entire drawer in my bathroom. I’ve seen other people mount a storage area in their closet or on an open wall. A tradition jewelry box or jewelry armoire may also do the trick for you. Or maybe you have a dresser drawer that is full of clutter and could be better utilized as a spot for your favorite bracelets or watch collection.

Third, identify what types of items you have. Maybe you like to collect funky rings or big earrings. Once you’ve figured out your storage needs purchase an organizer to suit your needs. For me, I’m a big bracelet and necklace collector. I’ve purchased a cheap $5 IKEA drawer organizer that I’ve slipped into my bathroom drawer to store my items. Consider repurposing another organizational item to accommodate your needs.

Next, sort by color and/or style. Generally people accessorize by color and style so it makes sense to group your items in that same manner. It also makes it easier for you to see what you have and rotate all of your pieces instead of just wearing the same favorites over and over.

Finally, make sure you re-file items once you’ve worn them. It’s easy to just slide a set of earrings into the drawer after a late night out on the town, but jewelry easily gets lost or turns into a tangled mess. Avoid the temptation to stash stuff away but instead re-stock it so you’ll be able to enjoy it again later.

Question: How do you store your jewelry? What do you like to collect – rings, bracelets, earrings, watches, etc?