Organizing my Accessories & Costume Jewelry

When we moved into our house in January I knew I would finally get my grandma's antique desk that I have loved and cherished since I was a kid. Originally an antique, in the late 60's/early 70's, my grandpa painted it this olive green with gold leaf accents as well as hand painted the little rose details ...to give it an even more antique feel I'm guessing.

My grandma usually kept it in her entry-way and used it to hold mail & bills and pens ...like a desk, but not in a way we would use a desk today. My mom's been kindly storing it for me until I had a house to fit it in and when she brought it over I immediately knew it would be a perfect home for all my costume jewelry and accessories. It's like a giant jewelry box! {my grandpa hand-built drawers and shelves for all of my grandma's jewelry but she would be proud I am using the desk in this way ...considering many of my pieces were hers}

Until yesterday, however, it was a hot mess ...and looked like this


I was using two silverware holders until I needed one for another project and then everything just became a pile of gold and silver and jewels of all colors.

I wanted to replace the utensil holders with clear plastic trays so I could easily see through everything and find what I needed in a hurry. I found these at Bed Bath & Beyond in the kitchen section ...but later found them in the closet organizing section as well. I prefer the depth of a utensil organizer to that of a regular "jewelry" type of organizer tray that is much more shallow and therefore doesn't hold as much.



I first laid them out empty in the desk to get a feel for how it would all fit.




I mostly organize items by type, then colors: earrings all found a home in the smallest containers {and little drawers} and were categorized mostly by color/style {silver, gold, bright colors, hoops, etc}. I like to join like items together: black and gold, plastic baubles, chains, pearls, vintage rhinestone necklaces. Bracelets, unless they are small and chain-like, are all stored in the white Vera Wang pleather box sitting on top of the desk ...and rings find their home in the small set of gold drawers sitting across from it {which was my grandma's as well}. Fine jewelry has a different & much more secret home which I will never reveal ;)





Of course I stored the items I wear the most on the top layer of trays but they are all easily & neatly stacked on top of one another and put back in place so as to shut the desk.





Fore even more space, I used 3 vintage glass knobs {my mom snagged from a house we lived in at one point before it was bought and demolished to become an extra parking lot for the church across the street} with long screws directly into the wall for hanging a few chain necklaces.

  














The drawers below are filled with fabric accessories mostly: flower pins, bows, silk ties, bow ties, satin belts and a few pieces I keep but rarely wear. I keep my mass of scarves and some belts in a completely different chest of drawers as well as my sunglasses & hats.




And I'm in love with the old rusty skeleton keys I've found randomly at different houses I've lived in that I use to open the antique desk.




But my Prada inspired Lucite chandelier necklace gets a home of her very own on the dress form by the window ;)




You can get a feel for some of my pieces in a post here Layering Necklaces ~ Make a Statement Piece ...with what you already have ...I've been collecting costume jewelery for many years now {my late teens to be exact}, my favorites being anything vintage. Much of my collection was my grandma's and pieces I've had for ages now. {though I've gotten quite a few "gems" from Gilt as well as DIY-ing some of my own}

* CLICK HERE to See My Finished Home Office/Dressing Room *