What is the correct way to store your jewellery?

Now we are well into Autumn, it is always a good time for cleaning and decluttering so why not organize your jewellery collection and make sure it is clean and stored correctly and ready for Christmas? Here are some top tips on the correct way to store and keep your jewellery sustainable and looking its best and how to ensure it does not become damaged while lying in storage!

Organize your jewellery collection

Firstly it is a good idea to declutter and give any unwanted items to charity. If you have any single earrings you can’t wear or broken necklaces, you could always take these to a local jeweller, where very often they can have the metal melted down and made into something new for you.

If you have not done this already, it's a good idea to separate your jewellery items so that you have costume jewellery in one space and your finer jewellery and precious metals in a separate jewellery box. How you wish to store jewellery collection is, of course, a personal preference as some may prefer it in display for easy access, and others may prefer to have less clutter around them so would rather it be stored in a drawer or cupboard. Fine and precious jewels that are not worn so often can even be stored in a safe.

The reason it is important to separate metals is due to their different tarnishing nature and placing some items next to other tarnished items, may cause others to tarnish quicker.

Cleaning your jewellery

Items Once you have separated your jewellery, it is a good idea to make sure that each piece is clean and polished before putting it away! This will ensure that you do not get any long lasting issues with tarnishing.

Firstly clean the items with lukewarm, soapy water. A couple of drops of washing up liquid will work well. You can leave it to soak for a few minutes depending on how tarnished the item is. Then use a soft brush or a toothbrush to really clean away all the surface dirt. Gently pat the item dry using a cloth which is lint-free before giving its a final polish. Finally use a specialised jewellery cleaning solution for polishing. It is a good idea to clean and polish your jewellery twice a year!

Keeping your jewellery at the optimal Climate

Always ensure that all jewellery items are stored at roughly the same room temperature, away from a direct heat source, and in a damp-free place as any moisture would cause the item to tarnish quickly so it is not ideal to keep it in your bathroom. If the room has too much moisture, a good suggestion would be to keep it alongside some silica pouches or even keep a dehumidifier in the room.

The felt-lined jewellery boxes are usually the best for sterling silver pieces or even place in individually in felt pouches.

Keep fine jewellery away from direct sunlight and separated to avoid tangling and scratches on either the stone or the metal.

Pearls can also be quite fussy and it is important that you do not store these in any sort of plastic container or bag as it is know that plastic can react with the pearls and cause damage or deterioration!

Keeping Precious Items safe

One good tip is to take photos of all your precious jewellery so you always know exactly what you have and it is always a good idea to get any extra insurance for those really valuable and special items as this will not always be covered on your house insurance. Always keep precious items in a secure location and hidden in case of a burglary.

Storing Costume Jewellery

Some people prefer to keep their costume jewellery at an easier reach so that they are more likely to wear it. If this is the case there are plenty of different types of stands available so that they can be hung and not twisted together or you could even get creative and make your own storage systems. For example, using old hangers or egg boxes! If you are looking for a good piece of costume jewllelry, I would recommend anything made from Rhodium as this is a metal that stays free from tarnish!

Getting ready every day is so much easier once you have your jewellery collection in order and it's great to wear each piece looking its absolute best!