Thursdays at OTR are usually reserved  a guest author.  We’re taking a slightly different spin today by sharing a recent article by past guest blogger, Naomi Seldin.   Find Naomi’s other posts on OTR here and here.

“Out of sight, out of mind.” When it comes to clutter, that can be a real problem.

One thing I’ve been learning is how to visually organize what I use regularly. It’s easier to take inventory, and to find what I need when I need it, when I can see it.

Not everything I own is immediately visible. Christmas decorations, my skis, photographs and historic newspapers — all are tucked away in boxes and closets. Anything I won’t need this summer, or anything that would be damaged by prolonged air and light exposure, is (and should be) in storage. But I’ve also focused on finding ways to openly organize things I use frequently.

Jewelry is a good example. Last year, I turned a box of chocolates into a sweet storage container.

But I prefer using my walls as storage space for four reasons:

• Jewelry can be arranged artfully. It’s decorative.

• Using vertical space leaves you with one less thing to dust and cleaner-looking surfaces.

• It maximizes your functional living space, which is especially important if you live in a small one.

• Seeing what I have at a glance reinforces how much I have. When I’m reminded every day that I own 14 pairs of beautiful earrings, I’m less tempted to buy new ones.

So I recently used a bulletin board, ribbons and thumbtacks to display my earrings (see top photo).

I also like this earring organizer on Etsy. It’s about $35 more expensive than mine, but prettier:

Birds ‘N Beads earring organizer and jewelry display

(Photo courtesy of Kristie Garafola of KikiBella)

You could also make one from lace and a photo frame (DIY instructions are here).

The only jewelry bulletin boards I’ve seen that I haven’t liked have been overcrowded ones. So before you pile on the earrings and necklaces, consider editing your collection. Minimalism can be beautiful!

How do you store your jewelry?

About the Author

Naomi Seldin is a features content editor at the Times Union of Albany, N.Y.  She writes about how to live well with less at Simpler Living.