How to Organize Earrings

Last Updated: February 28, 2023 References

Earrings are one of the most finicky pieces of jewelry to keep track of. They need to be kept in pairs and they are often lost. Unfortunately, earring displays can be expensive, the wrong size, or the wrong style and color. Luckily, it is quite simple to find different items to hold earrings in. It is also just as simple to make your very own earring holders.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding Quick Solutions

1
Get some mini, plastic drawer units. They are actually meant for storing office supplies, but they work great for earrings! You will typically find them in the storage section or office supply section. If you'd like, you can line the bottom of each drawer with a piece of foam. This way, you can poke your earrings into the foam to keep them in place.
- Choose a small one that is about 6 to 8 inches (15.24 to 20.32 centimeters) tall.
- Don't like the color? Pull the drawers out, and spray paint it! You can also decorate the box with glitter glue pens and/or pretty rhinestones.
- Store each type of earring in a different drawer. For example, you could keep all of your stud or post earrings in one drawer, and all of your hook earrings in another.
EXPERT TIP

Donna Smallin Kuper
Professional Organizer
Donna Smallin Kuper is a Cleaning and Organization Expert. Donna is the best selling author of more than a dozen of books on clearing clutter and simplifying life, and her work has been published in Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, and Woman’s Day. She has been a featured guest on CBS Early Show, Better TV, and HGTV. In 2006, she received the Founders Award from the National Association of Professional Organizers. She is an Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC) Certified House Cleaning Technician.

Donna Smallin Kuper
Professional Organizer

Along with plastic drawers, you can try out hanging plastic organizers to conserve space. Donna Smallin Kuper, Organizing Expert, advises: “My favorite solution is to store earrings in a hanging jewelry organizer (it hangs from a rod in my closet) with clear plastic pouches on both sides. I've been using this solution for 10 years and it works great."
2
Use plastic ice cube trays to store pairs of earrings.^{[1]
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Research source} This is a great option if you have lots of earrings. It won't work well for large, statement, or giant hoop earrings, but it's perfect for smaller earrings, including studs. You can keep the tray out on top of your dresser/counter, or you can store it in a drawer.

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3
Use plastic buttons to keep pairs of earrings together. This will work best for stud earrings, but it might also work for hook earrings. Also, buttons with two holes will work better than those with four. Once you have your earrings in the buttons, you can keep them in a box, dish, or drawer.
- Avoid coat buttons or buttons that have a single loop in the back.
4
Store small earrings in plastic pill organizers. This will work best for stud earrings, but it can also work for small hook earrings as well. Store each pair of earrings in each compartment.
- If you'd like, you can spray paint the box a different color, or decorate it with stickers.
5
Poke stud earrings into a long strip of ribbon to keep them together. Use a thick, sturdy ribbon, such as grosgrain. It will last longer and will be less likely to tear or run. Something that is between 1 and 2 inches (2.54 and 5.08 centimeters) will work the best.
- Store the ribbon in a box or drawer, or hang it on your wall with a thumb tack or pushpin.
6
Use a piece of plastic canvas to keep stud earrings together in a jewelry box or drawer. Get a piece of plastic canvas from the craft store, and cut it down to the size you want. Poke your stud earrings through it, then put it into your jewelry box or drawer.
- Weave ribbon around the edges of your plastic canvas to make it fancier. You can use a simple straight stitch or a blanket stitch.
7
Make a simple earring organizer out of an egg carton. Cut the top and side off of an egg carton, then paint the carton your favorite color and let it dry. Fill each ear with a pair of earrings.
- You can use spray paint or acrylic paint for this.
- You can decorate the egg carton further with glitter glue, rhinestones, and ribbon.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Frame Earring Holder

1
Get some mesh. This can be a sheet of plastic canvas, window screening, tulle, or even lace. Plastic canvas is a great choice, because it comes in all sorts of colors and is easy to work with; you can find it at an arts and crafts store. This holder will work best for hook earrings, but it can work for stud earrings as well.
- If you are using window screening, consider spray painting it a fun color first. Paint one side first, let it dry, then flip it over and paint the other side.
- For a rustic frame, try burlap instead. You can even add a silhouette or letter to it with some fabric paint and a stencil.^{[2]
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2
Take apart a picture frame. Discard the glass panel and the backing, or save them for another project. Alternatively, you can also use a simple, wooden frame base from the craft store; it doesn't come with a glass panel or backing, so it'll be less work for you.
- Don't worry about the color of the frame; you can always paint it.
3
Paint or decorate the frame, if desired. If the frame is the right design, but the wrong color, you can spray paint it to suit your taste.^{[3]
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Research source} You can also decorate your frame with glitter, glitter glue, or colorful rhinestones. Let everything dry completely before continuing.
4
Trim the mesh so that it is slightly larger than the opening in the frame. Turn your frame over so that the back is facing you, then lay the mesh down on it. Use painter's tape or masking tape to mark off where you need to cut the mesh. When you are done, cut the mesh using the tape as your guideline. Peel off any excess tape.
- Don't use marker. Not only will you mess the frame up, but the marker will be hard to see on the material.
5
Glue the mesh down to the back of the frame, and let it dry. Draw a line of glue around the outer edges of the opening on the back of the frame. Quickly press the mesh into the glue. You can use hot glue or tacky glue for this. If you used tulle, lace, or burlap, you can use fabric glue instead.
- Different types of glue will take different amounts of time to dry. Tacky glue will take a few hours while hot glue will set almost immediately.
- If you'd like to hide the glue, outline the inside edges of the mesh square with glue, then cover it with strips of ribbon. Make sure that the ribbon does not stick past the opening of the frame.
6
Lean the frame against your wall or dresser. Because you took the backing out, the frame won't be able to stand up on its own. You can't put the backing in again either, because it will "block" the mesh and prevent you from inserting your earrings. If you want to make your frame a little more stable, there are a few things you can do:
- Cut a piece of ribbon and tie it into a loop. Glue it to the back of your frame, and use it to hang it up on the wall.
- Use a frame holder or frame stand to hold up your frame.
- Hot glue a short dowel or two to the back of the frame to make a stand.^{[4]
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  Research source} If you'd like, you can paint the dowel to match the frame.
7
Hang your earrings onto the mesh. This earring holder is best for hook earrings, but it can work for stud earrings too. Simply take the earring backing off first, poke the earring through the mesh, then pop the backing back on.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making an Earring Box

1
Paint a wooden box the color you want. The best wooden box to work with is something that is relatively shallow, between 1 to 3 inches (2.54 to cc centimeters) deep. It is best for stud earrings, but it can work for hook earrings too. You can use acrylic paint or spray paint for this.
- For something more girlish, paint the outside of the box with fine, scrapbooking glitter. Be sure to coat it with a glossy sealer afterwards to keep the glitter from shedding, however.^{[5]
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2
Cut several strips of felt that are the same length as the inside of your box. If you plan on wrapping these strips around a pencil (for extra support) make them 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) wide.^{[6]
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Research source} If you don't plan on doing that, make them 6 to 8 inches (15.24 to 2032 centimeters) wide instead.
3
Roll each piece of felt into a tight tube. If you'd like, you can roll the felt around a short dowel or pencil to make it sturdier. Make sure that the dowel or pencil is long enough to fit inside the box.^{[7]
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4
Pack all of the felt tubes into the bottom of the box. To make this permanent, glue the felt rolls seam-side-down into the box.^{[8]
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Research source} Make sure that all of the felt tubes are facing the same direction. If you can still see the bottom of the box, you will need to make more felt tubes.
5
Consider covering the tubes with a scrap of fabric for a more finished look. Cut a piece of fabric the same width as the inside of your box, but a few inches/centimeters longer. Drape it over the top, then tuck the fabric in between the felt tubes. Tuck any excess fabric between the first/last tubes and the sides of the box.
6
Set your earrings in between the felt tubes. This holder works best for stud earrings, but it can also work for hook earrings if you insert them sideways.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I organize earrings in my jewelry box?

Community Answer

It's really your choice, but usually people keep similar colors/materials together, like diamonds with diamonds, gold with gold, and silver with silver. You could then further organize them by shape (hearts, circles, etc.) if you think that would work for you.
Question

What else can I use besides mesh?

Community Answer

You can use all sorts of things that is light enough to poke an earring through! For example: burlap, lace, tulle, plastic canvas, and so forth.
Question

If I have earrings that are not studs, (I forget what they're called).What are some tips and tricks?

Community Answer

You could use an earring stand or DIY one by using polystyrene or another material like that and sticking your earrings in that. As long as you have enough room (as the earrings are larger) and you are able to see them all, all of the methods above should work.