Sunday, November 14, 2010

Organizing My PREEEECCCCIOOOOUUUUSSSS........

I really wanted to be productive yesterday. I have a closet that desparately needs to be organized and I have a bedside table that was overflowing with "stuff". One of my biggest challenges that I had though, was organizing my jewelry. I inherited alot of pretty things from my mom a few years ago. I've been thinking about her so much lately. She died from cancer 5 years ago this December. She was only 56 years old. We knew that her cancer was terminal when she was diagnosed about 1 year earlier. My parents divorced when I was 3 and I never lived with my mom. Just how the divorce papers were drafted. My mother moved here from her home country of Germany when she was 12 years old. She never met her father, supposedly a former French soldier in the Surete. She married my father when she was 16 years old and had me a little less than a year later. I really thought that I'd have her for so many years to come, that we'd be able to share so many more wonderful memories together. But, it just wasn't to be. She passed away in my home surrounded by those who loved her most. There is something a little comforting to know that she and I were together when I came into this world and we were together when she left it. She was the most beautiful dignified woman! Her taste was simply impeccable and impeccably simple! So, back to her jewelry, much of jewelry I have belonged to her and I think I wear it far more than she ever did.



We live in a small and very quaint townhouse; so it's important that I maximize our space. I had jewelry in boxes, hanging on statuettes, in little trinkets.....just everywhere!! I really did not know what I have and how to put my hands on it quickly. Therefore, I know I wasn't really using my jewelry to it's potential. I came up with a bulletin board idea. It's beautiful to look at AND it lets me SEE exactly what I have. I also found a small 3 drawer paper file that I stored my bracelets in. I ADORE cuff bracelets. I THRILLED with the results and for about $30 and no more space, I now know exactly how fortunate I am to have such pretty things! Thank You Momma!!!



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Any great ideas on how to organize a closet or accessories?! That's my next project.

16 comments:

  1. Serene--it gave me pause to realize your mother passed at the age I am now. She left you so many beautiful pieces...and you have come up with an ingenious way to organize it. I've been lobbying for something similar to hang on my closet wall, thinking it was a simple carpentry project for my husband. Now I see that I could take matters into my own hands.

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  2. OH this is such a great idea! Then you can even add pins and move them around if needed and no damage would be done. You could even paint it! Awesome. :)

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  3. I LOVE your bulletin board. I have hooks hanging on the side of my dresser, but your setup is so much prettier! I may have to try that.

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  4. First, my thoughts are with you when you're missing your mother.. it can be hard losing a loved one. But, the memories flow and are embedded in so many of the delightful treasures that she left you with.

    I love your jewelry display. . that's how I do up some of my necklaces. I was looking at some site (can't remember the link) and saw how this lady sewed a beautiful fabric into the corkboard part of the noticeboard and painted the frame. It made everything look so surreally beautiful, might be a project you'd like to dabble in when you're free :)

    Your lamp is beautiful! It looks so gorgeous next to the bottles of scents. As for organising your other jewelry and wardrobe, I did a post some time back on them http://devilishlypleasurable.blogspot.com/2010/10/devilishly-pleasurable-lair.html
    You might find the resin ring displays helpful for storing your rings, or look at sites for storage at organising (and taming!) a wardrobe. If need be, I could always get the ring displays for you and send them to you! Jewelry display sites always have great ideas.

    Good luck with the organising. It can be challenging but so fun!

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  5. Terri, I kind of came up with this at the last minute. Actually, jewelry is so pretty, it makes me wonder why we keep it hidden. The bulletin board was just $10 and the pretty tacks were a total of about $9. I just LOVE it!

    Ali and Anne, if you do something similar, I'd love to see it! I really believe this is going to help me wear more of my jewelry.


    P, Thanks for the idea about the ring displays! I had not thought of that. My table is my little neck of the bedroom, but I like to pretty it up! Your lair, on the other hand!!!! Oh. MY. GOSH! Amazing!! It really shows you're a girls' girl....I love it! And the organizing is definitely fun....I worked on some projects tonight that I had been putting off and cannot WAIT to post them....they're re-fabulousing :) projects and I'm just over the MOON about them!!

    Hugs to all my blogger friends!! ~Serene

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  6. Haven´t you done a super job. I must start on my, but where to begin????
    Un abrazo.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  7. Serene,
    I did this for my daughter when she went to college and it really helped her to see all of the pieces and put together better outfits! I actually found some decorative bulletin boards at Tuesday Morning that had vintage frames on them. Also, I keep my earrings in plastic boxes that are sold at craft stores for beads. It works really well to keep them organized. I have fun coat hooks around my closet for the necklaces! What a precious way to remember your mom!

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  8. Oh my Serene, I'm so sorry to read not only about your mother's death at such a young age, but that you were separated when she and you were both so young. Thank you so much for sharing your touching story here. It's lovely to see your mum's beautiful trinkets so lovingly arranged. And thank you so much for your lovely comments xo

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  9. Oh my gosh I have a bulletin board at home with nothing to do! This is a fabulous idea and I am going to copycat!!! Thanks.

    http://southerncomfortga.blogspot.com/

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  10. I love the way you've organised your jewellery.The bulletin board idea is brilliant!

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  11. wow what a great idea! looks so cute and organized

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  12. Your mom would be very proud of you, my dear!
    I have my earrings hanging on a plastic crewel sheet. You can pick them up at a craft store. It works great!

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  13. Ingenious organization!
    My jewelry is all in one of those hanging plastic organizers with clear pouches. It's great in theory, but many of my bangles, cuff bracelets and long, bulky necklaces are simply too big for the small pockets. (I do love big jewelry!)
    I'm sorry you lost your mother when you were BOTH so young. That's heart-breaking.

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  14. Thanks for the tips .Sooo precious!!!!

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  15. I LOVE this idea for organizing accessories. I have a hanging jewelry organizer that I keep in my closet that holds all my jewelry in clear pockets. I like that this would mean I would see my jewelry on a day to day basis instead of when I dive into my cupboard to find it...

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  16. I'm really sorry about your mom, the jewellrey she left you must mean so much to you, and you've done a wonderful job of organizing it.

    This is something I need to do as well, find a way to organize my jewellrey so its not all tangled up in a jewellrey box.

    ~ Em K

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Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! ~Serene