Traveling with Jewelry: Storage Solutions

The summer travel season is almost upon us!  With Memorial Day Weekend kicking off the summer season of BBQs, graduations, family reunions, and weddings, you'll probably be traveling somewhere in the next few months.  Of course, you'll want to look your best at all the photo worthy events, so packing jewelry is a must.  So how do you travel with your precious gems?

Keeping jewelry in pristine condition is the most important.  You want to avoid tangled necklaces, broken bracelets, and lost earrings, so make sure your jewelry has appropriate cases for traveling.  Don't just stash them in with your cosmetics, opt for soft sleeves, jewelry roles, hard cases or more creative solutions.  Here are some of my favorite ways to travel with jewelry:

Creative Storage
I found this idea in Real Simple Magazine and loved it.  "Travel is best done in pairs (think of Lewis and Clark or Thelma and Louise).   To keep a set of earrings together on your next overnight jaunt, fasten them to a button so they won't get lost in your suitcase."  Love this idea.  Use over sized buttons for studs and bigger pairs and toss them in a special compartment in your suitcase or a baggie in your carry-on, or sew a couple buttons onto your jewelry roll for extra storage.
Photo Above from RealSimple.com

Jewelry Roll or Portfolio
This is the classic choice for most travelers.  A jewelry roll does just that, a large fabric pouch pockets sewn in rolls up and gets tied together.  These are often given as bridesmaid gifts in weddings when the bride is gifting everyone with jewelry.  Chinatown is a great place to find pretty, inexpensive jewelry rolls.  Or try a Travel Portfolio: a flat, usually snap closure with compartments inside.  Try the Quilted Lucia Travel Jewelry Portfolio from the Container Store, I love that it has a strap for earrings and rings as well as a zippered pouch.

Upcycled Containers
For an easy do-it-yourself option, consider upcycling a container you have lying around.  Altoid tins make great jewelry cases - just pop in some soft, scrap fabric to line the inside.  Try carrying necklaces in a old makeup compact or attach fabric to the back of a small photo frame and pierce earrings through it.  For the jewelry-aholic,  take a vintage suitcase or hat box and convert the inside for dedicated jewelry storage.
Photo from Grains of Earth

Pouches and Sachets
If you're only traveling for a few days, a simple pouch will do the trick.  You can reuse the pouches your jewelry came in with your purchase or opt for a fold-over style.  These are small enough they can be tucked in a carry on or in your makeup bag without any problem.  The Left Bank Jewelry (who carries Monsieur Pamplemousse Jewelry!) sells these pretty Silk Bijoux Envelopes that can be embroidered with your initial - a great idea if you have multiple women in your household who don't want their jewelry confused.

No matter how your jewelry travels, make sure it's with love!  You want everything to arrive in one piece.  How do you tote your jewelry?

~Kirsten