There’s no better time than the New Year to take a fresh look at your jewelry collection. Are you storing it properly? Does any of it need to be repaired? What is on your wishlist for 2015?

Here are five ways to take a fresh look at your jewelry collection.


1. Take Stock
Many people take a look at their clothing and wardrobes in January but often forget to look at their accessories, including jewelry. The first thing to do is to find a good space and lay out your existing jewelry. Whether you have a small or large collection, doing an inventory will help you to rediscover pieces that you have not worn for a while and establish if any need to be mended or cleaned.

2. Match Clothes With Jewelry
A good idea to get the most out of your jewelry is to look at the clothes in your wardrobe and see which jewelry choices work with which outfits.  Some pieces will look better with casual clothes and some will work best for special occasions. It can be useful to take photos of your jewelry and clothes together and put them on the inside door of your wardrobe to remind you of what works best when you are preparing to go out.

3. Store it Where You Can See It
Have a rethink about how you store your jewelry. Store each piece separately so that it doesn’t scratch. Store it away from sunlight and when you have time, wipe it clean to remove any make up or skin oils. Keep it in a secure and safe place, but lay it out if possible so that it can be easily accessible and you can see exactly what you have.

4. Learn How to Clean your Jewelry
Always protect your jewelry from scratches, chemicals, sunlight and extreme temperatures. Remove it when performing tasks such as gardening or cleaning. Put on your makeup or hairspray before you put on your jewelry. Learn how to clean your jewelry properly. Silver and gold need to be cleaned in different ways and it can actually lead to tarnishing if you do not research the best way to take care of both materials.  

5. Write a Wish-List!
When doing your New Year edit of jewelry look realistically at what you have and decide if there are gaps – for example do you have a necklace that would look great with a particular pair of earrings? Is there a ring or bracelet that you have been hoping for, for many years? Write down what you would like to add to your collection and here’s hoping it will expand in 2015!