The Vintage Item At The Thrift Store You Can Upcycle For Organized Jewelry Storage

Your jewelry collection deserves the utmost care — and the best way to protect your rings, earrings, and necklaces from tarnishing is to keep them in jewelry boxes stored in a cool, dry place, away from open air, humidity, and moisture. Keeping all your jewelry organized doesn't necessarily require storage solutions that break the bank, though. A vintage item lying around at your local thrift store may be the jewelry storage solution you've been looking for. Cigar boxes can be upcycled to organize your jewelry while adding a touch of character to your dresser or vanity.

Cigar boxes are usually made from cedar plywood or mahogany, with their interiors lined with velvet or silk-covered cushions. However, the cigar box you pick up at a thrift store may have worn-out fabric and cushions, or none at all, due to wear and tear and years of use. In any case, you can still try this creative way to repurpose a cigar box with just a few craft materials.

First, gather materials to customize your thrifted cigar box. Get some fabric fit for safely storing jewelry, such as velvet or silk. To organize the interior layout, use thin wooden dowels around 0.4 inches wide or even some popsicle sticks as dividers. Lastly, you will need some scissors and adhesive, such as a glue gun or an industrial-strength glue, to assemble your new jewelry box.

Clean the box thoroughly and cut the wooden dowels or popsicle sticks so they are long enough to fit across the box. Before attaching the dividers, line the base of the cigar box and cover your wooden dowels with your chosen fabric to provide soft padding and prevent surface scratching. Once done, you can arrange the sticks into rows that can neatly separate jewelry pieces, or divide a few sections into different-sized compartments should you choose to store a variety of jewelry.

Once you're done assembling the interior, add a few more personal touches to your jewelry box. Embrace the vintage maximalist decor aesthetic and adorn it with fabrics like lace or attach trinkets like brooches, pins, or craft jewels. Adding a mirror inside the lid can add more function to your repurposed cigar box, creating a small vanity you can look into as you try on jewelry.