I Spy: Super Charming Ideas for Organizing Your Accessories

What you see on the right is the current state of my dresser. It isn’t lined with lotions, perfumes, cosmetics, and grooming gear, like a normal person’s would be. No, all that necessary stuff has been relegated to my bathroom, rounded up in a vanity basket, or moved into one closet or another. And I think we all know the reason why…

My dresser is occupied territory, a space that has been claimed and conquered over the years by an ever-growing army of accessories.

Don’t get me started on these things. I’m a fool for any statement piece that will spice up my basic black wardrobe with minimal effort. I’d never call myself as an impulse shopper—I’m too much of a frugalista to spend money without agonizing over it first. But, in full disclosure, there’s been many a time when a bold, beautiful, affordable necklace got the best of me.

That’s how I ended up with a hoard of abubuts and a sadly overrun dresser (I haven’t even shown you what I’ve tucked away in the drawers.).

As you can see, I’ve devised a neat enough infrastructure of boxes, trays, and inverted lids to accommodate my collection. Every container (or anything with container potential) counts—for instance, I’ll splay open a jewelry case just to pile more pieces on the overturned cover! The only “legitimate” accessory stand I have is this wire earring frame that a BFF gave me in college. The rest, as they say, is improv.

This crossed my mind last week as I was glued to my new obsession: Pinterest. Yes, yes, I realize I’m lagging behind the rest of the planet. “Welcome to 2012,” said my clever brother when I confessed my addiction—but better late than never, right?

Anyway, my inability to log off Pinterest for hours on end has acquainted me with a fresh crop of ideas—specifically, how to get my accessories in order. Like me, girls all over the globe worked with what they had to arrange their accoutrements—they just did it with more panache (and posted pics to prove it).

Lesson learned? The Net knows best.

Check out some of the cutest, chicest, most creative solutions I came across. I dare say they’re worth a quiet weekend of arts and crafts, especially in this stay-at-home weather!

(Photo by Stephanie Castillo)