My necklace collection used to fit neatly on top of my antique vanity. I preferred earrings and bracelets, so I didn't need much space for the few strands of beads in my life.

As my fondness for necklaces grew, however, so did the room required to store them. I moved most of the strands to a top drawer of the vanity, with some still spilled out above.

The collection kept growing. (Hey, I'm a Diva, right?) That drawer seemed to get smaller and smaller. The beads and charms and threads of gold and silver became a tangled mess. I knew the lack of organization was a bad way to care for my accessories, and it sure didn't make getting dressed in the morning any easier.

Enter my Sunday project. Inspired by a friend, I went to Target yesterday and purchased a simple set of plastic hooks for about $2. I stuck that sucker on the inside of my closet and draped the longest and lightest necklaces I own on each of the hooks. I left the chunkier, heavier necklaces in the drawer.

Voila! The clutter is gone! Organization is a beautiful thing!

Lessons learned:

1. Forget expensive jewelry boxes: All you need to organize your necklaces is a cheap tie or belt rack or plastic sticky hooks like the ones I bought. An added bonus: Having the goods inside your closet might help spark outfit ideas when you are getting dressed.

2. Shop your, er, jewelry closet: I found necklaces I forgot I had, stuck beneath the heap of their more regularly worn brethren. Suddenly, I'm feeling flush in options.

3. Don't procrastinate: I should have done this sooner. The whole project took less than 10 minutes. Now I'll have a better idea of what I still need, and don't need, when I start shopping for fall.

~ Deal Diva Colleen