The Edit — Accessories
How to Store Necklaces So They Don't Tangle
Fasten every clasp, give each chain its own space, and keep the box still. Why a loose chain knots within seconds, per 2 physicists who tumbled string 3,415 times, and 3 boxes that keep chains apart.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick.Research-led, nothing handled. We may earn from links; it never changes a pick. How we choose
This page sets out how to store necklaces so they don’t tangle, from what physicists found when they shook string in a box, then 3 boxes and rolls that keep chains apart, as How we choose describes. Nothing here was handled or tested.
Best for A big collection
Watch for Too big for a few pieces
Best for A mid-size collection
Watch for No lock
Best for Chains in a carry-on
Watch for Not for bulky cuffs
A loose chain that gets shaken knots itself
Movement ties the knots, not time. In 2007 Dorian Raymer and Douglas Smith, physicists at UC San Diego, dropped a string into a box and spun it, and complex knots often formed within seconds. Above a certain length, the chance of a knot rose sharply as the string got longer, and long, flexible strings knotted most of all. A fine chain in a drawer that opens and shuts every morning is that experiment, repeated daily.
Fasten the clasp before a necklace goes away
A fastened chain is a closed loop, so it has no loose end to thread through itself or through its neighbour: 2 free ends become 0. Do it every time, including for a chain going back in the box for a day. For a long or fine chain, fasten it and then lay it flat in its own space rather than coiling it into a heap.
Give every chain its own space
2 chains in one compartment can tangle around each other even with both clasps fastened. Spread them out: one chain per compartment, hook or sleeve. That is where a box with more layers earns its price. The Homde 5-layer box has large drawers and a lock, and owners say it has room for a big collection, so chains can lie apart rather than in a pile. Homde sells it as a 5-layer organizer.
Homde Large Jewelry Box for Women, 5-Layer Organizer with Lock
5 layers of large drawers with a lock, so chains can be spread out rather than piled up.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Layers | 5, per the listing |
|---|---|
| Lock | Yes |
5 layers of drawers: room enough to give every chain its own space.
Buy it if
- A collection big enough that chains end up piled together
Don't buy it if
- A small collection, which leaves most of it empty
For fewer pieces, the SONGMICS 4-layer box measures 8 x 9.1 x 6.5 inches, with 3 drawers under a glass lid. Owners call its compartments well laid out. SONGMICS gives it no lock.
SONGMICS Jewelry Box Organizer, 4-Layer with 3 Drawers, Glass Lid
4 layers and 3 drawers under a glass lid, 8 x 9.1 x 6.5 inches, with compartments owners call well laid out.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Layers | 4, with 3 drawers |
|---|---|
| Lid | Glass |
| Size | 8 x 9.1 x 6.5 in, per the listing |
4 layers and a glass lid, for a mid-size collection.
Buy it if
- A mid-sized collection its owner likes to see
Don't buy it if
- Anyone who wants a lock
A travel roll keeps chains still in a suitcase
A suitcase is the box in the 2007 experiment: hours of jostling with everything loose. A roll holds each piece in place. The BAGSMART roll folds into a carry-on, and owners say it keeps necklaces from tangling. BAGSMART suits chains, earrings and rings best; owners find bulky pieces fit it less well.
BAGSMART Travel Jewelry Organizer Case, Foldable Roll
A foldable roll that owners say keeps necklaces from tangling in a carry-on.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Type | Foldable travel roll |
|---|
A foldable roll for chains on the move.
Buy it if
- Chains and earrings for a week away
Don't buy it if
- Bulky pieces such as wide cuffs, which owners say suit it less
Storing silver away from air is a separate problem
Tangling and tarnish need different fixes. A closed box helps with both, but silver also needs to be kept dry and away from air, which the guide to storing jewelry to prevent tarnish covers. All 6 boxes are compared in the jewelry boxes guide.
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