Packing Your Holiday Jewellery – Part 2

We have more excellent ideas and advice for packing jewellery for your holiday.  A very simple way to make this process easier is to edit what you're going to take.  As you start to pack your jewellery you may start to wonder whether it's worth taking these steps to protect your jewellery if it is taking ages.  That's a clear sign that you are taking more than you need to, so do make sure that the pieces you take are going to be worn.  Jewellery might not take up lots of space in your carry-on bag, but you don't need to take your entire collection away with you.  Two necklaces, maybe three, are the most you need to take.  You don't need to change your earrings every day, so take a few pairs that are versatile and will work in any situation.  The same advice goes for bangles, bracelets and rings.  If you're struggling to pick the key pieces, try working on the basis of outfits – if the jewellery you're packing goes really well with clothes you're not taking then leave the bling at home too. 

You can use all sorts of items from around the home to keep your jewellery safe and well organised when you travel – disposable coffee cups and Styrofoam food boxes are great for keeping earrings safe – just stick the French wire or stud back through the cup and put the backing on to keep them secure.  Big buttons are also great for pairing stud earrings and keeping the backs safe – it is worth taking a couple of spare butterfly backs with you in case you lose one while you're away.  Corks, business cards and even toilet roll tubes can also be repurposed for earring storage.  When you buy an item of clothing with buttons you'll get a small bag with a spare button, so save these bags to separate items of jewellery inside a larger container – this works really well for earrings and rings which you can then store inside a tin or case.

It is best not to take items you can't bear losing, but when you really, really want to take a piece on holiday, perhaps for sentimental reasons, make sure it is covered by your insurance and ideally, wear it while you are in transit.  If you're wearing it then it can't be stolen from your bag or suitcase; make sure that you can keep the item locked in a safe at your destination, to keep it safe when you are not wearing it.

Be aware of the detrimental impact of sun cream, strong sunlight and sand on your jewellery, and never wear precious items to the beach, as this is one of the easiest places to damage jewellery from the abrasive sand or pebbles, seawater and sun cream or tanning oil.  Clean any jewellery you do wear to the beach thoroughly before storing it away, as some chemicals can really ruin delicate pieces.

Our final tip is to make a list (or take a flat-lay photograph) of all the jewellery you are taking with you (including the pieces you intend to wear for the journey), so that you have a record of everything you took; when you pack up to come home you can check off the items as you pack them to ensure you don't leave anything behind.  Jewellery items can easily slip down the back of furniture or hide in the corners of a drawer, so having this reference means you won't overlook anything.  As a bonus, if your jewellery is stolen on holiday you will have a photographic record of what has been taken.