Tied Up In Knots

Hey there friends! 

Today I want to share my secrets on how to tackle one of the most common jewellery grievances - tangled, knotted jewellery. While a mess of earrings and necklaces in your jewellery box is one thing, trying to un-knot a delicate chain is another headache all together! Despite my own efforts to be careful with my designs, I still find myself faced with an "impossible knot" more often than I'd care to share.

Recently, I thought it would be a good idea to put not two, but four delicate necklaces that I had made, into the same bag -- just for the short-term. Of course, when I went to find them their own homes, they had somehow migrated into one giant, tangled mess - those suckers really have lives of their own, I tell ya! That problem solved itself after about 30 minutes and two sets of hands - both mine and the boyfriend's - in what devolved into a very special form of couple's therapy. Truly - if you want to test your relationship's patience, try doing something really pain-staking and tedious together. But anyways, I digress, and luckily, my guy is far more even-keeled than I am.

While there isn't a magic bullet that will solve all of your jewellery knot woes, here are a few of my own secrets, to ensure both your sanity - and of course, jewellery - remains unscathed, the next time your jewellery ends up in knots:

1.) Don't start when you're rushed. I know, I know - you reaaaallly wanted to wear that necklace to the dinner party you're due at in five minutes, but trust me - unless it's a simple job - you will work much more efficiently when you're not pressed for time.

2.) Easy does it. Despite the temptation to just tear the sucker apart, you are much less likely to damage your jewellery if you're careful not to pull or tug at the knot.

3.) Mind over matter. Yes, this will make me sound like a mother telling her kids that loading the dishwasher is a game, but think of untangling chain like solving a puzzle. There is a solution, as impossible as it may seem - it's sometimes just a matter of patience, and thinking through the problem a bit before just aimlessly going to town.

4.) The Pin Trick. This is my favorite of the bunch! If you have a super tricky knot that you can't un-work with your fingers alone, take a safety pin, or stick pin, and gently push it through the center of the knot. Be careful not to accidentally put the pin into a link in the chain, but rather, the knot itself. Then, gently wiggle the pin until you can create a big enough gap in the knot to pull it apart.

5.) Take a breather.  If all else fails, walk away, my friend. There's really no need to curse and stomp your feet over this one. Ask someone else to take a go at the knot, or go back to it when you're feeling fresh.

Finally, to hopefully reduce the number of horrible-tangled-knotted-messes in future, here are a few preventative tips:

1.) Store items separately from one another, either in different jewellery box compartments, or tiny plastic bags (psst! check out my post here on another reason why plastic bags are great for jewellery!)

2.) Never throw items haphazardly in your purse or bag. If you remove items at the gym or on the go, assign them their own pocket, or safe space.

3.) If you must leave your jewels out on a dresser or nightstand, lay them out nicely rather than dropping them in a pile. That way when you go to put them back on, you can be sure they won't be tangled up. 

Do you have any tricks for untangling jewellery or keeping your jewellery stored safely? Leave a comment below and tell me your tips - I'd love to hear them!