It's pretty easy to sort through a closet or to clean out a makeup bag. But what about organizing a jewelry box? Clothes are pretty straightforward — take what still works for you and hang it up, take whatever doesn't work, and either donate it or sell it to a local vintage store. Makeup is much of the same — pick out whatever dated or old makeup you have, toss it in the garbage, and voliá, a brand new makeup bag emerges.

But jewelry is different. First off, jewelry doesn't age as quickly as most clothes do, or rather, jewelry doesn't date as quickly as clothes do. (Chances are the necklace you got for your Sweet Sixteen looksway less embarrassing than your actual Sweet Sixteen dress.) Moreover, jewelry usually comes with a significant price tag — as opposed to makeup, jewelry really isn't something that can easily get thrown away. Paired with a sentimental value that comes with a lot of bracelets, rings, and earrings, all of this makes cleaning out a jewelry box a much more cumbersome, or a least more complicated, task. After attempting to reorganize my own jewelry box (or really, various tupperware containers filled with jewelry), however, I realized that with a few basic guidelines, the task wasn't nearly as confusing. Here are four tips for organizing your jewelry.

Are you really going to wear that chunky bangle from the '80s high school dance? Do you really need all of those costume strands of pearls? Asking objective questions like these are the hardest, but most essentially part of cleaning out and reorganizing a jewelry collection. Going in with a decisive and determined mind is the best way to approach any attempt at cleaning, and jewelry proves no different.

It's important to remember that some jewelry may never make a comeback, that maybe your future granddaughter might not actually want to wear that beaded puka shell necklace from Claire's. Set aside anything with a vague sentimental value — I'm not suggesting you toss the ring your grandmother got you for your birthday, but rather that pair of earrings you got on the seventh (or was it the eighth?) grade field trip. If a piece of jewelry has been sitting at the bottom of a collection for a while, chances are it probably won't be worn anytime soon.

Jewelry is a beautiful thing, so why not make the most of it and organize it? It helps you find old pieces you thought you lost, repurpose items you aren't crazy about anymore, and feel like life is just a little bit less chaotic, which can never hurt.