It is all too easy for the links of a jewelry chain to become tangled. Even a necklace stored alone can tangle with itself. Pulling and tugging the chain, as you attempt to untangle it, weakens the metal, and the friction of rubbing against itself diminishes the necklace's luster. There are several techniques you can employ when storing your necklaces to ensure they remain orderly and tangle-free. The best method for you is the combination of techniques that you can execute easily, effectively and routinely.

Store necklaces individually in the compartments of a sectioned tray. Use fabric-lined trays or lay pieces of velvet in the bottom of each compartment to protect the chain's surface. Avoid shifting the tray frequently or forcefully, which might cause a fine chain to tangle with itself.

Create your own compartmentalized storage system with decorative dishes like teacups, saucers or finger bowls. Arrange the dishes on an open surface to decorate your bedroom in addition to organizing your necklaces, or keep the dishes in a drawer. Place one necklace in each dish.

Hang necklaces on the horizontal rod of a T-shaped jewelry tree. Leave space between necklaces to avoid entanglement.

Hang necklaces on a wall-mounted or stand organizer that has an individual hook for each necklace. Hanging a necklace keeps the chain straight so it cannot tangle with itself. While jewelry trees offer this advantage, too, they do not offer you the ability to keep necklaces separate. Space decorative pins across a bulletin board or shadowbox to create your own mounted organizer with individual hooks.

Store chains in rigid, fabric necklace boxes. The cloth-lined boxes in which jewelers sell necklaces are ideal for home storage because they feature loops or slits that hold a chain in place.

Store necklaces in a travel jewelry case or roll which features the same loops and slits that secure necklaces in individual boxes. Arrange chained necklaces next to pieces of jewelry with which they are less likely to become tangled, like bangles or disc earrings.

Cut a piece of card stock or cardboard relative to the size of the necklace you need to store. Short, fine-chained pendants require a matchbook-sized piece; larger necklaces may require a piece the size of playing cards. Wrap the chain around the card to keep it organized. Place the necklace card in a velvet jewelry pouch. Use zipped, plastic bags if you do not have jewelry pouches.