How to Keep Necklaces from Tangling: A Guide to Layered Necklaces

January 8th, 2024 / Alese Oldenburg

We’ve all been there—you have a necklace that you cherish and wear whenever it strikes your fancy, yet every time you go to put it on you have to untangle the piece. It’s a problem we’ve all faced, and it can be particularly frustrating trying to detangle your fine jewelry constantly. But alas, there’s a way you can prevent long necklace chains from tangling!

When it comes to jewelry that contains chains—especially those crafted from fine metals—it takes a mixture of knowing how to store your jewelry along with knowing how to properly untangle your jewelry while wearing it to ensure you don’t permanently damage the piece. In this article, we will go over both of these topics as well as give you tangible tips for how to keep necklaces from tangling so they can remain stunning forever.

Tips To Keep Necklaces From Tangling

Whether you’re traveling or merely wondering how to keep your delicate necklace from tangling on a day-to-day basis, preventing tangles isn’t as hard as you may think. However, keeping your jewelry tangle-free will take a bit of planning beforehand as well as taking measures while actually wearing your necklaces.

When it comes to how to prevent necklaces from tangling, it’s important you use a jewelry box or designated spot to keep everything in. This will prevent your jewelry from getting damaged by everyday products in your purse or dresser. It can help to hang your necklaces on a hook to ensure the chain doesn’t touch, though it’s not required. You can even use a small dish or tray lying around the house to store necklaces and your jewelry if you don’t feel like investing in a brand-new jewelry organizer or necklace spacer. Once you have found the right spot to put your jewelry after a day of dazzling, you can move on to ways to prevent all of your favorite jewelry items from tangling with one another.

There are plenty of tricks to prevent longer necklace chains from tangling with smaller jewelry pieces. Here are some easy tips:

• If you have a straw or toilet paper roll lying around the house, you can use that to prevent tangles. Simply thread one end of your necklace through the hole until the clasp pops out the other end. Secure your necklace clasp and, bam, your necklace will be ready to wear the next time you feel like accessorizing.
• If you don’t happen to have something of that nature, you can also use plastic wrap to construct a similar method. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap the size of your necklace from clasp to opposite end. Then, place your necklace on the edge of the plastic and begin rolling it. Once it’s wrapped up, you can either store it as so or bend it and secure your clasp to take up less space.
• Lastly, you can use a sandwich bag or jewelry drawstring bag to store your necklaces in. Be sure to wrap each necklace in tissue paper or paper towel to keep them tangle-free and store each item in a separate bag.

Styling Layered Necklaces

You know how to properly store your necklaces now, but how do you style layered necklaces without them tangling together while wearing them? Layering necklaces often consist of short chains the size of chokers to long necklaces that hang loose. There’s nothing worse than constantly having to fidget with your necklaces throughout the day, so knowing how to prevent this is key before trying to nail this concept of layering.

One of the most effective tactics to keep your layered necklaces from tangling is wearing a necklace spacer. A spacer is a small metal rod that contains holes to thread each of your necklaces through and connects at the clasp. It works by leaving a small space between each of your necklaces which keeps the chains from touching. If you don’t have one or don’t feel like purchasing one, you can always try these easy tips:

• Wear multiple necklaces of different lengths. The bigger the difference in length, the less likely it is your necklace chains will end up meeting and forming a tangled mess. Pairing a shorter necklace with a long one will let you achieve the layered look without having to worry about visible tangles.
• Wear different types of necklaces. While gold and silver chains tend to be thinner and easier to get tangled together, layering necklaces adorned with pearls and gemstones are harder to get tangled.

Spacing your layered lookout with one of these types of chain necklaces in the middle will help prevent your metal chains from tangling. Plus, once you understand pearl symbolism or the meaning behind each gemstone, it may make wearing that necklace even more special.

Untangle a Layered Necklace

When it comes to untangling a metal necklace chain, you need to be careful to ensure you don’t damage or break it altogether. There are a couple of different options you can try when looking to safely untangle a layered necklace.

• Try oil. Apply baby oil or any oil you have around the house that won’t erode the metal and dab the chain knot with an oil-soaked cotton swab. Massage the knot until you feel it loosen slightly and then pull any loose chain ends gently. Once the knot is untangled, you can wash the oil off with mild soap and water.
• Use a pin. Insert a safety pin into the center of the knot and gently pull up to loosen the chain. Continue doing this until the knot is loose enough to pull with your fingers. You can also use the oil method in conjunction with a pin for quicker results.
• Baby powder. Believe it or not, baby powder works as a lubricant. Coat the knot with the powder—keep in mind it might get a little messy—and massage the chain until it starts to loosen and you can grab loose ends with your fingers.

Now that you know how to wear layered necklaces without worrying about the chains tangling and how to properly untangle your expensive necklaces without damaging them, you can adorn yourself with the necklace look you want every day.

*Here at Diamond Nexus, we strive to provide valuable information while being clear and honest about our products. The Nexus Diamond™ alternative is a patented lab created diamond simulate that, among all simulants, most closely imitates the look, weight and wear of a diamond, with two exceptions – it is absolutely perfect in every way, and it costs significantly less. Price points and environmental facts expressed in this blog were taken from popular online retailers and may vary. Learn more about the environmental impact of mining by visiting our blog.