I have a worse problem with jewelry then I do my earbuds.
Like necklaces for example, I use to put them neatly in a small drawer that like never moved, yet when I went to get a necklace they would all be fucking tied together for some reason. So I learned to hang them up on my bed post, they still get tangled, but not as bad. Nothings worse then when you have like 5 different necklaces all tangled together. Happens a lot when I travel and have them all in a small pocket in my suitcase.
As for my earbuds, there is never really a time were I put them in my pockets, I usually put them under my shirt and put them in my ear, and when I am not wearing them I just take them out to hang on my collar. When I get home I put them down somewhere neatly. Yet they still manage to get tangled once in awhile. Weird.