Beauty Editor’s letter: I Finally Organized My Makeup … And Can Breathe Again

Don’t you hate it when something’s been in the back of your mind since forever and it’s reeeeeally bugging you? It’s that one little task that seems so easy to bash out, yet you’ve been putting it off forever and the more time that passes, the more daunting the task appears. SUDDENLY, you get a gust of willpower and decide to tackle the issue at large, and before you know it, can function like a normal human being again.

Yeah, well, this exact sitch happened to me over the weekend. As you can imagine, my bathroom is always overflowing with new beauty products. I consider myself the Brad and Angelina of the cosmetics world – I adopt more kids (I mean… products) than I can usually handle, which has turned my bathroom into such a frenzied state lately, I’m surprised it hasn’t officially divorced me. But I knew when Saturday rolled around, it was finally time to face my fears.

Entering the bathroom was definitely something close to a horror scene: products were strewn about haphazardly, leaking tubes of ‘mascara, lipstick, and foundation stains all over the counter … #FML! But, utilizing all the motivation in the world, I got stuck into it and suddenly what seemed like a draining task actually became kinda’ fun. Once I’d finished culling, organizing, and prettying up my makeup babies, I could actually breathe again and now my bathroom’s looking pretty swanky at the moment *dusts gangster powder off shoulders*.

If you too have a mountain of beauty arsenal to sift through, here’s what to do to create an enviably organized makeup trove for yourself:

Cull, Cull, Cull

Anything you haven’t used in the past 2 months, you WILL NOT, I repeat, WILL NOT use. I give myself an 8-week deadline before I admit defeat and donate the product to a more appreciative owner. Anything else that’s old, smells a little funky, and probably expired — get rid of it! Once you’ve nailed down your stash to your few prized possessions, then it’s time to get cracking!

Get A Cake Tray Or Clear Storage Squares

Got loads of lipsticks? Get a couple of cake plates and lay down the lippies in sequential order. It’s the quickest way to set them up creatively while still being able to pick out the right color for yourself on any given day. Alternatively, you can whack them in some clear storage squares just like I have above.

Grab Your Nearest Empty Glass

I store all of my makeup brushes in a couple of French Provincial cups I picked up at a local homewares store, but you could use any old glass for this. Or better yet, store them in an empty candle holder, which will look Eau so pretty.

Invest In Clear Acrylic Drawers

If you’re a serious makeup hoarder and own more than a dozen bronzing palettes, powder compacts, and foundation bottles, then you might find it handy to store your loot in clear drawers. You can buy these from your local stationery or storage shop (Aussies, try Officeworks, Howard’s Storage World, or Ikea) and it’s a great way to categorize your cosmetics so they’re completely ordered. The best part is you can see right through to where everything is so you won’t need to trawl through a pile of makeup to hunt down the one item.

Buy Makeup Storage Trays

I can honestly say that I use SO much makeup during the week and especially on the weekends, so I need it to be on open display at all times. This acrylic tray from Howard’s Storage World has been a godsend. I’ve grouped the items together based on product type and the dividers help me differentiate between my highlighters and illuminators and so on. Genius!

Use Random Pretty Plates

If you’ve run out of ideas or storage places or simply want to mix things up a bit, get a few decorative plates and place your miscellaneous items on top. Fast, simple, and effective.

Use Big Fat Jars

Nail polish-holics (#me) need only reach for their nearest candy jar to store all of their favorite lacquers in. Word of warning: it can get a little tedious digging up a varnish that’s at the very bottom, so ensure you put any favorites near the top of the vessel.

Follow these steps, and I guarantee you’ll swipe off loads of time from your daily beauty routine AND you’ll actually get used out of your prods. Remember, organized life, organized mind!

How do you organize your makeup? Tell us in the comments below!