Makeup is expensive. When I declutter makeup, I can easily find what I'm looking for and I can keep better control of what I spend on new things. I won't end up buying duplicates either, which can really cut into my budget. It's not a fast and easy task to declutter makeup, especially if you have a huge makeup collection. This organization and decluttering method work for me and it should work for you too. Just take your time and have fun with it!
Step #1 Dump It All Out No, don't throw it all away -yet. Dump your whole, unorganized makeup collection on the floor or a table and then separate it into groups of like items. Sometimes it's easier to do your sorting in another room so you don't get distracted. Make sure you're working on a clean surface and a surface that can be wiped easily in case you have any makeup containers that spill or leak.
Step #2 Focus Focus on one area or one product group at a time. Make a pile for each group so you can see what you have and what you'll need to do to organize it.
Step #3 Start Downsizing Some makeup brands may be expensive, so you might be hesitant about throwing it away. But, if you haven't used it in years, it may not be good anymore anyway. Or, maybe you bought something for a special occasion and only for that occasion and now it just sits in a drawer. Why keep it? If the makeup you have is still good, you can donate your items to your local women's shelter or other charity organizations instead of throwing it away. Always check the expiration date on anything you plan to keep or plan to get rid of. You don't want to keep or donate items that are past their expiration date. Those you should just throw away.
Easy Way to Tell if You Should Keep It or Toss It
Beyond the expiration dates, if the products have a funky or stale smell to them, get rid of them. After that, ask yourself a few questions about what you have. One of the first things to ask is if you have duplicate items. It's easy to forget that you already have something and buy another one. If it's something you use frequently, keep it. But if you only use it once every few months or on special occasions, you can give it away or donate it. When was the last time I used it? If it's been six months or longer since I used that particular eye shadow, lip color, etc., it's time to get rid of it. It's only taking up space. Have I outgrown this style? Maybe you were into loud and sparkly colors once but not anymore, so you can get rid of those things. Is this something I would even buy today or tomorrow? If you say no, out it goes.
Oh, Those Makeup Palettes
They're everywhere and usually, when I bought them, I'd only use one or two colors out of the four or five or six in the palette. If you have some of those old palettes, you can pull out only the colors you like and make your own customized palette. You can have a separate palette for eyeshadows and blushes or you can combine them into one palette. FIXY is a great kit for making one custom palette out of several when you don't use all of the colors anyway. Getting rid of several palettes that only have one or two colors you like is a great way to start to declutter makeup. Want to see how it's done? Check out this video on how to depot your makeup.Do some of your paletts look a bit dirty? Check out this cool trick.
What If You Have Broken Makeup?
If your favorite makeup is shattered, you can use FIXY to empty and repress your broken makeup and into a new tin. You can save money by fixing broken makeup instead of buying a new replacement.
How To Update Your Cosmetics Storage
Once you have everything sorted and downsized, it's time to decide how you're going to store it all so it's easy to access and easy to see what you have and where it is. First, you need to consider your budget, time and creativity.
Do you want a do-it-yourself project or can you go out and buy some organizing items?
DIY Makeup Storage and Makeup Organization
If you're like me, DIY is the way to go. I can buy items from flea markets or repurpose things I have around the house that I might otherwise throw out. For example, I save empty tissue boxes and empty toilet paper rolls to help with organizing my office. You can decorate the tissue box and toilet paper rolls. Place the rolls on end inside of the box and you have a handy organizer for some of your makeup items. Here are some other creative ideas that won't cost a lot, if anything, especially if you already have these things around the house and no longer need them.
Old Plant Pots. You can design separate hanging holders for makeup brushes, mascara, and eyeliner, lipstick anything that's a little on the tall or long side.
Old Candle Jars. Once you clean out the old wax, add some adhesive or glue and place them on their sides, next to each other and on top of each other to form a pyramid. Then you can easily grab one of the items you need and since they're clear, you can see what's in there and how much you have.
Low-Cost Organization Ideas
There are also low-cost organizers you can buy from Walmart, Target, Amazon, IKEA or even your local Goodwill outlet. Some of these ideas require a little extra space, but they'll clear out a desk or vanity to make it look neater.
Space Saving Shoe Hanging Makeup Organizer: These are the plastic organizers where you place on pair of shoes in each pocket. It hangs from a closet door or you can hang it on a wall near where you do your makeup.
Stacking plastic bins with Label the Fronts of the Drawers: Devote each bin to a specific group of makeup and label the drawers.
Rolling Cart with Bins: If you visit a salon often, you've probably seen the stylists rolling their bins around. You can use these bins to separate and organize your makeup too.
Now that your makeup is organized why not consider taking it a step further by creating a professional makeup station. Building a glam room around your passion for makeup is truly the best way to level up your makeup game.
