My bathroom is organized now, but before, I was never able to find anything and it was one big, cluttered mess. The key to good organization can be summed up by the saying "a place for everything and everything in its place." Sometimes, once you get the right containers and everything has a home, it's easy to get organized — and stay that way.
Before I got it together and bought small clear boxes with separators, my cosmetics were jumbled together in a drawer, which was stressful and made it impossible to find what I was looking for.
So I made some measurements of my shelf in the bathroom and made my way to Muji to purchase containers that would fit perfectly. They had boxes with little drawers that were meant to be used as jewelry boxes, but I had other plans.
First I emptied my drawer and separated out my makeup by color, putting half into one mini drawer and the other half into the other.
The drawers are easier to find things in, and they can be pulled out entirely for easy access. It also gave me an opportunity to throw out anything that was out of date or that I no longer used.
Once the majority of my mess was cleaned up, I was able to see what else needed a new place. I dug out some decorative boxes I had in a junk drawer and found that they worked perfectly for housing some of the extra things I use less often but don't want to forget I have. Now that I have a place for everything, I can actually stay organized… provided I continue to put everything back in its place!
(Images: Liana Walker)
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Very nice!! I need to do this!
Personally, I don't care to have my make-up out but if you don't have enough storage, this a good Plan B. I use empty jelly, olive jars to store things.
Some of them are have nice designs to them once you've remove the lable and put them in the wash.
Nice!
I store mine in a bamboo silverware tray. I prefer to keep mine out because I'm lazy and probably wouldn't put them away anyway. I have room under my sink for the tray so I can put it away when guests come.
I use a mix of pyrex beakers and red and clear acrylic lidded boxes from the Container Store to organize the inside of my Robern medecine cabinet. Because of all the mirrored surfaces inside the cabinet, it's imperative that I keep the contents neat and organized. I love how it turned out.
This looks adorable! Ideally, though, for longest life, cosmetics don't get stored in the bathroom at all. I have mine out, too, but on my dresser top in my bedroom—I use Mason jars (my sister smashed a couple of my glass wire-top jar lids; these lidless jars are great for brushes), a beaker, and and a collection of little thrifted trays and bowls, mostly pewter.
PS: I used DiorShow for years, and it's real good, but YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils and Lancôme Hypnose Drama are both better, I think.
Hmmmm. I have one lipstick (seldom used), one mascara, one powder compact, one blusher, one brow pencil and one bottle of foundation. It all fits in one container in the drawer of my bathroom vanity. (Not a girly-girl, as you can see!) ;^)
Being a bit of a germophobe, I would be concerned with having the brushes out in the "elements" and then using them on my body...especially my face. *GASP*
But, it does look organized and pretty.
If I spent that kind of money on makeup I'd sure want it to look good too. (That's envy, not snark.) Since I'm pretty conservative with my makeup it fits into one smallish (but cute!) bag for everyday use and another small bag for special occasion stuff. You are smart to set up a system for yourself. I bet you'll be using the same one for years.
After I saw a wood brush holder on etsy, my totally awesome brother made me one for Christmas. He took a hunk of walnut, drilled holes in one side and then sanded everything smooth. My favorite brushes fit in perfectly, upright and not touching. They dry out really well when I clean them now as well. He sent me a few more pieces of the wood so I can make one for smaller implements and another for my fountain pens on my desk.
Looks great!
I use a porcelain "basket" from Anthropologie to stand up my foundation, shadows and mascara. I also have a clear shotglass from my college days that I use to stand up eyeliner and brushes.
I use a desk organizer from Homegoods! It's pretty enough to keep on my dresser and all the cubbies hold different types of make up - one for everyday, one for lips, eyes, face...
I spy three Ladurée boxes in the top left! I use mine to hold bobby pins and nail polish.
I don't have nearly this much make-up, but being a like-with-like organizer, I do have it categorized. I've used ginger jars purchased in San Francisco's Chinatown and wooden saki cups collected from restaurants for my containers.
This looks so pretty and organized! And almost makes me want to simplify my make-up but I love variety too much. The only make-up products I keep out are my brushes and pencils organized in 8 magnetic cups on a magnet board (from IKEA, an office organizer). The rest of my make-up I store in the linen closet and pull out every morning.
But my best organizing secret is my lipsticks - stored in shotgun shell boxes. Turns out many lipsticks are just about the same size as a 12 gauge shotgun shell and they sell 25 shell boxes that are perfect for organizing and storing lipsticks. Like these: http://www.opticsplanet.com/mtm-shotshell-box-25-round.html
The Muji boxes are the BEST for this. They look great, are durable, stackable, and affordable:
http://www.muji.us/store/storage/pp-boxes.html
I keep my makeup in clear acrylic trays from Bed, Bath & Beyond in the spacious drawer of my vanity. I think it's barbaric to have to lean over a sink to apply makeup. Don't say you don't have the space, either. I've seen small vanities worked into travel trailers. There's always room for good grooming, sweeties!
I was just thinking about how to organize my cosmetics this morning! Great ideas here. Thanks so much!
I recently cleaned out the cosmetics pile and was shocked by how much I had. Over 30 lipsticks to begin with. I ended up using the glass jars from candles I'd burnt throuh as storage containers. I just soaked them in warm water first to get rid of residue wax. Because they're nice big ones I could divide up all my lip products, eye brushes, pencils and mascaras, nail care products, etc between them. It looks so tidy and so visible in the cupboard now.
This does look nice and tidy but speaking as a visitor to a home, seeing someone's makeup or other toiletries on display is off-putting. Maybe its because plain jane old me has never bothered with it, but I would rather see everything concealed in some kind of box. Makeup is too personal for everyone to see.
Maybe this is a master bathroom and there's another bathroom for guests.
I don't see why it's such a problem to keep makeup brushes out in the open. Aren't most tooth brush holders out in the open? I keep my brushes out in a cute mug and I've never had a problem. I think your system looks great! :)
I do not understand how make up is too personal for everyone to see.
I used to have a vanity and I loved having most of my stuff organized on the tabletop, looking pretty and displayed.
I have honestly never even heard of anyone saying that make up is too personal to see.
I think that it's quite interesting when I go to a friend's place and see their make up and perhaps notice something I haven't tried & I can ask them about it or I see their perfumes lined up.
I'd say it's more impersonal and private if you're visiting someone you've met only one.. but then again you'd probably not be in their master bathroom or wherever they display their make up and toiletries.
Lucky you! Do you have a photo of this wonderful present? My brother could do it for me, but if I've a model it would be easier for him.
Wow, that's a lot of make-up!! Good organization.
@mardete here's a drill hole brush holder that's ready-made on etsy, but if you google all those words together, you'll probably find some instructables (like best way to measure holes?). I've been hanging on to a nice scrap piece of 2x4 cedar for when I get around to it.
@mardete http://www.etsy.com/listing/94523679/handmade-wooden-makeup-brush-holder
OMG! I have the same clear containers for my make up (are they MUJI?) and they are great. However, my shelves still don't look as nice as yours as my husband has a pile of nasty shaving paraphenalia on there too :(
Am thinking of getting him a big MUJI box of his own ;)
The organization is wonderful, however you shouldn't leave your makeup in the bathroom! You should invest in a vanity table and store your makeup there instead. Steam from the soap, and everything that goes on in the bathroom encourages bacteria growth and that means your products don't last as long. And I see you've got some good quality Chanel, Dior, Mac, and some solid Nyx lippie and mascara. Take good care of it all!
That tip about the shotgun shell box for lipstick is a funny one! I've just been storing my makeup in little pull out Tupperware drawers with pretty paper cut to fit inside the front.
Looks very pretty but my concern would be the excess powder that would eventually build up on things and it won't look so fresh- without routine cleaning.
While I don't store my makeup (or brushes) in my bathroom, I could see how this would be a wonderful idea for storing small items that you often use.