One thing about makeup storage is that you may find what you need at your local Staples or Office Depot store. Traditional makeup storage items (Caboodles, train cases, etc) don't take into consideration how crucial it is to be able to see what you are looking for. When everything is dumped into a large case, you can't see what color or product you need and then you are forced to grab the first thing you can due to frustration.
I have found simple containers from office supply stores to be the most effective when organizing my collection. If you can use a pencil cup to hold pencils, why not hold eyeliners or lip pencils? If you can use an envelope sorter to organize envelopes, why not organize your palettes too?
Pictured above is what I store my makeup in. I found the 10-drawer rolling cart at Office Depot for $59.00. It's easy to assemble and is perfect for storing makeup, skincare products and other items. The drawers are long & shallow. Remember what I show you can be used not only for makeup but for bath gels, lotions, skincare products and much more.
Above is how I store my makeup brushes. All you do is fill any container with Color Fill (can be found in the floral section of any Michael's or craft store). You can also use rice or bean bag filler. I chose a clear container to make it more interesting but you can use anything you like. The Color Fill is usually used in floral displays but holds makeup brushes upright which prolongs the life of the brush.
In the picture on top is what I store my pencils in. I have eyeliners, lip liners and mascara all neatly tucked into a candle crock from Longaberger! Get creative and find vases, bowls and other items to store your makeup in. The picture at the bottom shows how I store my larger eyeshadow palettes. I use an envelope sorter to hold them upright which makes them easy for me to reach and it helps reduce any cracking in the eyeshadow pans.
The picture above is what I store in the top drawer. In this drawer I have sorted my lip glosses based on color. The basket to the left stores my brighter colors and the right basket stores my neutrals along with different kinds of chap stick. You will notice in this picture and in the ones below that I section each drawer using small baskets. You can find these baskets at your local dollar store for 3/$1!! They come in different sizes and colors.
In the second drawer I store lipstick. I have each basket holding a different color range. The top 3 baskets store my browns/earth tones, nudes and neutral shades. The bottom basket holds my brighter shades like pinks, purples and berries.
In the 3rd drawer I store an assortment of items. The top 3 baskets hold my eyelash curler, false eyelashes, extra brushes, extra mascara tubes and creme eyeliners. The bottom basket holds coral colored lipsticks, tweezers and concealer.
The fourth drawer gets the most use because I store all of my loose eye shadows there and my smaller eyeshadow palettes and quads. The large basket holds the smallest eye shadows and the basket on the right holds a lot of my Wet n Wild trios along with a few Ulta single eye shadows. In the front of the drawer I stash a few Clinique and Lancome palettes and my 8-pan Wet n Wild palettes.
The next drawer is my favorite. I store all of my blush and bronzers there. I have MAC mineralize skin finishers, MAC blushes, Cover Girl cheekers, NARS blushes, Cargo blush, Milani blushes, Laura Geller blush/bronzers and a lot more. I LOVE trying new blush colors and I think this drawer proves it!
The 6th drawer holds foundation, setting powders and some concealers. I also store extra eye makeup remover there.
The next drawer is my "whatever" drawer. Right now it holds magazine clippings of makeup looks that I like, extra makeup remover wipes and extra nail polish. I'm sure I'll fill it soon enough!
The next drawer holds hair ties, clips and hairbands. It even holds a scrunchie. Yes I admit it...I still own a scrunchie. I love them-they are perfect for holding back long hair while doing housework. I wont wear one outside the house of course but I secretly wish they would come back in style, lol!
The 9th drawer holds extra lotion bottles and my mirror. I have way too much lotion but I use it often and love trying new scents. Usually I will switch it up and what I am not currently using goes into this drawer.
The last drawer holds my curling irons, waver and my (can't live without it) Chi hair iron.
The key to makeup storage is to think outside the box. My old college roomie and I used to use mixing bowls to store our makeup, cotton balls, Q-tips, etc. We had different colored bowls and it looked adorable on the counter. You can also find baskets, vases, flower pots and even mini-plastic drawers that can hold items for you. Don't let the label on the item fool you; if your makeup will fit in it, then use it.
Currently I am not too creative when it comes to storing my nail polish. They sell polish racks on eBay (like the ones at your local nail salon) but my collection is not large enough for that yet, lol! I simply use a clear shoebox with a lid and store them under my bathroom sink. Glamorous? No. Functional? Yes!
The last storage idea I want to share is a cool product found at most stores. I found mine at Target. It's called Snapware. All you do is fill each tray with items of your choice, stack them together, snap the sides securely and snap on the lid. I have found that this product works wonders for holding my manicure items. I love to do my nails while watching TV, so all I do is fill it with what I need and carry it to the den. When I am ready to start, I take it apart and get what I need. It's fairly inexpensive and you could even use Snapware to hold your makeup collection because they come in many sizes. I use the smallest size.
Pictured above is my Snapware set taken apart to show what I store in each tray. I keep my cuticle oil, nail files, q-tips, lotion, cotton pads, tops coats and base coat inside.
Here is my Snapware set put together. You can see the lid has a handle which makes it perfect for toting around!
I hope I was able to share a few ideas about organization that may help you organize your own collection. Even if you don't own a lot of makeup, these ideas are perfect for accessories (jewelry, scarves), skincare products, first aid items and kids crafts. The 10 drawer system would be an awesome way to store computer/craft paper, markers and crayons too! Do you scrapbook? These ideas would work for you too. I scrapbook and Snapware is perfect for holding stickers and cutouts. The 10 drawer cart is awesome for holding card stock and loose photos too!
