Organize Your Life! Day 1: How to Organize Your Makeup

Step away from the Caboodle.

By Marina Lamanna· 2/24/2014, 3:06 p.m.

Pure brilliance, right?

Maybe it was the 72-hour stint of warm weather last week, but we here at Shoppist are ready for a little spring-cleaning. Each day this week, we’ll be compiling the best ways to organize your life. Trust us: Imagine how good it will feel to spring clean, before spring. Collective sigh of relief, everyone.

When your junior-high Caboodle just won’t cut it anymore and your beauty arsenal has overflowed onto every surface in your bathroom, it’s time for an organization revamp. We’ve compiled nine awesome methods to finally wrangle your makeup collection into good working order. Transition into spring with peace of mind and a spiffy new organization system to boot. Allelujah!

Consolidate Your Palettes.

You probably don't need individual palettes for all your eyeshadows and blushes. Maximize space by consolidating them using The Beauty Department's how-to for creating a super-palette. Z palette, $28 at Sephora. Photo via The Beauty Department.

Work Vertically.

When working with a medicine cabinet, don't forget to work vertically. Make that valuable space usable by attaching magnetic strips to mount eyelash curlers, hair ties, etc. Magnetic strip, $7.49 at Amazon. Photo via Martha Stewart.

Use All Available Surfaces.

This organizer may be intended for pens, but that's no reason you couldn't swap makeup brushes for pens and bobby pins for paper clips. Desk Organizer, $19.99 at Think Geek.

Have Everything Visible.

Rather than tossing nail polishes into a basket, utilize door space to mount an acrylic rack (tip: use a spice rack!) so polish is fully visible. This will make for easy picking next time you need a manicure in a dash. Spice rack, $17.99 at The Container Store. Photo via Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Get Creative!

Don't let your hair-styling tools take up precious counter space. Adhere PVC pipes to the inside of a cabinet so the tools can be tucked away until needed. PVC pipe, $14.35 at Home Depot. Photo via Pretty Please.

Repurpose Old Favorites.

If you adorn your perfume display with a pretty candle (see: this post), don't toss it once it's run its course; reuse it as a makeup brush holder. Diptyque candle, $60 at Diptyque. Photo via Maggie Rose.

Labels Are Your Friend.

Label the tops of nail polish bottles for quick selection. Tip: If the cap is black, try painting the inside of a punch reinforcement (you know, those circular stickers you put around hole-punched pages) and use that as the label. Punch reinforcements, $3.09 at Staples. Photo via Mr. Kate.

Visibility is Key.

It might seem smart to tidily stack your beauty essentials, but come morning you'll be digging around for your favorite lip gloss. Our solution: Take a cue from Arianna Huffington and keep everything visible by laying items flat. Photo via Into the Gloss.

Compartmentalize Your Drawers.

Let these Ikea drawer separators do the leg work. Categorize your beauty supplies by product and you'll never have to worry about picking up a concealer when you were looking for a lipstick. Basket insert, $3 at Ikea. Photo via Lip Glossiping.

Want more? Well, all right then….

READ THIS: How to Organize Your Shoes!

READ THIS: How to Organize Your Desk!

Organize Your Life! Day 1: How to Organize Your Makeup

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Consolidate Your Palettes.

Work Vertically.

Use All Available Surfaces.

Have Everything Visible.

Get Creative!

Repurpose Old Favorites.

Labels Are Your Friend.

Visibility is Key.

Compartmentalize Your Drawers.

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