1. Shop the kitchen store
Outfit a vanity drawer with a cutlery tray or office drawer organizer. The divided compartments will keep blush separate from the bronzer, making it easier to find what you need when you need it. Plus, often made of plastic or metal, organizing trays are easy to wipe down when the makeup dust and drips pile up. Shop around at kitchen and office stores to find one that fits your drawer-trays are available in a wide array of sizes and depths.
2. Shop the hardware store
Increase your storage capacity with a set of countertop drawers, such as this 27-drawer Mastercraft Cabinet ($17) from Canadian Tire. Intended for storage of hardware items like screws, bolts and fasteners, the clear drawers allow you to see what’s inside, while adjustable dividers let you separate items within the drawers. If your makeup collection isn’t quite extensive enough to fill this 15″-tall unit, select a smaller set of drawers.
3. Buy a pro case
Envious of professional makeup artists with their slick aluminum cases? Pick up your own, like the Pari Beauty Makeup Case ($75) from Sears.ca. Purpose-made to fit a complete line of makeup, the durable, hardshell train cases feature extendable trays and lots of compartments for portable storage of your cosmetics.
4. Get creative with beans
Display your makeup brushes in a short, clear glass vase filled with coffee beans. Besides being an attractive option, the beans will keep the brushes upright, helping maintain them in good condition. Plus, every time you reach for a brush, you’ll get an invigorating whiff of java. If you prefer no scent, use dried beans, rice or a vase filler such as sand or marbles. Find inexpensive clear glass vases at dollar stores and florists.
5. Hang it
Get your makeup off the counter with the ASKER series hanging system by Ikea ($5-$19). Hooks, shelves and stoneware containers-all hung from a space-saving suspension rail-offer unlimited and rearrangable options to create a customized storage solution. Shown here housing craft supplies, the egg-like pods are ideal for sorting makeup by type and keep your beauty supplies within easy reach.
6. Stick it
Are you a visual type who needs to see what you have or it gets forgotten? Store your cosmetics in the open by creating a magnetic makeup board. Adhere magnets to the back of palettes, pots and compacts, then attach to a magnetic message board hung on the bathroom wall. Use a hot glue gun to secure magnets to makeup, or try sticky-backed magnetic sheets or tape (found at office supply and crafts stores), which can be cut to size.
7. Lay it out
If you have an expanse of counter space in your bathroom or dressing room, organize cosmetics in decorative trays, bowls, cups and other attractive containers. To create an appealing vignette that doesn’t look like a mish-mash, keep like products together and stick to vessels of similar materials or of one colour palette or style. For example, lay out eyeshadows on a silver tray, corral lip liners in a silver mint julep cup, and store lipsticks in an antique silver box.