03.13.2018

How To Organize Your Beauty Products

Because I started my blog in 2006 and I’ve reached my capacity for hoarding beauty products…

When I moved into my West Hollywood apartment in June 2016 I knew I needed to make some changes when it comes to the way I keep beauty products around.  In a perfect world, I’d have an office and a beauty closer. Here, I could have a few shelves or even a separate room! However, alas, a one bedroom apartment can be tough when you get 20 boxes of stuff sent to you every week. And I don’t mean to complain, obviously, but ever since I started working from home (in 2013) I’ve felt the need, hell- the necessity, for a peaceful home environment. What does that mean? A quiet space where I’m not sitting next to bottles of foundation or stepping on a Beauty Blander every time I walk into a different room (though the Beauty Blender IS my cat Gemma’s favorite toy, haha).

How To Organize Your Beauty Products

After coming across Life In Jeneral on Instagram, I knew I had to ask her for help.  I knew Jen and her team would be able to help me come up with a system that not only looks and feels better, but one that will actually last forever. It’s Jen’s main goal when working with clients.  We had a quick call where I explained why I have more products than a small Sephora. So, she sent over one of her people to take some “before” shots. She also did some measuring so they could start shopping for what I needed.

A week or so later, my apartment was filled with four lovely women. Bless these women as they took out every single beauty product I owned. Then they categorized it and organized it.  Two days later, we had the below finished results and I could NOT be happier.  Aside from obviously helping me organize my beauty life, I really love and appreciate how Jen’s team totally gets that it’s hard to throw stuff away. I tried to pretend that I’m Marie Kondo for the time they were here which was definitely challenging. However, I’m honestly just so, so happy I made the time and money investment to get my life together. Especially organizing my beauty products. 🙂

P.S. If you’re not already following Jen on Instagram, definitely follow because her Stories are what we like to call “organization porn.”

BEAUTY CLOSET

BEFORE: You might not believe this, but there actually is some order to my madness here, haha.  Top shelf was hair, nail stuff and mascara in the black and white basket.  Middle shelf was SPF, skincare and hair spray.  Bottom shelf was miscellaneous/products to gift friends/donate.

AFTER: Jen and the team got a ton of shoe and sweater drawers (the drawers slide out) at The Container Store and then organized each drawer by all the different beauty categories.

BEFORE: The bottom cabinet was all my personal use products like first aid, Q-Tips, tampons, etc.

AFTER: As the team said, it was like this ELFA cabinet was made to fit perfectly inside my cabinet!

This might actually be my favorite drawer; no more tangled hair tools intertwined with my brushes and bobbi pins, etc.

BATHROOM

BEFORE: My bathroom was fully renovated right before I moved in, which I LOVE, but the tiny glass ledge is totally non-functional.

AFTER: The team was totally cool with my still having VIP items (i.e. items I 100% use every day like my toothbrush, moisturizer, etc.) on the ledge. Everything else went into the cabinet below or in the beauty closet.

My makeup is now directly below the glass ledge 0n top of this little white cabinet I found on Amazon.  It’s not fancy but the space between my sink and toilet is small and this one fit perfectly!

The top drawer of the bathroom cabinet is for more things I use every day: toothpaste, my retainer, cotton balls, Q-Tips, deodorant, dental floss, etc.

And then in the drawers below I have the hair products I use often, along with my daily vitamins, mouth wash (I’m in love with this Oral Essentials Mouthwash, btw).

So, another thing we had to do was figure out what to do with my cats’ litter box. I originally had it where the new white cabinet went. It was in between the sink and toilet. However, my cat, Gemma, is a messy litter box user. Also, I was getting sick of stepping on the litter she would constantly kick out. #catladyproblems

Since my apartment was built in 1953 the shower is actually separate from the bath tub. This is typical for that time period. Lucky for me, when they did the bathroom remodel they actually added a shower to the bathtub!   Funny enough, when I first moved in, my friend Elyse actually suggested that I put the litter box in the shower stall. However, I was all “nooo, having two showers is so luxurious!”  A year later, and many days stepping on cat litter later, I caved.

We also had a few beauty categories that didn’t fit into the beauty closet. So, we used the top of the litter box as a way to house just a few more drawers. I put my SPF, nail polish, bath products and a few other odds and ends like nail clippers and tweezers here.

LIVING ROOM

BEFORE: I used the top drawer of my living room cabinet to house beauty products sent to me by PR agencies and brands to potentially blog about.  It seemed like such a smart idea when I started doing this. However, the drawer very quickly got out of control…

AFTER: The team added in some great little clear organizers so that I can clearly see what’s IN the drawer and easily pull it for shoots (SO key).

What do you guys think?! Are you as obsessed as I am?

All “after” photos by Michelle Kyle Photography