Tackle That Cosmetics Nightmare

Ugh! Chaos

After my third trip to the store to buy razors of all things, something I just knew I had but couldn't find, I finally decided I've had enough.


You need only open the door to my linen closet to see why I couldn't find anything.  That is unless I wanted to take everything out, look in every bin and drawer, and throw my hands up in frustration as the linen closet sneered and giggled at me.  So, enough is enough.  Time to gut the beast.  I challenge you to do the same.  Stop wringing your hands with anxiety.  We'll get through this together.  If I'm willing to take on this disaster, you can too. Let's do it!

Step 1
Everything out.  I mean everything.  But, where am I going to put all this stuff?  I don't have that kind of counter space, you say.  Mop that bathroom floor, because that's where it's all going.  You need to look at it all at the same time to know where things need to go.  Plus then you'll know just how bad it really is.  I'm am banning myself from Ulta for 3 months, at least.

Yes I know I have a cosmetic addiction.

But now where do I start.  Stuff is everywhere!  It's okay.  We'll start with something simple.

Step 2
I have items I use everyday and they always end up sitting on the shelf in front of the bins that store other things I sometimes need.  Now, they've accumulated there because I've been pulling them out of the bins and using them more than I thought I would and then not putting them back in the bin I pulled them out of that morning.  I mean, who has that kind of time?  Am I right?  Simple solution.  Portable basket.  I fill it with the things I use daily and it will go in the front.  Easy to put on the counter in the morning, use things from, refill and put back.

Feels better already

Step 3
Remember what set this all of in the first place?  Those darn razors I didn't know I had.  Found them.  Same goes for q-tips, cotton pads, make-up sponges and other things I go through quickly.  This will be basket number two.  I also put it under the sink so it's easy to access.  Plus hubby isn't asking if we have anymore q-tips or toothpaste.  This is very handy for Costco addicts who have to buy multi-everything.

Now I just check here before I run to the store.

Step 4
Grab another bin.  This one will hold all those other hair products you rotate through along with your curling irons, flat irons and headbands.  Do this again for all those lotions, sunscreens and face creams that seem to pile up in the cabinet.  Discard anything that has gotten funky along the way.  You know what I'm talking about.  Dried up, Crusty, expired, broken lidded, and nasty.  I don't care if it's half full.  If it makes you wrinkle your nose when you pick it up, throw it away.  You probably have something you like better in there anyway or that one would have been used up long ago.  Found a lid to a hairspray bottle but can't find it's mate?  Toss it.  That eye cream that didn't do a darn thing?  Toss it.  Show no mercy.

Step 5
Travel bags.  If you're like me, you've got a ton of them.  Those darn make-up counters give away some cute little bags and well, it would just be a shame to toss them right?  Wrong.  Pick a few good ones that you always find yourself using, then toss the rest.  Can't bare to throw away a "perfectly good bag?"  Give it to charity.  Give them all to charity and go buy a cute, clear travel case and call it a day.  Don't let the bags rule your closet.  If you do keep some, store them like Russian dolls.  One inside the other until you have one bag left.  That will make things so much easier.

Step 6
Put all the bins on the floor and look at the contents.  Which ones will you need most often?  Put those in the easiest to reach spots.  Those hot rollers?  Well if I can't convince you to donate those to charity since they are sooooo out right now, put them high and in the back.  If you haven't used them in 6 months (which you shouldn't,) pull them out and donate them.  You'll thank me later.

Step 7
Step back every now and then and evaluate how things are arranged.  Does it seem functional?  If not, move things around until it does.  If you get ready tomorrow morning and you can't find a thing either a) you didn't put your necessities in the "step 2" basket or b) you'll need to do a little rearranging.  Don't fret. It took me a couple of runs to get it right.  Once you do, getting ready in the morning will go so much faster and not to mention, be so much more stress free and we're all about the stress free right? Right.

So now that you're motivated, get in there and go crazy.  It took me about two hours at a pretty good clip.  I find the faster I do this, the more I'm forced to go with a gut reaction.  Show no mercy.  Once you gut it, you have an excuse to go find that perfect conditioner to make your hair look like the diva you were meant to be.  Now I feel like I can breathe again.  Next up.  Building the perfect travel kit.

Better right?