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1. Take stock. What do you have too much of? What do you need more of? Are there expired products that need to be thrown out? Cosmetics have a shelf life, for example mascara should be disposed of after 3 months. Check out this detailed write up by the FDA. Ecolife's recommendations:
- Liquid eyeliner and mascara: 3-6 months
- Nail polish and oil-free foundation: 1 year
- Concealer, cream eye shadow and blush, cream foundation: 12-18 months
- Lip gloss: 18-24 months
- Blush, bronzer, (dry) eyeliner, lip liner, lipstick, and powdered eye shadow and foundation: 2 years
- A bad odor indicates spoiled makeup, regardless of suggested expiry date!
If you find yourself running short of items, try out a subscription service via Amazon or Target. Then you won't have to think about it! You can choose how often it comes (not just monthly) and easily skip a delivery if the item starts to pile up. Seriously, one of the best things I ever did!
2. Categorize: Organize your items in groups: For My colleague and his fiancee, we pulled everything out and onto the floor, and then grouped them. His fiancee had most of her beauty items grouped: Cosmetics, her skin regimen, hair products. I corralled the cleaning supplies, appliances, and misc. toiletries.
- Cosmetics
- Hair products (Hair spray, mouse, gel, brushes, combs, clips
- Toiletries: body lotion, rubbing alchol, hydrogen peroxide
- Appliances: Hair dryer, facial steamer, curling iron, flatting iron
- Face towels
- Extra toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox wipes
- Cleaning supplies, toilet cleaner, all purpose spray, brush, soft scrub
3. Next, consider frequency of use. How often do you use said items? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Put items you need most access to at eye level: Daily: Towels and hair dryer. The cosmetics in the photo were extras- so we put them at the bottom. Make a cleaning kit: with one of each of each cleaning products. If you buy in bulk and have a 6-pack of clorox wipes, store 5 cans in the garage and 1 in the bathroom.
4. Store items in matching labelled bins. This visually pulls together your closet, and the bins also function as drawers. Pull out the drawer to reach something in the very back, instead of knocking all the front stuff off the shelf as your pull out the roll of paper towels. Labels help your family members and guests find items!
We usually reorganize our bath once a year, sometimes finding spilled shampoos, or tons of extra toothpaste we didn't know we had. (True story!) Put it in your calendar's cleaning schedule as a reminder.
Enjoy!