Ever feel a tug of war between your lifetime supply of lipsticks and the desire to keep your space clutter-free? At the LimeLife Home Office, the team is constantly searching for clever ways to keep our ever-growing collection of products tidy. We asked industry pros for the most useful tips and strategies. Here, a few genius ways to make your vanity feel like a chic elevated space without foregoing your product obsession.
- PREPARE TO PURGE
Things tend to accumulate when you’re a beauty aficionado. Schedule an hour or two every few months to edit your collection. Toss anything you can no longer use, like leaky bottles of lotion, old mascara, and crumbled eyeshadows. This simple step cuts down on clutter, time and frustration. Of course, hold onto anything with sentimental value, like the lipstick you splurged on after getting your first job.
- GROUP MENTALITY
If you’ve ever fumbled through a drawer looking for a Claim to Frame brow pencil and grabbed a lip liner instead, welcome to the club. Makeup artists group products by category and color to avoid that type of mix-up. Gather a few decorative containers (repurpose your Positive Vibes candle jars or pretty cups) to group makeup brushes and liners by type.This system makes it easy to find products and put them back—just drop them in and go. Some experts add dry rice to containers so brushes stand up and are easy to find. For travel, keep our brushes and tools in pristine condition with the portable Classified Brush Holder.
- TRAY BIEN
Trays are the best way to fake being organized. The great thing about displaying a few perfume bottles and toiletries on a pretty tray is there are built-in boundaries. Nothing can migrate and take over the vanity. Look for a tray that’s easy to wipe down and won’t absorb moisture, like mirror, ceramic, metal or glass surfaces.
- SORT IT OUT
No longer using that mail holder on your desk? Put it to work for your beauty routine. The upright slots are a perfect way to keep makeup palettes orderly. Rather than stacking or tucking away compacts in a drawer, keep them neat and accessible in a letter organizer.
- SPIN CLASS
Invest in a Lazy Susan for bigger skin care and hair products. Things that would normally get lost in the back of a cabinet or dark corner can be revealed with a spinning caddy. You can usually find the right size at kitchen supply stores. Not only do they keep your products organized, but they also make it easier to find things. Some versions have removable bins that can be swapped or moved around.
- IN THE CLEAR
Stackable clear acrylic drawers are a vanity staple. They look sleek, match any decor, and make finding anything remarkably simple. Organize everything from lipstick and cotton swabs to travel-size minis. Stackable storage also makes use of vertical space that might have previously been overlooked. Always label drawers to make spotting even easier.
- ON A ROLL
When you’re traveling or on the go, you can store up to 20 brushes and a Blenderful sponge in the Bend & Snap Brush Roll. This versatile case has an elastic closure to prop brushes upright. When you’re ready to go, this case rolls right up and snaps closed.
Above all else, your vanity should feel like a beautiful, inviting escape where you can sit down, relax and get ready. If that means all 22 shades of Perfect Lipstick sit on a vintage cupcake stand, go for it!