If there’s anything I’ve learned in my 2+ decades of wearing makeup (almost) every day, it’s that I should’ve organized my makeup products a long time ago. Recently, I finally beat my makeup hoard into submission with various trays and rotating carousels, and my morning routine has never felt so efficient. Take back some of your free time with these makeup organizer ideas that actually work.
Rotating Organizers Give You Quick Access to Your Brushes
If I’d have to hazard a guess, I’d say that I’ve got over 50 makeup brushes — and yes, I do use all of them. With that many brushes, the best way to organize and grab them on the fly is with a rotating plastic or glass lazy susan of sorts. These circular containers have dividers inside so you can sort by size or purpose. If you have a big brush collection, these rotating makeup organizers are a must.
Can’t Find a Place? Store It in a Mason Jar
Mason jars have been the tried-and-true solution to people’s storage problems for generations. From buttons to loose batteries, you can keep just about anything tucked away in a Ball mason jar. I particularly love them for staple beauty products like cotton rounds, Q-tips, etc. They take up very little space and can add a rustic charm.
Want a little more pizazz? Slap painter’s tape halfway up the mason jar and spray paint the bottom. With a few coats, it’ll match your décor to a T.
Take Advantage of Your Under-Sink Storage With Wicker Baskets
Now, I’m not someone who likes to put makeup on in the bathroom, but a lot of people do. Naturally, you should take advantage of that under-sink storage space. Embrace a coastal vibe by stacking a few wicker baskets inside.
Organize your things into different baskets by type (morning routine or nightly) or product (brands, purpose). That way, you don’t have to rifle through the entire cabinet just to find your sunscreen. These wicker baskets come in multiple sizes and styles, which makes them a perfect fit for just about anyone.
Go Retro With Caboodle Storage
If you’re a 90s kid like me, Caboodles were a major part of your childhood. I pounced when Caboodles released their Malibu Barbie collection because of its beautiful orange colorway. I’ve got them in multiple sizes, and while I don’t use them for my everyday staples, I love to store my extra skincare products in there.
They’re also absolutely perfect for traveling. You never have to worry about your pressed powders or blushes getting broken when they’re encased in Caboodles’ protective hard shell.
Use Accordion Folders to Organize Your Palettes
Who said accordion files were only for filing your insurance documents and tax papers away? Accordion folders, especially the stiff cardboard kind, are perfect for storing big eyeshadow palettes that won’t fit in any conventional organizer. They’ll keep your palettes dry and out of the sun, and you’ll be able to find them quicker than before.
What’s more fun than getting to flip through a stylish U Brands’ accordion folder for your favorite Natasha Denona palette?
Store All Your Bottles, Palettes, & Perfumes in Hanging Shoe Organizers
For some reason, every kid I grew up with had a plastic hanging shoe organizer rack on their closet door, and yet none of them ever held any shoes. From art supplies to charging cords, these plastic organizers have taken on a whole new identity.
If you have a plethora of beauty products but keep forgetting to use some of your older stuff, get one of these plastic shoe organizers. Once everything is in sight, you’ll be able to work your way through your favorites without letting anything expire. It’s a great option if you’re low on space but high on products.
Seed Organizers Are Perfect for Storing Small Things
Now, hear me out. I know that you didn’t expect to see gardening tools on our makeup organizer list, but I’m nothing if not inventive. Seed organizers come with small, sealable tubs that fit perfectly inside an easily stored cube. If you want to take your organizing to the max, this matryoshka doll system is the way to go.
The only downside is that your products have to be on the smaller side. Things like single eyeshadows, small three or four-piece palettes, eyeliners, pencils, and lip gloss tubes will fit well.
Cover Loose Jars With Glass Cloches
Sure, you can use acrylic trays to organize your makeup. But why do that when you can go full fantasy and store the special stuff under glass cloches? Pull a Beauty and the Beast and put your expensive perfumes or stack your nighty skincare products under a glass cloche.
Given that they’re glass, cloches are perfectly safe to leave in the bathroom. They won’t mold or mildew, and they’ll just look so cool.
Source Vintage Organizing Tools Where Possible
If you’re sustainably minded and vintage-obsessed like me then you know how much of a golden opportunity the thrift shop is. Much like how I store all my expensive jewelry in vintage ceramic powder jars, you can organize your makeup and beauty products with vintage stuff, too.
Vintage Lipstick Holders Are Perfect for Lip Products
Vintage lipstick holders come in various shapes and sizes, with some carousels even having animated openings. The most common are brass filigreed ones that can hold anywhere between four and eight tubes.
So long as your lipstick tubes are cylindrical, they’ll fit like a glove in these old pieces.
Related: Charming Vintage Lipstick Holders: Value, Identification, & Styles
Vintage Vanity Sets Can Bring Order to the Chaos
Before we had massive setups that spanned all the bathroom counters, women used vanity sets to bring order to the chaos. These matching metal, porcelain, and glass trays were designed to organize hairbrushes, combs, perfumes, powders, and creams on top of vanity tables. Every vintage lover with a taste for cosmetics should invest in a vanity set.
Trick Out Your Space With a Beauty Bookshelf
If your makeup collection looks more 2016 than 2024 (if you know, you know), then you probably need way more space than a Caboodle or makeup bag is going to give you. It’s time to invest in something bigger, like a bookshelf.
Yes, you heard me right. A bookshelf. Small three-shelf bookshelves are a makeup enthusiast's dream. You can set them up right beside your vanity or near your bathroom for quick access. And you can store all your beauty products — not just cosmetics — in one place.
Organizing Your Makeup Is Supposed to Be Easy
As someone who’s worn makeup basically every day of the week for decades, listen to me when I tell you that organizing my beauty products into trays, tubs, and rotating carousels changed my life. I may not get back the hours I spent rifling through bags and bags of random makeup products, but my new setup ensures I’ll never lose a second looking for something again.
