My Makeup Organisation & Storage

I've been wanting to post this for a long time but hesitated. Im not sure why, maybe I was still making it my own and work for me.

Nethertheless I want to share. I love all things makeup and organisation too. Im so interested in how people with different lifestyles and interests organise their belongs. It then turns into the collective tired and tested 'best' way of storing clothing and ideas. 

So a bit about my collection. I wear makeup every week day to my full time job and on the weekends if I have something on. I do glam up more for special occasions and nights out. I would classify my collection as small. I like to use up products before buying or at least opening a similar one. If I see something that isn't unique in terms of it's formula or on sale for a really good price - I don't buy it. Hard to follow sometimes but it makes sure I use what I have.

I store all my makeup in this acrylic Large Original Clear Box from The Makeup Box Shop ($141 my one is here). I'm not sure how I stumbled upon them but I have always loved the Clear Cubes originally seen in an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians in Kim's bathroom.

Let me say that the quality of these is beyond what I expected. The acrylic is thick, strong and durable from the way the joins are glued to the rectangle drawer handles and the daily sliding of the drawers.  Theres no wobbling or cracks or chips in the cube. The drawers have a little lip at the end in the corners that stop the whole draw from coming out as they catch on stoppers at the front (on the inside). It is easy to clean with warm water. The first four draws are 3cm, then 4.5cm and 7cm in height. Overall this is 27cm heigh x 21cm wide x 24cm deep.

I like to store things categorically as you will be able to tell.On top of the drawer is an empty glass candle that stores all my brushes. Next to that is a large bottle of hand sanitizer that I use to prevent extra bacteria from getting on my face. There is a tall glass jar full of cotton tips with my two eyelash curlers (which I admit is a little overboard and I'm thinking of changing). A double sided mirror and lip balm.

The first draw is 'miscellaneous'. There is the primer I'm using currently, a hair clip for when I do my makeup, Laura Mercier sponge and buff that came in the Flawless Face Kit that I don't use, eyeliner sharpener and bobby pins.

The second draw is 'lips'. The height of these drawers allows for the MAC lipsticks for example to be stacked singular and leave a small but comfortable gap at the top of the draw. I would have to say this is my favourite draw. It is neatly organised and if you look to the top of the pic you can see there is still some room.

The third draw is 'face'. Most of these products I use on my face everyday. You can see there is still some room and the height of these allows for one MAC blush to be stacked with a small but comfortable gap at the top of the draw. Everything is in here from MAC to Dior to Smashbox.

The fourth draw is 'eyelashes'. I like to wear these when I go out & for special occasions. The majority of these are Ardell with the #301 my favourite for a lil something and the #120 Demi my favourite for glam & oomph. Sticking with the eye theme I also keep my Tweezerman tweezers in here for those moments when I catch a glimpse of a stray hair and use them to apply the lashes. Any extra makeup that I need to extend from another draw, would go in here and I would be thrown out some lashes as most of them are on their last use. I'm holding onto them hoping to get that extra 'last use'.

The fifth draw is 'eye & concealers'. It's a little bit taller and I was able to pay extra and get a cross divider specifically suited for this drawer. Starting in the top left corner going clockwise is my eyeliners and YSL Touche Eclate (cause thats close to the eye); individual eyeshadows (MAC & Benefit), gel eyeliner (Maybelline) and extra concealers (Bobbi Brown). Next is pimple concealer (MAC), setting powder (Bare Minerals), under eye concealer/corrector (Laura Mercier Undercover Pot) and Sara Happ Lip Scrub - it doesn't fit anywhere else! I keep any used cotton tips here too. Last corner is opened mascaras, eyeshadow base, spare mascara spoolie/s and the last of a NYX jumbo eye pencil.

The last draw is 'extras'.  It's also the deepest. Here I keep those items that are unique and/or I got for a good price. I have my foundations, current or used up (keeping the NARS for the shade name). As for an height idea, the Revlon colorstay fits onto of the YSL foundation with a little room at the top which I less compared to the lip draw. Extra mascaras, extra mascara spoolies, extra eyebrow tools (under the spoolies, extra palettes and the orange cardboard with the Benefit Hoola bronzer from the Bronze of Champions kit. 

This clear cube sits on a desk I got from Ikea. In the desk draw right under the cube is my beauty blender backups and cleaner, extra brushes I don't use, Sigma Dry & Shape and at top front are my palettes; MAC eyeshadow and blush palette, Urban Decay Naked and finally Benefit's Word Famous Neutral Eyeshadow Glamourous Nude Kit.  This is where I'm thinking of storing the cotton tips, as the draw keeps those extras out of sight and this would make the top of the cube not so cluttered.

This is my ultimate storage system. If my collection gets out of hand I like how I can buy an extra   Large Original Clear Box and it can sit next to or on top of this one! :) Doesn't sound like much of a problem now… I like the idea of the clear acrylic storage as you can see what you have, it's chic and flatters any decor of any style of woman. 

I hope this gave you some idea into how you might like to store and organise your makeup. Let me know if you have any tips or ideas.