If you own a lot of makeup, it may feel impossible to find a specific tube or brush in a drawer stuffed with eye shadows, lipsticks, mascara, and more. It doesn’t have to be this way – investing in a few storage items can make all the difference. Read on to find out how to organize makeup by revamping your makeup system.

How to Organize Makeup: Tried & True Methods

Stay Neat with Makeup Organizers

A makeup organizer has specific trays and compartments to sort your makeup. These organizers can come with small drawers for eye shadows, small surface spaces for bottles, vertical slots for lipstick or mascara, and tall compartments for larger tubes. You can use smaller organizers to keep all your favorites in one place, or find one larger organizer to keep your entire makeup collection together. Some organizers are clear to help you keep track of all your items, and some are solid-colored to conceal the contents of the drawers.

Keep It Together with Vanity Trays

A vanity tray is a simple fix for a messy countertop. If you tend to leave makeup out on your counter, try using a tray to corral all of your items in one place. You could also use a vanity tray to display your most aesthetically pleasing or frequently used items, such as pretty perfume bottles, fancy lipsticks, and day-to-day essentials. Try placing a small plant or vase of flowers on the tray to complete the picture.

Tuck It Away in Drawer Organizers

If you keep your makeup in drawers, a drawer organizer can keep your makeup from rolling everywhere. Use compartments to store different kinds of makeup, such as long and narrow spaces for eye shadow palettes and wider spaces for bottles of foundation. Never lose your favorite eyeliner again by reserving a specific compartment in the organizer where you can always find it.

Keep It Vertical with Floating Shelves

If you have wall space above or next to the spot where you apply your makeup, consider floating shelves. These shelves will create extra surface space for your makeup, and you can use each shelf to keep and display specific makeup – try one shelf for makeup brushes and another for highlighter. You could even create a makeshift vanity in a tight space by stacking floating shelves underneath a wall mirror.

Store Everything in a Medicine Cabinet

If you have the space, introducing a medicine cabinet can give you tons of storage for makeup. A medicine cabinet usually has a mirror on the outside, making it multifunctional – it is both a storage space and a place to put on makeup. Install a medicine cabinet above your sink or dresser to easily access and apply makeup.

Tip!

If you would like to store and apply makeup in a small bedroom, consider a corner medicine cabinet. This cabinet will take up a space that isn’t commonly used and create extra storage while giving you a designated corner to do your makeup.

Decorate with Jars

Use jars to store makeup on your vanity, dresser, or bathroom counter. Matching jars can build your space’s aesthetic, while clear jars can help you find your makeup easily. You can group like items together in separate jars.

How to Organize Makeup: Outside-the-Box Methods

Put Your Own Spin on a Lazy Susan

Bring out makeup stored in deep cabinets and tight corners with a lazy Susan. Lazy Susans are round storage devices that typically consist of one to three disk-shaped shelves. These disks rotate, allowing you to easily access and display items. If you have lots of nail polish, a lazy Susan can be used to keep previously forgotten colors at the front of your mind.

Organize with a Spice Rack

If you have a small counter or vanity, using a spice rack can help you display and store makeup while conserving useful space. Try stacking eye shadow palettes and displaying perfume in the lower shelves, and keep taller items like bottles of foundation and a cup of makeup brushes on the top shelf.

Tip!
Make use of small shelf spaces with pulldown spice racks. These racks can be extended outside a shelf or cabinet to make it easier to find what you’re looking for while saving space when they're retracted.

Keep It Classy in a Jewelry Armoire

If you are a true makeup maven and have tons of makeup to store, consider a jewelry armoire. These furniture pieces are elegant and can elevate the style of your room while providing numerous shelves in which to store makeup. You can use entire drawers to separate out foundation, highlighters, hairstyling tools, and more. These armoires often come with small, built-in organizers as an added bonus.

Try Out a Tiered Cupcake Stand

A tiered cupcake stand can be used as an elegant vertical storage item on your vanity or countertop. The tiered circular shelves are both a stunning design effect and a great way to keep makeup organized and out of the way. Organize items by size, keeping foundation and eye shadow palettes on the bottom tray, highlighters and BB cream on the middle tray, and lipsticks and lip balms on the top tray.

Stay On the Go with a Bar Cart

If your surface spaces are filled to the brim with makeup, consider a bar cart. A bar cart is open, allowing you to see all of your makeup, and it can be wheeled into a closet when you’re not using it. Customize your bar cart with makeup organizers to keep things neat. You could even designate one shelf for makeup and another for hair tools to create a one-stop station for getting ready. Some bar carts have brackets designed for wine bottles that can be used to organize blow-dryers and straighteners.

See Everything with a Shoe Organizer

Many shoe organizers can be repurposed to store makeup. Make use of the space on the back of your closet door with an over-door shoe organizer. These compartments can be filled with individual makeup items, making it a cinch to find whatever you’re looking for. Display your makeup with a clear plastic organizer, or conceal it with a fabric organizer. If you use a fabric organizer, you can label each pocket with sticky notes to remember where everything goes.