Unique Makeup Storage and Organization Ideas

Every makeup artist knows how quickly products and tools pile up. You should go through your kit regularly to discard expired products, but that won’t necessarily solve your clutter problem!

Having lots of makeup isn’t a bad thing. The key to making sure it doesn’t become “too much” is good storage. Don’t cringe at the idea of cleaning and sorting just yet! Instead of treating organization like a chore, why not get creative?

Here are nine unique ways to sort your makeup products for maximum organization (and a little fun)!

1. Magnetic boards

Turn your tools and products into magnets! This might not work for large palettes or bottles of foundation, but it’s great for brushes and compacts.

You’ll need:

• Sheet metal and a picture frame OR a magnetic whiteboard
• Magnetic strips (you can get these at the dollar store)
• Wall paper or fabric in a color or pattern of your choice
• Spray adhesive
• A wall hook or wall sticker

Making the board:

1. Cover your note board or sheet metal (you can have this cut to the same size as your picture frame at a hardware store) by spraying adhesive on the surface and smoothing wall paper or fabric across the front and around the edges.
2. Stick the edges at the back and cut off excess paper or fabric.
3. If you’re using metal, fit it into your frame. Paint or glitter the frame if you’re feeling DIY! You might even find a frame that fits a note board for extra décor.
4. Using a hook or wall stickers, hang your new magnetic board somewhere you can reach easily.
5. Cut strips of magnet to fit each brush or compact. Some magnetic strips are self-adhesive and others need glue.
6. Stick the brushes and makeup to the board however you like!

2. Jewelry boxes

Jewelry boxes have many drawers and compartments and they come in countless shapes, colors, designs, and sizes. Find a vintage jewelry box at a garage sale, buy a new one that contrasts with your wallpaper, or give one from your childhood a fresh coat of paint. Organize products by type or color and make labels to help you remember where to put everything.

3. Dish racks

A sleek metal dish rack fans out colorful palettes in a functional and decorative way! Choose one with many plate rungs to hold palettes up so you can find them easily. You can even choose a dish rack with cup shelves to house your foundations, or a cutlery basket to hold brushes, liners, and lipsticks. Is your new makeup rack not fancy enough for your tastes? Paint, glitter, and rhinestones to the rescue!

4. Filled glasses

Have you ever put pens or pencils in a tall container on your desk? You might have tried:

• Plastic cups or tubs
• Water glasses
• Empty candle holders
• Empty jars
• Small vases

This works well until you put so many in that the container tips over. The same storage solution works for makeup brushes and liners, but tipping is still an issue. For translucent containers like water glasses, stop tipping by filling the bottom with something loose that you can stick the ends of brushes and liners into so they stay upright.

Filling the glass:

1. Can be cute and decorative
2. Weighs the glass down to keep it standing
3. Keeps brushes and liners fanned out so you can find the ones you need.

Try fun fillings like:

• Colored marbles
• Beads
• Rice
• Beach sand
• Coffee beans

Even with the glass weighed down, be wary of overloading. You won’t enjoy cleaning a thousand grains of rice out of your carpet.

5. Shoe or jewelry hangers

Shoe and jewelry hangers with pockets work very well for makeup. Lipsticks and glosses, single eye shadows, and lip or eye liners fit the pockets nicely. Clear pockets are especially useful so you can see what’s inside. Hang the organizer somewhere convenient if you’re filling it with things you use often or somewhere discreet (like the back of the bathroom door) if you’re storing duplicates or refills.

6. Dishes

Using old dishes to store makeup helps you organize products and also repurposes things you don’t need from your kitchen. If you like the idea but you don’t have any dishes you like the look of, check out antique stores, thrift shops, and garage sales instead.

Consider:

• Vintage teacups
• Kitschy bowls of different sizes
• Fancy plates
• Colored or uniquely shaped glasses

Dishes keep products and their residue off counters, lets you organize them by type and color, and makes your makeup easy to move.

If you can’t find dishes in patterns or colors you like, make it into a DIY project! Choose teacups or bowls that you like the shape of and get out the paint or glitter once more.

7. Spice racks

The shelves on a spice racks are a great size for compacts and foundations. Depending on style and size, spice racks can sit on tabletops or hang on the wall. Repurpose the old rack from your kitchen by giving it a new paint job, find a kitschy vintage one at a garage sale, or buy a shiny new rack that spins so you can reach any foundation from any angle.

8. Wine racks

Wine racks come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Set one on a table or next to a vanity and replace wine bottles with cups, glasses, or jars to store brushes and makeup. The angle most wine racks store bottles at is perfect for organizing brushes, liners, lipsticks, and mascaras without them falling out. Looking for something with a little more flair? Customize the rack with paint, glitter, rhinestones, or colored glasses in each bottle space.

9. Candy or cookie jars

Disposable spoolies, cotton swabs, cotton balls, and sponges should be accessible because you’ll use them often. Candy and cookie jars look much cuter in your makeup station than the plastic bags disposable tools come in. These jars are also great for small compacts, lip glosses, and nail polish. Find a cookie jar in a color, pattern, or shape that you like, choose a clear candy jar so you can see what’s inside, or get crafty and customize one!

Get creative!

The makeup storage suggestions here are just a few possibilities. As long as you can reach what you need easily, your options are practically endless. You might also try:

• Bins and baskets inside a drawer
• Ice cube trays
• Gift boxes or baskets
• File organizers for palettes
• Stacked drawer sets

Think outside the box and don’t be afraid to customize! The more fun you make organizing makeup, the better you’ll be at keeping things in place.

Have you tried other unique or creative techniques for makeup storage and organization that you don’t see here? Share them with us in the comments section!