How To Organise Makeup Without Counter Space

Your bathroom or makeup desk can often get messy very quickly, especially if you don’t have a lot of counter space available from the get-go. All of those bottles, tubes, and tools soon become annoying clutter and organising them can feel like a daunting task. So, how do you organise makeup without counter space?

When you don’t have a lot of counter space, taking advantage of drawers and cupboards should be your focus if you’re trying to organise your makeup.  You can use baskets to keep what little space you have organised, or stack some shallow trays in drawers to hold on to the smaller products in your collection. Whether it be in the bathroom or a dressing table, keeping the different categories of your cosmetics together is also a great idea to make getting ready a breeze.

Read on to find out more about organising your makeup desk or bathroom space, with the help of some storage solutions.  

How Do You Organise Your Makeup?

There are a ton of ways to organise your beauty products, but makeup can seem like it gets out of hand very quickly. Whether you’ve got drawers, cupboards, or a tiny bit of surface to keep your cosmetics, knowing how to stop them from taking over is difficult.

Here’s a few tips to help:

• Drawer Organisers: Use these to keep items of the same category together, or have all of your everyday makeup in one place. Shallow trays, like those available at Northern Willow, help stop items from rolling around or smaller bits getting lost, all while being easy to lift out if you need to.

• Stackable Organisers: If storing your makeup in cupboards is your only option, stackable containers can make a great choice for keeping your space tidy. They take advantage of the usually taller spaces, and can be made out of materials, like acrylic, that let you see what’s inside without opening. 

• Wall-Mounted Solutions: If you’re unlucky enough to lack both counter and drawer or cupboard space, there are still options to keep your makeup organised. Why not take advantage of your wall space and use shelving to store your cosmetics? You could also try wall-mounted baskets, with the open top providing easy accessibility, all while the higher sides keep everything contained. 

What Can I Use As A Makeup Organiser?

Not everything you use as a dressing table organiser has to be labelled as such. Repurposed products are just as useful to sort out your space, as long as it fits. For example, unused shoe organisers that hang on the back of your door are perfect for keeping your makeup in if you have no counter space. Kitchen accessories like fridge organisers or storage jars are also amazing to organise the space you do have. 

Looking to keep your style running throughout your house, even in the areas where you’re struggling with space? Check out Northern Willow’s range of household wicker baskets that can help you tidy away anything that’s creating clutter. 

Square Water Hyacinth Storage Basket

Getting ready isn’t just about the makeup. It might also involve using hair tools that quickly create chaos on your dressing table. Using a basket like this, either in a cupboard or on floorspace, can help to keep cables and attachments together with your tools.

Wicker Cutlery Holder

If you’re lacking in counter space, it’s very likely that you’ll also have to move around to go through your morning routine. Your makeup brushes can be hard to keep track of, especially if your storage space and area for getting ready are in two different rooms. Why not use a cutlery holder to travel your home easily with your tools? 

Rectangular Straight-Sided Tray

Napkins, jars or small treats aren’t the only thing you can use this basket for. Take it out of the kitchen and, instead, use it as a home for your larger cosmetics bottles. If they don’t fit in a drawer, for example, you might have no other option than to keep them visible. But, they can at least be safe, secure and stylish. 

How Do You Get Rid Of Makeup Clutter?

Whilst organising your dressing table or bathroom, you might want to consider cutting down on your makeup collection as a whole. You can forget how long you’ve had certain products, or fall victim to trends that bulk up the amount of items you own. 

Here are a few tips for decluttering your makeup as you organise:

• Check Expiry Dates: Open products each have a shelf life that should be taken into account when slimming down your collection. Try making a note of when you purchased an item, because continuing use after this period is more likely to irritate your skin or trigger breakouts.

• Donate Unused Makeup: We’ve all had moments where, during a big organisation spree of our makeup desk, we’ve come across makeup that hasn’t even been opened. It could be something you’ve seen on social media and never got around to trying, or a past version of yourself being a bit too bold and later realising it’ll never work. Take these unopened products to a local charity, family and friends, or even sell them to a second-hand buyer if they were a real investment. 

• Pick Out Essentials: Most of us will gravitate towards similar products in our everyday routines. We find favourites that work for our skin and daily lives, and everything else tends to fall to the bottom of a bag or the back of a drawer on your dressing table. If you don’t feel like hunting through different trays for each product category, try keeping your everyday essentials in one place. 

• No-Buy Challenges: Once you’ve found the everyday makeup that works for you and the extras you might like to keep for a special occasion, a no-buy challenge might be perfect for narrowing down that collection even more. Don’t buy a product with a specific function, like concealer or mascara, until the ones you already have are empty. Challenges like this also stop you from falling victim to social media trends, especially if you keep a note of makeup you might want to buy and come back to it when the craze has passed, just to see if you really need it.

Makeup Organisers At Northern Willow

You should be able to see your style throughout your home, even in the messiest of places. Organising can be tricky, but finding the right storage solution could make your daily routine easier. It shouldn’t take hours scrolling online to find something that suits you, and that’s where Northern Willow comes in.

Our variety of wicker baskets are versatile and bring a rustic feel to any room in your home. Grab something from our kitchen range to tidy up those drawers, or keep your limited counter space organised by using one of our planters to store your brushes. If you need a hand picking from our wide range, get in touch today or browse our website!

FAQs

Where Should Makeup Be Stored?

To get the most out of your products and tools, they should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from moisture. This means that, ideally, you should try to keep your makeup out of the bathroom. 

But this isn’t possible for everyone, so keeping an eye out for signs of bacteria can help avoid infection or irritation. Changes in colour or texture are a tell-tale sign of your makeup expiring, which can happen quicker in direct sunlight or moist environments.

Are Makeup Organisers Worth It?

If your space allows, using makeup organisers to tidy your dressing table is a good way to go. A neat space can speed up your morning routine and help you keep track of the items that have a tendency to get lost. Some makeup can be quite pricey and organisers can stop them from getting crushed or shattered. 

What Can I Use To Hold Makeup Brushes?

When it comes to storing your makeup brushes, there’s a right way and a wrong way. Keeping them loose in a makeup bag creates a breeding ground for bacteria and risks damaging them. Instead, it’s a good idea to store your brushes upright or inside a drawer. 

Finding a storage solution for your bushes doesn’t have to be complicated though. It can be as simple as using an old jar or washing out an empty can. For a bit more of a stylish option, you could even try repurposing one of Northern Willow’s cutlery trays to keep your brushes together in a drawer.