Learn how to organize makeup so that your cosmetics drawer is as pretty as you are. After all, options these days can be fancier than the plastic bins you may have used in your teens.

From TikTok videos showing makeup organization ideas, to Pinterest boards filled with inspiration for beautiful makeup displays, there is plenty of inspiration. As professional organizer Kari Jane Roland likes to say, this is where style meets organization.

“Our clients want us to create a functionally organized space that they can keep up themselves,” Roland said.

Read on and learn how to organize your makeup from experts and create a chic setup that’s not only Instagram worthy but also easy to maintain.

How do You Declutter Makeup?

Photo credit: Simply Organized by Kari Jane

With the goal of making it easier and faster to look fabulous every day, professional organizer Elizabeth Regalado starts by having clients take stock.

First she and her client remove all the lipstick, eyeshadow, liner, all the cosmetic products from drawers and boxes. Then come the easy edits: stuff that might be expired or is rarely used and needs to be tossed.

To find out if your makeup is expired, look for the number symbol on the bottom of the packaging, which will indicate the product can be used for 6 months to 12 months after opening, for example.

It’s not uncommon for Regalado to also find products customers have only used once or twice—if ever. She often recommends tossing these to make it easier for people to find what they actually will wear.

“Don’t keep an item just because you got it for a good deal or you spent a lot of money on it—that’s never a good reason to keep it,”; said Regalado, owner of Elizabeth Loves to Organize. “If that’s the only reason you’re keeping it then let it go.”;

Both Regalado and Roland have helped numerous clients declutter and bring a sleeker look to their organization—and their personal style.

These eye-catching storage solutions make it a little easier to put away those pink and purple Caboodles from the past.

“When your bathroom drawers are completely filled with makeup, it not only makes it hard to find anything, it causes extra frustration,”; said Roland with Simply Organized by Kari Jane. “The fact is getting organized will save you money because you won’t buy duplicates of what you already have.”;

How Do I Organize my Makeup Drawer?

Photo credit: Simply Organized by Kari Jane

To organize a makeup drawer, Roland finds it best to buy clear acrylic bins in all different sizes. While these products can be found online, Roland suggests you first measure out your drawers.

“As organizers, we always to try create our client’s vision,”; Roland said. “Our favorite way to organize make up is to use a variety of sizes of drawer acrylic organizers because it a classy and clean look, everything is contained and visible,”; Roland said.

Adding these acrylic compartments are a game changer! They’re not only creating functional storage options but help you keep everything neat and tidy.

Store lipsticks and any eyeshadow sticks upside down in acrylic bins. This way you can easily see which lipstick color or eyeshadow you’re searching. It’s especially handy if you have similar packaging.

“The key to keeping things organized is containment, and for makeup it is best to use small organizers and separate categories: eye shadow, foundation, lips, bronzers, eyeliners, etc.,”; she said.

Regalado has also repurposed arts and craft storage bins to organize makeup drawers. A file paper sorter can double as an organizing bin for your eyeshadow palettes while office trays office trays are a great alternative to organizer makeup.

To keep the bins from sliding all over the drawer every time you open it, Roland uses temporary glue called museum gel from the Container Store and places it underneath. This option is popular for a newer bathroom drawer and won’t ruin the interior.

If you have an older drawer, Roland will often line the inside with adhesive paper to brighten up the space and cover over any chips and dings. This also keeps the bins from moving every time the drawer is opened.

How Do I Organize My Makeup in a Small Space?

Photo credit: Simply Organized by Kari Jane

Organizing makeup can be tricky since the items come a variety of sizes, Roland said.

To save space, Regalado, who has a large collection of lipsticks, will group spring and summer colors in one pile and fall and winter shades in their own stash. She rotates by season, moving winter shads into an extra beauty bag during summer for example. She stores what she’s not going to use soon out of the way in a different drawer.

To create more storage, she also uses a rolling art cart which has 12 drawers to hold all of her extra makeup. She’s also advised clients use a linen closet or reuse a jewelry dresser to help store their makeup.

For those clients who want to use their countertop, Regalado suggests using stackable bins. This can create more storage in a tight space.

Another option if space is tight is to use a storage system underneath the sink to hold extra makeup and duplicate products, said Roland. For easy reach, she might add a divided Lazy Susan under the sink and separate items by categories.

“It’s a great investment in yourself to hire an organizer, have them install a system that works for you and that is easy to maintain,” she added.

Now that your makeup collection is organized, read on to get expert tips on jewelry organizers and display. These great tips will help you store watches the proper way.

Learn you how to store clothes correctly to maximize their space and sanity year around.

Main image photo credit: Simply Organized by Kari Jane