Thursday, February 24, 2011

Makeup Storage on a (Low) Budget


When I moved in with my boyfriend last summer there wasn't a lot of room to do my hair or makeup so for the first few months I sat on my knees on the floor in front of this mirror with all of my cosmetics and hair products strewn about to get ready. Yeah, it wasn't comfortable at all and my knees were very unforgiving. So we moved some furniture around (D. was kind enough to move his whole office down to his man cave so I could have the little nook in our bedroom to do what I wanted with it) and my crafty Dad made this wooden table for me. D. then sanded, painted and stained it and placed my full-length mirror behind the table and bam! a makeshift low-budget vanity! ha ha. It works for me for now ; ). Eventually I want to upgrade! Since I am on a budget I wanted to find ways to store my makeup without breaking the bank. Here's how I did it for under $40.00:

I bought this Yngaren Bowl from Ikea for $9.99. It's perfect for storing my eye shadows.

I got these cups/bowls from Ikea as well, in the kitchen section. They were $1.99 each.

 This is a cutlery holder I bought from The Dollar Store for (you guessed it) a DOLLAR. 

This basket is also from The Dollar Store.

 Here we have a pretty-yet-tacky-but-I-like-it shot glass from Mexico that I stole from my boyfriend.
I store my primers in it.

This is another one of my Ikea purchases. Don't you just love Ikea?? I think these were $10.00 for 2
. As you can see it's stuffed with my hair products, lotions and perfumes that I currently use.

(Those bamboo baskets I have my brushes and cotton balls in were $6.99 for a set of 3. Ikea!)
When I'm doing my makeup I don't like to dig for items, I like to have all of my products where I can see them - right in front of me instead of in drawers. Also, the less clutter the better so as I was organizing I threw out old makeup I hadn't used in months. I mean, who needs three concealers and five mascaras?? Umm....me?? And 3/4 of the girls that are reading this post! ; ) This isn't my whole makeup collection though - I have a whole bunch of stuff in a box that I haven't even used yet! Damn you, Sephora! But my collection is quite tame compared to other beauty bloggers'. One of my New Year's Resolutions was to stop buying so much makeup and use up what I have before I purchase more. I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far. Except for that Lancome eye liner I bought so I could get the gift with purchase. And the Clinique Bonus that was on at The Bay a couple of weeks ago...oops.

So that's how I organized my makeup for under $40.00!  How do you store yours? Let me know in the comment section below. I would love to hear!


I'm new to Twitter! You can follow me here if you like : )


42 comments:

Alyson said...

Very creative uses for everything! So glad you shared. I've just started doing the same with my make-up.... and jewelry!

alyson
www.theaveragegirlsguide.com

Adrienne Shubin said...

You have a lovely makeup collection. I'm envious!

And what great and creative ideas you have for organizing it all. I don't have much makeup - about a tenth of what you have, so it's easy to keep in a drawer in my bathroom. I put some of it in old Tupperware or Rubbermaid food containers and I bought some drawer organizers years ago.

My favorite container that you used is the cutlery holder for your brushes - very clever! I may have to steal that idea!

Closet Fashionista said...

Ooh yes! It looks lovely!!
I don't have much makeup so its all in a little basket in my shelving unit that has my Harry Potter collection on it (threw that HP in there just for you ;) )
But I do like to display my nail polish, haha...
http://www.closet-fashionista.com

fashion doctor said...

good colection!nice idea!xo

Karena said...

Great ideas Marie.

I have a four tiered drawer (like for office supplies in white) The top I keep my earrings the second lipsticks and glosses, the third eye shadows and mascaras, the fourth blushes, mineral foundations, etc.

I have a tall cylinder for my brushes, It works really well.

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Helene said...

Very creative:) I love it;)

Diana said...

this is awesome!! i wish i had a make up station like yours its absolutely perfect!! xo

http://dressedupallligators.blogspot.com/

Courtney Erin said...

You're so organized! I have my makeup all in one bigger box from IKEA and it's sort of driving me nuts because I can't find stuff when I need it. I really need to get on that.

xoxo ~ Courtney
http://sartorialsidelines.blogspot.com

noone said...

ahh I love those lancome gift sets, I'm always a sucker for them! nice way to organize everything of yours, I just chuck it all in my drawer!

Tracy D said...

Awesome post Marie, I love seeing how people organize their beauty products. I get inspired...how much do we love IKEA by the way.

TILTE said...

oooh, love the Yngaren. i think i'm seeing a new fruit bowl in the near future...

Unknown said...

GO U for staying organized!

White Bazaar said...

Love this post! I love ikea for cheap storage, especially that glass bowl, great idea! Also love baskets to store stuff, I don't have a huge amount of make-up either compared to others, but to me its alot! x

Nikosmommy said...

Tidy, organized, and no signs of hoarding. This is how it should be Marie! LOLOL

Catita said...

how ingenious Marie! It looks pretty and tidy and well I've had the same resolution for the past 2 years as well but always end up buying stuff...last year I was into lipsticks (well I still am) and this year into a lot of nail polishes! But at least no more lipgloss!!! and no more eye shadow that I never or barely wear anyway!
xoxo
Catita

Ashleigh said...

I heart organizing & love seeing how others do it! Ikea is the bomb for stuff like this & you can't beat the dollar store! I have a small case that I keep the 'every day's' in and a lock lid container from Ikea for randoms. Those stay in the bathroom but I do have one drawer in our office desk full of even more rarely used randoms ;) Sephora is bad for the budget for sure, I can't resist!!

mj said...

wish I could have all mine out like this. I travel quite a bit so it's always best to have one quick bag I can take in my purse. Boring.

MY REPUBLIC OF FASHION said...

That's a great way of storing your make-up. So organised and neat! Really must do something about my make-up situation!! :)SArahD

Sandy Joe said...

Now that I'm an immigrant and don't have a proper set up I have employed the use of mugs as a home for my brushes/eyeliners. Then a makeup bag that rolls down and hangs on a hook.

It's not ideal, but it will have to do! You're living the dream with your DIY/ikea set up.

Alexandra said...

I love the cutlery holder idea...I never know what to do with my brushes and I hate putting them in my cosmetic bags because they always get ruined. I don't live with my boyfriend but I HATE getting ready at his place...it's been a solid three-year war haha. I refuse to go there because I like to take my time getting ready and it's so uncomfortable!

By the way, my twitter account is @ToVogueOrBust! I think I saw a twitter link on here so I'll follow yours now!

Alexandra xo

http://tovogueorbust.com/

Kara said...

Such a great idea, Marie! You've just inspired me to hit up my local Salvation Army for bowls/cups/saucers for jewellery and make-up storage! I love finding things there for on the cheap and for simple jobs! :)

xo

FunnyFaceBeauty said...

Awesome post Marie! I love doing storage on a budget. Most of the things I use to store my makeup came from the dollar store. Another great place to check out is a thrift store like value village. You can get some neat looking glass bowls similar to the one you got from ikea. Hoping to do a storage post at some point. Just posted a 'How to Depot MAC eyeshadows' post if you want to get rid of those little pots (lol most people love the pots, I prefer palettes)
xx
Alicia

lindsey lowe said...

love your little organizers!

Anonymous said...

so pretty and practical!!

Unknown said...

I love the cute dishes as storage! So cute, great ideas! I have like a million makeup bags, and keep everything organized in my vanity . . . I lvoe the fact that my hubby and I have our own bathrooms (we share both, BUT I ge my own storage space!).

great ideas!

Mimi said...

i keep mine in a train case, but it does get tiring sometimes because i have to open it and put it back in its place. and having everything out like that looks great. i think i'm gonna have to do a little rearranging. :)

<3, Mimi
http://whatmimiwrites.blogspot.com/

Thifa said...

I have very similar style when organizing my makeup. I have no need of something fancy, really :)

Tamera said...

Looks great hun! I love organizing too! You did a great job making it look so pretty on a budget!
Tamera xo

J. said...

love the layout of your organization. Very visual.
Love your suggestions.
Great post.
J.

Capucine de Chocqueuse said...

You have a lot! I am very jealous!

Unknown said...

Oh gosh, how I love makeup storage posts!! And yours look stylish and classy even on a budget!
Like!
XOXO
Catanya

ale said...

i like that bowl, it looks so classy
you have a really nice make-up collection
kisses

Ashley said...

Awesome! I store most of mine in a tiny bag and a drawer in my bathroom. Maybe I'll do something like this when I have more space!

And um, lucky you that you have two crafty men in your life. My dad isn't too bad with building stuff and I asked him to build me a shelf for my shoes (I bought shoe boxes from the container store and just need a place to easily store them and have them accessible) months ago...and still, nothing.

Have a lovely weekend!

Andee Layne said...

i wish my makeup table would stay looking like this! :)

Kerri said...

good way to organize all that girly stuff! us girls just need a lot of space, huh?

thanks for the comment you left on my blog about zoe and scout. xo

Unknown said...

I love how everything is mixed and matched!
I keep all my make-up brushes in small glass fish bowl half filled with glass marbles...so you just push the handles into the marbles to keep them up-right. It keeps things looking pretty!

Natasha ~ Required2BeInspired

Melissa Wright said...

Love your storage!! I wish we had an ikea here in the eastern part of canada, they have such great stuff!

http://sigh-gush-gasp.blogspot.com

Barbie said...

Love the storage ideas! :) I love seeing how other people organize their makeup!

Also - I'm originally from Alberta too! I was born in Edmonton and moved to Texas in 2002. Albertans unite! :-P



www.beautyblogxo.blogspot.com

SiSi Sparkles said...

wow! your dad did a wonderful job on that desk, it looks really good.

Hubby got me this acrylic makeup holder on ebay, it does ok, but it's so full now, I need MORE room >.< I definitely love your idea:] AND its budget friendly!

cuteredbow said...

I love make up and you have great ideas to store it all !

Please see my first giveaway : http://cuteredbow.blogspot.com

lauren said...

love, love, love. it's very similar to my counter. but i need to add a basket, i think that would make mine look less cluttered.

http://laurenlanzaosias.blogspot.com
it's the freaking oscars...

Rene Braun said...

Cute!!! Following you in bloglovin :))

WWW.RENEBRAUN.COM

Kisses!

 
Design by Studio Mommy (© Copyright 2014)