A Step-By-Step Guide: Declutter Your Makeup Stash Right Now

Sorting out your home and wardrobe is a great idea for monsoons, but what about your makeup stash that’s screaming for a little help? Yes, the one that has never been used before! For the sake of art, we are guilty of collecting makeup, even if we rarely “wear the art.” We get so anxious looking at the mess that we instantly shut the makeup drawer without decluttering it. Are you able to relate to it?

So, I recently made the decision that it was time for me to Marie Kondo my makeup collection. And it was perhaps the wisest decision I ever made. I can now see all of my makeup products arranged in one spot, making it an organised space for my new purchase. Without further ado, grab a pen and paper to take notes on how to declutter your makeup stash.

Here’s Your Comprehensive Makeup Declutter Guide

Here are seven useful makeup decluttering ideas to keep in mind, from organising your products to how to do it without getting overwhelmed. Go grab a cup of coffee and get started.

Step 1: Take It All Out

Lay all of your makeup flat on the floor or table after removing it from your bag, drawers, bathroom shelves, and other obscure or hidden areas of your home.

This would allow you to evaluate your complete collection at once, allowing you to assess how much of it you’ve been hoarding. Don’t let your extensive makeup collection worry you! This article includes a step-by-step tutorial that will make the entire process simple.

Step 2: Categorise All The Products

Sort all the products into categories so you can easily glance at each one. Keep the foundations together, and separate piles for eyeshadow, mascara, and other kinds of makeup products that you are familiar with!

Take three baskets: one for things that have expired, one for those that you don’t use frequently, and the third for products that are still in their packaging.

Step 3: Get Rid Of The Expired Stash

Start with the first step of makeup application, primer, now that everything has been organised and categorised. Look over your collection of primers and see which ones are no longer applicable. Put them in the basket marked “expired.” Continue in the same manner with foundation, concealer, powders, eyeshadow palettes, etc. Keep in mind that you only need to throw away things that have expired!

This quick guide might help you get rid of expired products:

Foundation: 2 years
Concealer: 1 year
Mascara and liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months
Eye pencil: 1 year
Eyeshadow: 2 years
Lip products: 1-2 years
Powders: 2 years

Step 4: The Actual Makeup Decluttering Starts Now

I’ll advise you to set the lipsticks aside and concentrate on the rest of your collection before beginning this process. It’s not difficult to throw away things that have expired, but what about those that are very near their expiration date? the ones you occasionally still use? It’s time to review each category once more and pose the following questions to yourself:

Do I genuinely enjoy using it?
Would I be able to complete it prior to its expiration?
Is the price the only reason I’m retaining it?
Is there a use for it in my collection?
Do I know somebody who could use it more effectively?

You can make decisions about what to keep and what to discard by asking yourself the questions listed above. The latter should go in the cleared-out basket.

Step 5: Now, Moving On To Lipsticks

Lipsticks require special care, so divide your lip products into the following categories: lip crayons, liquid lipsticks, bullet lipsticks, lip liners, and lip tints. Start with each category, then choose the ones you want to pursue the most. Think about and categorise things like your favourite lip products, favourite formula, and most frequently used colours. Place the rest in the organised basket.

Find duplicates in each family of colours and then choose which one you wish to keep. What use is it, for instance, to have ten colours of red that are similar in looks if you don’t wear reds frequently? Keep the formulas you enjoy the most and toss the others into the declutter basket.

Your lipstick collection has been organised. If you have a sizable eyeshadow collection, you can reduce your makeup collection by following the same steps as you did for lipsticks.

Step 6: Separate Your Tools From The Makeup Palettes

Are you still using a year-old beauty blender? The brushes with hardly any bristles? It’s time to eliminate those outdated tools because they’re no longer relevant. After you’ve gotten rid of the bad tools, wash the ones you’ll keep to avoid inviting bacteria and to prolong the life of your brushes and blenders.