How to Declutter Your Makeup Collection

A new year brings new opportunities, new adventures, new goals and perhaps even a new(or slightly updated) outlook on life. 2019 is a new age where less is more. People are spending their weekends binging on Netflix’s “Tidying Up” and then Marie Kondo’ing the heck out of their houses. Out with the old, in with what sparks joy and makes you feel alive!

So, how can we incorporate this slightly minimalistic but purposeful mindset into our beauty routine?

One word. DECLUTTER!

I know it may sound scary as many of us are beauty hoarders at heart but believe me when I say that you will not miss that expired bottle of foundation that you’re about to toss. The 5th backup bottle of argan oil WILL go rancid before you’re able to use it and does one really need 10 open tubes of mascara?

Read along as I share my tips on how to declutter your makeup collection and gain some much needed space (and say goodbye to unneeded stress!)

Assess the Situation

There is nothing more eye opening (and confronting) than pulling out all of your beauty products and seeing exactly what you already own. Marie Kondo actually says in her book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” that this is an essential first step to decluttering and I couldn’t agree more! You must take inventory and see what you already own in order to decide what is important enough to keep. Pull out every single makeup item that you own and place them into categories-blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, etc.

Check the Expiration Dates

This is a no brainer but an extremely important step. There is NO room for expired beauty products in your collection. As tough as it may be to throw away your favorite foundation that they’ve discontinued, if it is past it’s expiration date, it must go! Not only is it just downright gross but it could lead to a plethora of problems if applied to the skin (acne, allergies, redness.) Just toss it.

Non Negotiables

Ah, my favorite part. I want you to look at your products and choose your holy grail, can’t live without non negotiables. These are items that you use constantly, suit your skin well and just make you very happy. Maybe these are your “desert island” picks or the products that you always pack with you when you travel. Put these products into a pile and don’t worry…they aren’t going anywhere!

Consider Usage

Now that you have everything out and you can see all of your products, it’s a great time to take a look and see what you use on a daily basis. Look at colors, formulas, packaging, etc. Ask yourself, “have I used this in the last year?” If the answer is “no” and the reasoning is due to the fact that you don’t like the product, get rid of it. We are only keeping things that we truly enjoy using. If you haven’t used it in a year but absolutely LOVE the product, keep it! It brings happiness to your life and you enjoy having it around.

Clean and Reorganize

Now that you have your piles of products, some to give away, some to toss and some to keep, it’s time to clean! Keeping your products (as well as your product storage) clean is such an important step in your routine. It shows that you have respect for your belongings and it will make the routine of using your beauty products more enjoyable. Nobody wants to start their day off with a messy bottle of foundation!

Keeping a clean and concise collection is such a great way to truly enjoy using your products. Decluttering gives you space and space is always good. There’s absolutely no need to become a minimalist (I could never) but it is a good idea to once in awhile just take a step back and see what you already own. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees and beauty products are becoming pricier by the day!

Let me know in the comments below if you plan to do a bit of collection decluttering. Happy cleaning!

“The best way to enjoy your favorite things every days to only own your favorite things” – Be More With Less

Love and light, Carrie xo