Organize Your Styling Tools and Beauty Products

Taylor Stevens Salon & Spa's Blog

Organize Your Styling Tools and Beauty Products

• Posted by Taylor Stevens Salon & Spa •

If you're like many of the other people on this planet, then you probably have some sort of beauty product addiction, buying new products as soon as they hit the shelf. Maybe you're a sucker for words like "invigorating," "smoothing" or "anti-aging" and can't help but buy every product that advertises it. Whatever it is, you're not alone. We all have under sink storage bins exploding with lotions, potions, hair ties, brushes, styling products and tools. Now is the time to take control and organize your beauty products. Here's a quick guide to help you get started.

1. Go through all of your beauty products and styling tools—lotions, sunscreen, hair and skin care products and separate them into three piles:
   
   
   • Products and styling tools you never use or are expired.
   • Products and styling tools you use daily.
   • Products and styling tools you use on special occasions.
2. Start with the pile of products and styling tools that you never use or are expired. There's no point in keeping styling tools that you don't intend to use, because it's just a waste of perfect space. You're bound to come across some things you haven't seen in years and you may be thinking, "I'll use this one day," but the truth is you probably won't, so just toss it or if it's still in good condition, give it to a friend. Also, make sure to throw out anything that has expired, because its potency had diminished and is no longer useful. Professional products usually have an expiration date on them, but if not, take a look at this list for some guidance:
   
   
   • Shampoo and conditioner have an unopened shelf life of 3 years. Once opened, the shelf life is about 18 months.
   • Hair spray and other products in spray form can last up to 5 years.
   • Cream cleanser, gel cleanser, cream moisturizer will last about 1 year, once opened.
3. Take the pile of products and styling tools that you use daily, like a moisturizer, hair brush or blow dryer, and put them in a place that's easily accessible, like a drawer. If you don't have adequate enough drawer space for your beauty products and styling tools, here are a few other good storage options, depending on your space and budget:
   
   
   • An over-the-door shoe organizer with clear pockets will allow you to store all your beauty products and styling tools you use on a daily basis, so you can see them and know exactly where they all are.
     
   • A door and wall rack system allows you to create a flexible, customized storage center.
   • A bathroom storage tower is perfect for storing your beauty products in a narrow space, while providing easy access and visibility.
   • A slim rolling cart or a utility cart allow you to take advantage of tight spaces and can be wheeled out for easy, instant access.
   • An over-the-toilet shelf unit is another solution that provides an ample amount of shelf space with easy access and visibility.
4. Finally, take all your beauty products and styling tools that you use for special occasions and place in a storage basket or an under-the-sink storage bin. You might also consider investing in a heat-resistant travel case, so don't have to wait for your styling tools to cool, before storing them away. When you're done using them, simply wrap up your hot styling tools in the heat-resistant case and toss it in your storage basket.

Use one or any combination of these suggestions to organize your beauty products in a way that's most beneficial to your space and budget. Going forward, put a sticker on the bottom of your new products and record the date that you opened them, so you'll know when it's time to toss them. When you're done using a beauty product or tool, make sure to put it back in its place in order to maintain a clean beauty space.