Decluttering Your Beauty Stash Is Easier Than It Sounds

With limited storage space in New York City, I'm forced to get a little creative with how I store my beauty products. Before I started my declutter, I had half a credenza (aka three drawers) hiding all my makeup, bathroom cabinets stocked with hair, skin, and body products, and a few tote bags overflowing with products in closets and under my bed.

My main goal was to whittle my collection down to only what I had room for (but hopefully less). This meant that after the declutter, everything had to fit in its place — no squeezing into non-existent empty spaces or stacking products that weren't meant to be layered. I already had somewhat of an organization system — a variety of containers, certain areas delegated to hair products or palettes, etc — in my drawers and cabinets, so this gave me an even better idea of how much real estate I was working with.

Now it's time to get down to business. Everyone has their own process when it comes to decluttering, whether it's working section by section, doing a mass purge, or somewhere in between. I fall into the latter two categories; I like to see what I have all at once when it's in the same physical space, so I tackled each area of my apartment separately, but each section within that area simultaneously before reorganizing.

Starting with my makeup drawers and a cardboard box (which later multiplied) for all my "no's," I quickly split my collection in half using a specific set of criteria. Taking a note from Marie Kondo, I asked myself if each piece "sparked joy" — or, in other words, if it was something I'd be genuinely excited to use. Then I considered the more granular details: Was this product expired? Did it have any weird smells or texture? When was the last time I even picked it up (if ever)? Finally, I determined if it would better serve someone else — a friend, relative, or person in need. I used the same approach in my bathroom and when sifting through each tote bag.

Once this was complete, I organized the products that made the cut. For my makeup drawers, I rely on a mix of dollar store containers, compact organizers ($7), and lipstick holders ($10, originally $13) to keep things in line. Then I divided the no's into shipping boxes for friends and family, a tote for donations (sealed, unused products), a bag for recyclables, and a bag for trash. It may seem intricate, but it was undoubtedly productive.

Just a note on what to do with leftover product. I moved quickly getting things out of my small apartment; I immediately contacted Share Your Beauty and arranged to drop off several bags of brand-new products. These would then be distributed by the organization to homeless women and victims of domestic violence. Then I shipped some well-stocked boxes off to my best friends and mom. For recyclable products, I suggest programs like Terracycle, or looking for local recycling events that can ensure the products are disposed of in the most responsible way possible.

Who doesn't love a good transformation? Although my drawers might not look insanely different when you compare the before-and-after photos, seeing my purged products pile up felt good. I estimate I decluttered more than half of what I started with.

Unless you have a truly massive collection, sparing one day (or less) is all you need to declutter your beauty products. But the effects are long term. Since then, I haven't felt stressed out when opening a drawer or sifting through excessive lip liners to find the one I actually wear on a regular basis. I feel good knowing my unwanted products are being put to use, even if I still have more than I really need. Then again, I did say I'll never be a minimalist.