CHENNAI : I’m a big fan of the entire Marie Kondo keep-things-only-if-they-spark-joy concept, but what if all of my beauty products bring me the most uninhibited glee and all-encompassing enlightenment? In addition to this, what if, you, like me, live in a shoe-box sized apartment, walking tours of which get over as soon as they start? Maybe you’re as bad as keeping the products in place as I am, but the thought of neatly organised stacks is still extremely captivating.
I get a tiny thrill whenever I see videos of an expertly arranged beauty shelf, which obviously means there must be something in my astrological chart that has a desire to organise. Alas, I couldn’t boast of an extra room in my apartment that I could dedicate to an entire beauty closet, and had to make do with what I had — an Ikea desk, a bathroom and a couple of shelves above my bed. This is less than half the space I had than my previous home, so forgive my complaining. Now, that I knew where I would keep my products, I just had to figure how I’d fit them all.
One of my biggest qualms when it came to organising was how overwhelming the process was. I can’t recommend much for this kind of anxiety apart from getting a bottle of wine, setting an intention, and asking for help from your most organised Virgo friend. Sort the products in three piles: things you’re keeping, what’s old and needed to be thrown away and what you would donate. Go deeper into categorising and product type from there. Separate your lipsticks from your eye creams till all similar products are together.
Now for the fun part — putting everything away. It is helpful at this point to refill your glass and check if all the shelves are screwed on as tight as possible. Get creative with this. I bought a tiered cake stand from a vintage market which is great for adding height and creating additional storage. Invest in spice racks, dividers, utility carts and old candle jars for make-up tools. It’s tempting to use cute shoeboxes and fabric bins to keep your products in, but you won’t be able to see what’s inside of them.
I would also like to take this time out to thank my family, who are passionate about organisational products. I’m talking about labelled drawers, baskets and wall hangers in each closet. Interestingly, some of our best organising products are used in a manner to neatly display the organisational product itself, which, now that I consider it: is a little redundant. Anyway, my motivation and efficiency levels are at an all-time high because everything is in place; it’s such a joy to see all my products lined together like little soldiers!