|
Tips of the Season
June — August
A Spa Treatment for your Bathroom
Sometimes it is the little things that matter most! Getting
your bathroom and vanity area organized can make a difference
in getting out the door on time in the morning and starting
the day with a bright outlook! Pamper yourself with these
tips for organizing makeup and jewelry.
Makeup:
So Many Samples and Products
We all have products we have purchased that are expensive
but we decided not to use. Make a decision – toss,
“gift” to a friend, or use the product. If you
are still not able to decide due to the expense of the product,
date the back of the box, and vow to decide in 6 months.
As you are reviewing your products, check the expiration
dates. If they have not been opened, the products are still
fresh. Remember, cosmetics have a shelf life due to bacterial
growth.
Samples and gift sizes can get out of hand! Keep one container
in a guest bath for pampering your guests. Give extra products
and samples to college students or teenagers you know. Store
the remainder in plastic containers, labeled with the type
of product, shampoo, conditioner, lotion or whatever. Also
consider giving sample sizes to a women’s shelter
or church mission trip.
Divide and Conquer
Think of the cosmetics displays and counters in the department
store. Categorize the different products by their use. Keep
products together for your face, your eyes, your lips, and
more. Use the back of your vanity space to store the extra
products, using baskets or plastic bins for each of the
different types of products. For additional vertical space,
retail stores have a shelf addition that will double your
space under your counters.
Access for Every Day
For everyday use, keep just one of each product handy for
you to use. Keep them in a container that can be lifted
easily from below inside your vanity or in the top center
drawer for easy access. Purchase containers that keep each
group of products together, with an area for mascara, eyeliner,
and eye shadow, another area for moisturizer, blush, and
face powder, and another area for lip liner and lipstick.
Jewelry:
Create a “Home” for Your Jewels
Keep a small tray in the kitchen and on your bathroom vanity
to be the “home” for your jewelry when you take
off your watch, rings, and bracelets. This way you always
know where to find these valuables! I always take my jewelry
off as I reach home so as not to damage these doing chores
and laundry. Diamonds are hard, but can still chip when
hitting the center of the washing machine!
Queens Jewels or Not
Review your jewelry – are there broken pieces that
need repair? Have you lost a stone? Is there a family heirloom
that might be refashioned and worn? Keep these out for repair.
Also, is it time to part with some of the costume jewelry
that is outdated? Donations to worthy causes and mission
trips are a wonderful way to share your blessings.
It’s all About Access
With your remaining jewels, decide what is everyday jewelry
and dress up! Separate these for access and storage. For
dress up, store valuables in a locked cabinet if possible.
Keep all of it together so you know where it all is, otherwise
you can lose individual pieces if stored around your home
in various spots. Purchase a small safe or locked file cabinet
for a great storage space. Do not store jewelry in your
master bedroom – this is the typical spot to check
in a robbery. Depending on the quantity of dress up jewels
you have, store in boxes from the jewelry store with a label
on the outside, or purchase individual leather trays from
Hold Everything or clear containers from the Container Store.
For everyday jewelry, store your items as if they were
in a jewelry store. There are two ways to do this –
store all the rings, bracelets, necklaces separately by
category. Or store the items that make a “set”
together – a matching ring, bracelet, earrings and
necklace in one area. Inexpensive jewelry boxes are available
at retail stores and The Container Store to view your jewelry
for easy access. Choose what you love, either countertop
or inside a drawer, to keep you organized!
You may decide to further your “Spa Treatment”
in your bath and include your linen closet, medicine cabinet
or other area. Please call me if I can be of assistance!
|
