Recently, I was faced with the task (and I did groan because it is a difficult one) to declutter and organize my toiletries and make-up. The reason I say this is a difficult task, is because we tend to accumulate a lot of these items, and rarely do we declutter them. For instance, see if this sounds familiar: you are at your local pharmacy and you think it wise to purchase a new toothpaste. Nothing wrong with that you say? Of course not! Until you arrive home only to discover you have 4 half tubes on the go already. Of course the same goes for so many items: shampoo, body wash, moisturizers – we often end up having more than one on the go and this creates, yes lets all say it together:
CLUTTER!
Well fear not because today we will tackle this clutter, and work towards getting rid of unwanted (and perhaps old) items, while also consolidating and getting rid of some clutter. You may have to do this exercise in multiple bathrooms, but usually we have a “main hub” which is the root of our cluttered toiletries and make-up, so I suggest starting there.
Begin by taking all of these products and bring them out into the open – if your bathroom surface space is not big enough, you may have to also use floor space. Now, take a moment to survey everything. Personally, I like to place ‘like’ items together so that I can consolidate if need be. If you have two or more of anything, this is your opportunity to turn the 2 or 3 into 1 if you can. Also, if you have small amounts left in any of these bottles or packages, it may be time to throw those items out. The bonus of doing this is that you will become familiar with how much and of what products you already have so that you won’t buy more of what you already own.
It is important to go through everything: toothpaste, shower products, soaps….everything! You will be surprised at how much getting rid of and consolidating you can do. Wipe down all keepable items as they may be sticky and/or dirty and place things back in an organized way, either back to storage or in place for use like in your shower or sink areas.
The same principles for toiletries apply for make up, with a few added steps. Make-up is something that needs replacing more regularly. Check in with these products and if they have run their course, throw them out. Powders, blushes, base – anything that you apply directly to your face should be replaced regularly, as should mascara and eye shadows. Make sure to thoroughly wash any make-up brushes or sponges; eye pencils can be sharpened getting rid of the old parts making them new and fresh. If you have multiple items of the same product, get rid or consolidate so that clutter is kept at bay. Once you have done this examination, replace the items for keep in an organized way so that they are easily available to you when you need them.
The interesting thing is that by the end of this work, you will have way more garbage then you thought and you will also be way better equipped to answer the question “Do I need this” the next time you are on a purchasing outing. Happy decluttering!
Aside from helping with all of our decluttering needs, Avery hosts the Journey Into Yoga Podcast where she guides you through a different yoga pose each week explaining all that it has to offer the body and mind. Episodes and more can be found at averyrich.com. Check out this week’s show where we focus on strengthening the core!
Avery Rich
Avery hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a background in both law and yoga! As a long time Yoga Instructor, she hosts the Journey Into Yoga podcast, a show which explores and demystifies a different yoga posture each week. A true believer in creating space in our bodies through yoga, her Declutter U newsletter is designed to provide tips and tools on how to create more space in our lives by decluttering.
