Decluttering & Letting Go

While I'm not the type of person to sit and make a list of New Year resolutions, I think January and the start of a new year can create a great excuse to make some changes, whether big or small and physical or mental. Over the last few weeks I have been trying to downsize the amount of things I own, rearrange my bedroom a little bit, and generally declutter my storage areas in the hope that I will not only have a clearer room but also a clearer mind.

I've had the chance to put up the lights and pictures I've been meaning to put up for ages, but one of the biggest changes I've made decor-wise is to move my bed off the side of the wall and into the middle of the room. Even though I have a perfectly good desk and chair, more often than not I find myself using my bed as a desk, and being stuck in a corner felt just as much a reflection on my mental state as it was a description of the bed. It has meant I've lost a bit of floor space, but I have to say a shift of just 40cm has really changed my perspective of the room and opened it out, making my white metal bedframe actually seem like a purposeful design feature with clear open space to each side.

Of course, this change has meant I've had to sort through and consolidate everything lurking under my bed, as well as in my door-less wardrobe (no room for a waist high clothes pile at the bottom of the bed anymore!), and a sudden need for clear surfaces has meant drawers, cupboards and shelves have had to be attacked too. There's a lot to be said for decluttering small areas as well as making larger space changes, in fact it can be a bit like decluttering your mind- letting go of all the extra 'stuff' makes room for the things you really need.
One of the things I've really struggled with is the idea that I might use/wear/need something in the future, despite not having even looked at the thing for months. Ruthlessness needs to be your best friend when decluttering, letting go of the things that you keep hold of just in case is a really liberating feeling and asking yourself "would I actually notice if this disappeared?" is a good way to distinguish between 'want' and 'need'.

The big sort-out isn't just for aesthetics and peace of mind (tidy room, tidy mind- or so they say) but also because I'm planning to move this year. Although I don't have concrete dates yet, having a reduced amount of stuff to take will definitely make my life easier now and in the future.
Even if you're not planning to move house, a good spring clean at the start of the year can do the world of good physically and mentally, and the infographic* below gives some good decluttering tips. I really like the idea of separate 'sell' and 'donate' piles in particular as I tend to do either one or the other, but creating two piles would make sure things go to the appropriate place (especially for items like bras and cosmetics which are actually very gratefully received by the right charities as donations).

Whether moving or staying put, a sort-out might be just what you need at this time of year- never underestimate the power of a good declutter!

(Source)

Hair Tool Storage With The Polder Style Station

While I'm not the most organised of people I do like everything in its place, and the floor is definitely not the place for storing hair styling tools. The tangled bundle of wires not only offended my eyes but also confuddled me, and I was forever plugging in my laptop and wondering why my straighteners weren't heating up.

After some searching on Pinterest and Google (and dismissing some very overpriced pieces of metal), I found the perfect way to store my hairdryer and brush- a 5 Hook Over-Draw (or door) Hanger that works a treat and was only £2.48 including p&p! It has more hooks than I have things to hang, but it's definitely always better to have too many than too little in my opinion.

When searching for a holder for my other tools I had some trouble, the few products that looked they would do the job weren't available in England, and any of them that were were far too expensive. I finally happened upon the answer to my prayers- the Polder Style Station (£19.99) (they also do a Mini £16.99) available exclusively from Lakeland, with silicone pads and stainless steel mesh that means you can put your hot tools away straight after use.
The Style Station has three round compartments with the largest big enough to store a hairdryer, but I've also found it perfect for my Babyliss Curl Secret. In the other two I keep my Remington straighteners and Braun straighteners (review here). At the back there's a large hook (supposedly for hanging the holder from a towel rail), a hole for wall mounting and a section for storing the cables. I've found this section too small for storing the cables of all three tools and have instead been winding my Braun stylers wire and securing the loop with Velcro for easy access. Luckily though the wire pocket makes a great place for my Yogi Heat Proof Glove!

I keep the holder next to my plugs and I think it looks really attractive and neat as well as actually doing the job of housing my hair styling tools and cables. I knew there were over-door hooks available but I wasn't really sure if anything actually existed that would be suitable for the rest of my tools, so I'm so pleased to have found the Style Station as I've finally put my storage and messy wire woes to rest! 

Do You Clean Your Makeup Packaging? - How and Why You Should

A while ago I wrote a post about cosmetics sanitisers from Beauty So Clean, titled 'So You Clean Your Brushes, But Do You Clean Your Cosmetics?', but I found it really interesting recently to find out that some people don't clean their make up packaging. When you're touching a product every day, even with clean hands it can become marked with cosmetics and fingerprints  and any oils or dirt from your fingers can transfer to the compact or pot, which might then transfer to your face. If you store your cosmetics out in the open, dust can also settle on it, which doesn't cause much threat, but can make it look less than new!

I clean the packaging of a product to make sure it looks nice and new, and to remove any smudges, fallout or oil and bacteria. I go through the whole collection of my frequently used makeup once or week or so (usually when I wash my brushes) and clean anything that looks marked, as well as wiping over products like lipsticks and concealers that I store uncovered in pots. It's an obvious one, but I also make sure to clean the countertop that I keep my make up on too- it collects powder and eyeshadow fallout, and I am constantly touching it to pick products up and set them down.

The best and easiest way that I use to clean cosmetic packaging is with wipes- any face wipes you have are great for getting rid of annoying smears or spillages (I find the textured exfoliating types the best, they remove dried mascara with ease!), and alcohol disinfectant wipes are brilliant for sanitising surfaces and products, as they work quickly, dry really fast and don't leave any scent. I've tried cleaning solution on a sponge in the past, but it leaves the products so wet that it isn't very helpful for a quick scoot over the collection.

The makeup wipes that I currently have on hand at the moment are the Simple Cleansing Wipes, which I don't use for a full cleanse but do use to remove my make up, and some super cheap Pure Exfoliating Wipes which I use purely for cleaning. The alcohol wipes I'm currently using are the Milton Antibacterial Surface Wipes, meant to be used to disinfect surfaces around babies, but work brilliantly for make up products. Disinfectant wipes take a minimum of 5 minutes to kill bacteria, but usually don't require rinsing so you can wipe a product over and set it back into storage while it quickly dries.

I find the most annoying packaging to clean is the matte black type, which seems to collect dirty finger prints without me even touching it! I use a make up remover wipe, or sanitising wipe (such as the Antibacterial Cleansing Surface Wipes from Dettol), then wipe them quickly with a cloth or towel to avoid making fingerprints on the wet packaging before it's dried.
A task that often slips my mind is to clean my big mirrors- it's sometimes amazing how much more detail you can see after polishing a mirror that didn't even look dirty! Some cleaners can leave streaks, so I apply a few drops of vinegar to some kitchen towel and then wipe it over the surface of the mirror, buffing until it quickly dries. I'm left with a completely clean shiny mirror and no drips or streaks! 

Cleaning makeup packaging and storage areas is one of the household tasks that I actually enjoy doing, and I think it's quite important. While fingers and brushes will hold more bacteria to transfer to the face, anything that's on the packaging might ultimately end up there too. Aside from hygiene, there's nothing better than seeing your pretty make up shine like new!

eBay Make Up Storage Ideas

If your make up storage needs an overhaul but you're fed up of seeing photos of acrylic boxes, stark Ikea countertops and plain-jane brush holders, then I have just the thing to get your storage inspiration juices flowing.
My taste has been quite girly of late, half 'shabby chic', half 'polished and shiny', but definitely feminine, and for some reason I'm very taken with white metal homeware accessories at the moment. I was having a browse through eBay and found some items that really stood out to me and I could definitely see on my own dressing table. Whether you love or loathe my picks, they're guaranteed to get you thinking about your own storage, and wondering whether your knick knacks are really just knackered.

The items above are all ideas for storing palettes in a way that keeps them organised, but easily on hand. The top four are a combination of toast racks (I'm guilty of keeping my palettes in a rack that actually says 'toast' on it), and letter racks, while the lower wooden four are more shabby chic items predominantly designed for mail. [Items named from left to right, prices excluding postage].

The Cream Hearts Rack (£8.99) is definitely the most feminine despite it's distressed look, while the Shabby Chic Cream Wire Rack (£4.95) is one of my favourites, the Spiral Chrome Plated Rack (£3.95) is modern with an interesting design and, if you want to splash out, the Chrome Rack with Glass Bass (£10.99) is a solid statement.

Of the wooden pieces, the White Wood Silver Heart Holder (£8.99) is a cute design that would look great on any dressing table, and the Shabby Chic Holder (£10.95) has a really 'hand-finished' feel to it. While it may need a lick of paint over the writing, the Vintage Style White Letter Rack (£12.89) has plenty of palette room, and the French Chocolat au Lait Rack (£11.99) would make a definite focal point.

Cake stands don't only have to be used for cakes, and theres something about them that just makes me want to cover them in beautiful cosmetics. Available in two or three tiers, the Clear Glass Cake Stand (£9.75) definitely stands out to me for the interesting design cut into it, while the Two Tier White Metal Stand (£13.99) is surely too pretty and girly not to be displayed on the dressing table. The Funky Two Tier Metallic Cake Stands (£12.08) are handily available in three classic shades to suit any decor. Forget the cake, the Vintage Style Clear Glass Pedestal (£6.99) would be perfect for storing everyday make up products, the Birds and Flowers Cake Stand (£6.95) was just too pretty not to be included in my picks, and the White Cup Cake Stand (£15.99) is pricey but so gorgeous to look at.

As you can tell, I'm definitely one for repurposing storage products, and I use a something similar to the gorgeous Crystal Cut Big Glass Ashtray (£12.95) above to store lip balms and salves. The second Crystal Cut Ashtray (£7.95) is slightly smaller so would make a great display bowl for any cosmetics with a compact design. 

The Vintage Style Tooth Brush Holder Cup (£4.25) would be brilliant for storing eyeshadow brushes or eyeliner pencils with its cute little bird, and I use a similar design to the Toothbrush Holder with Vintage Inspired Flowers (£4.99) above right, for displaying my eye brushes, but with daisies instead of roses. I like to use shot glasses to keep cotton buds (Q tips) in easy reach when doing my make up, and the Set of 6 Colourful Shot Glasses (£8.29) would really brighten up any storage collection.

Finally, if you enjoy a good DIY storage project, take a look at my Vinyl Record Storage Bowl post to find out how to repurpose your old records into cool and practical bowls.

I'd love to know what you think of my picks, and what you're looking to update in your make up storage. I've added all the items to my eBay Watch List, and will be making a few purchases!

New Cosmetic Bag Ideas

I'm a bit bored of my make up bag, Ive never been very keen on the design but use it because its easy to keep clean and a compact handy size. While having a look for a new one I came across some really lovely designs and thought Id share them in case anyone else is looking for a new make up bag as well.

1. Jan Constantine Romantic Make Up Bag £21.58
2. Disaster Designs Dandy Make Up Bag £15.60
3. In a Nutshell Make Up Bag £18
4. Disaster Designs Fleur De Jardin Make Up Bag £16.78
5. Ted Baker Eller Cosmetic Bag £22
6. In a Nutshell Wash Bag (not quite a makeup bag but love the design nonetheless) £21.58

I really like the Disaster Designs range of accessories and as my sister is a big traveller I bought her the Bon Voyage Make Up Bag above along with a scrapbook style travel diary for her birthday, I would've liked to have kept it for myself! Ive found a lot of lovely styles on TemptationGifts.com which is a site I use quite a lot looking for presents for my mum and sister (and sometimes myself!).

Another gorgeous bag that's just been released is the Aromatherapy Associates Little Beauty Bag (below), the design is inspired by the feeling you get when smelling essential oils and its available for just £12.

It was a toss up for me between number 1 and number 3 in the first picture above, they're both a bit more girly and twee (in a good way) than I usually go for but I settled on number 3, the In a Nutshell bag, as I think it's pretty unusual and really like the colour. It's matte rubber coated but made to look a bit like suede which is great so it can be wiped clean and I don't need to worry about getting my grubby makeup paws over it!