Your Ultimate Beauty Declutter Guide & Tips

Spring Cleaning Made Easy | Declutter, organize with easy spring cleaning tips and checklist for a beauty refresh!

Spring is the perfect time to tackle your beauty clutter and make space for the new season ahead.

But first, let’s gauge where you stand on the clutter scale. On a scale of 1-10, how cluttered is your beauty vanity? We won’t judge if it’s a 10/10 on the clutter scale! We’ve all been there. But if you’re ready to declutter and organize, follow these helpful tips for a complete beauty refresh!

1️⃣ Three Things that Affect a Beauty Product's Shelf Life

1. Packaging

• How often is this product exposed to air?

• Does the applicator ever touch your skin and then go back into the product?

2. Formulation

• “Clean” and “natural” products have a shorter shelf life due to the preservatives that are used, or often times, not used

• Water content - more water = shorter shelf life due to evaporation and/or bacteria growth

• Expiration date on active ingredients like SPF. Products formulated for blemish control often also have expiration dates. Look for the letters "EXP" or a date printed on the bottom or at the crimp if it's a tube.
  

3. Storage

• Store in a cool dry place

• Did you know store samples are often “expired”? So many fingers dipping in and out of pots, and those harsh retail lights make products go bad

2️⃣ Are You Keeping Something Because...

… you’re hoping the shade will work out in a different season? (Like when you’re more tan?)

→ Sell it

… it was a gift

→ Sell it

… it was expensive

→ Sell it

… you were influenced to buy it

→ Sell it

… you’d rather use something else you have

→ Sell it

… the packaging is cute or limited edition

→ would $ from selling it or looking at it bring you more joy?

Why?

• This stuff doesn’t last forever. It’s better to give it a second life than to hang onto it. Use the proceeds to get something that will actually spark joy.

• Physical clutter can add to your mental load and contribute towards stress and feeling overwhelmed.

RELATED: How to sell on Glou Marketplace

3️⃣ Decluttering Lip Products

Lipstick (and other things in a twist-up bullet):

• If new:

Does the product have a waxy/crayon smell?

Yes: Empty, clean, and recycle it

No: Sell and rehome it

• If used:

Does the product have a tacky texture or drag when you swatch it?

Yes: Empty, clean, recycle

No: Sell and rehome it

Lipgloss (and other liquid products):

• If new: Sell it

• If opened: Empty product and recycle

Lip pencil (and other things you sharpen):

• Does the product have any shrinkage? Does the product seem loose or wiggly in its plastic or wooden casing?

Yes: Throw it out

No: Sharpen it and list it on Glou

Note about recycling! You can safely assume your beauty product is not curbside recyclable. This is why we've partnered with the non-profit Pact. Find a collection box near you, or request a shipping label from Glou.

4️⃣ Decluttering Foundation, Concealer

Do you pump it out of a bottle?

• Are there signs of oxidation? When you look at the bottle, the product is not a uniform color. There might be a faint line where the product is a shade darker.

Yes: Empty, rinse, recycle

• If opened, does it smell “off”?

Yes: Empty, rinse, recycle

If the product still has life in it... Sell it!

Do you put on the product directly from the bullet? (Cream foundation/stick foundations)

• If new:

Does the product have a waxy/crayon smell?

Yes: Empty, clean, and recycle

No: Sell and rehome it

• If used:

Does the product have a tacky texture or drag when you swatch it?

Yes: Empty, clean, recycle

No: Sell and rehome it

Do you dispense it with a wand?

• If new: Sell it

• If opened: Empty product and recycle

Does it come out of a tube?

• If new: Sell it

• If opened: Check for texture or scent change

Is it a pressed powder?

• If new: Sell it!

• If used:

Is there a smell or visible separation?

Yes: Empty, clean, recycle

No: Sell and rehome it

RELATED:

• The truth about expired concealer, foundation and loose powder

• Learn how to recycle stick beauty packaging with me! (I pretty much toss my entire Milk Makeup collection 😢 )

5️⃣ Decluttering Eyeshadows, Blushes, Bronzers, Highlighters

Is it a pressed powder?

• If new: Sell it!

• If gently used:

Is there a smell or visible separation?

Yes: Empty, clean, recycle

No: Sell and rehome it

Do you dispense it with a wand?

• If new: Sell it

• If opened: Empty product and recycle

Does it come out of a tube?

• If new: Sell it

• If opened: Check for texture or scent change

Yes: Empty, clean, recyle

No: Sell and rehome it

RELATED: Recycle with Glou

6️⃣ Step-by-Step Decision Guide

Step 1: Sort everything by category

• Putting everything together into one giant pile lets you see everything you have and really be able to ask yourself…
  

Step 2: Physically pick up each item and ask yourself, “does it spark joy?”

• Is this item in regular rotation?

• Do you remember the last time you used it?

Step 3: Put all items that are a YES!!!! Away

Step 4: Sort through the “meh” and “maybes”

Check for expiration:

• Does it smell like crayon or just “off”?

• Has the consistency or appearance changed?

• Can you remember when you bought it?

• Are you comfortable still using it?

• What do you like about this product?

• When would you reach for this? What gap does it fill in your collection?

• Are you excited about using this product?

Step 5: The sell pile

• Would someone else want this?

• Is this a popular product?

• What is the usage level? Can it be sanitized?

If yes… list and rehome these beauty products on Glou! Or request a shipping label to have Glou list and ship your sales for you.

7️⃣ The Ongoing Edit

Keep items that do the same thing together on your shelf. Rotate items in and out and see which items you’re reaching for. You will naturally gravitate towards items that you like most. If you’re not consistently reaching for something… it’s time to consider rehoming it.

You can also think of your routine as your wardrobe.

Buy smaller sizes when possible to reduce the amount of waste, and keep products fresh.

If you have a lot of products and not enough room for all the full-sizes, scoop out products into smaller jars (trial and mini size jars are great for this). This way, you have more to choose from to suit your skin’s needs that day and the full size product will stay fresher longer as it’s not being exposed to air as often as opening it every day/twice a day.

RELATED: Shake It Off! The Mini Beauty Revolution - Explore the world of mini-sized beauty products through Taylor Swift's catchy tunes and lyrics

8️⃣ Get Organized

• Keep products that do the same thing together

• Reuse sturdy boxes for creating compartments within drawers

• Make sure products are easily accessible

• Have a dedicated space for setting aside products to sell and rehome

9️⃣ How to Price for Resale

Guidelines for pricing your product listings on Glou marketplace:

• What is the retail price?

• Would you pay $X and feel like you got a deal?

• Is your price + shipping price still a deal on the product?

• It’s not about how much you paid, it’s about how much it’s worth to someone else’s

Happy spring cleaning! And hello to a clean and organized beauty space!