Makeup Storage & Organisation

I've longed for a beautiful dressing table since I was a little girl. After years of using a cheap, ugly Ikea table as a dressing table during my student years and having makeup overflowing from all sorts of unsightly storage solutions, I finally have the dressing table of my dreams! It feels so good to now have everything in a place and stored completely out of sight.

I spent a long time browsing various shabby chic dressing tables and eventually settled on the one below. Bought from an online store called Classics Direct, the total for both the stool and the dressing table was around £820, which is a lot of money but we felt it was justified as it's hand carved from mahogany and is something that will last for, and be treasured for a lifetime.

I wanted a dressing table big enough for my increasing makeup collection, so this one was perfect with five drawers and a large tabletop.

Inside the largest drawer I've placed a drawer organiser from Muji (£14.99) to create different compartments. Here I keep all my face products - foundation, concealer, primer, highlighter, blusher, bronzer and powder. I also added a drawer from the Laura Ashley organiser in which I previously stored my makeup to create a compartment for my mascara's and lip balms.

I was shocked how little space my lipsticks took up in the drawer below. Previously spilling out of their home in the Laura Ashley drawers, I was startled to discover I had accumulated over 40. However, once I placed them neatly in this drawer, it looked as though I barely owned any so I can use this as an excuse to buy more! I keep my favourite colours at the front and place the brighter, less used shades at the back.

Lip glosses have been placed in the drawer below, again utilising an old drawer from my previous storage.

Eyeshadows are kept here, with the ones I don't use but can't bear to throw away stuffed away at the back.

The final drawer is home to my eyeliners, eyebrow pencils, pencil sharpeners and a random collection of things that didn't fit elsewhere - my Naked palette, eyelash curlers, facial spray etc.

I didn't want to clutter the top of the dressing too much so I've just added a few of my favourite perfume bottles and a tin containing a few makeup brushes.

On the other side I've just placed a few of my favourite candles and my makeup brushes in a little shabby chic pot which my mum bought for me (part of a set of 3).

I'm a bit concerned as the dressing table  only just contains my makeup collection. I think it's inevitable it's going to increase (although I already have too much) so I shall have to be ruthless and get rid of anything I haven't used in a while. I love how organised everything is now and would like to keep it that way. After years of being an untidy student I am finally striving for neatness and orderliness in my life!