Whether you’re a morning person or not, there’s no denying that the first few hours of the day can be tough. Not only do you have to rush around getting ready for your day while keeping one eye on the clock, but you may also have small children that need a lot of help to get out the door on time as well. It's a recipe for stress, and one small detail which is often overlooked can really help you to get a better handle on it - the organisation of your vanity unit. What can you do to speed up your morning routine and get things streamlined?
Separate Your Brushes
We all know that using dirty makeup brushes is a recipe for breakouts. The bristles really harbour bacteria, especially when used with liquid formulas. However, if you have black or coloured bristles in your brushes, it can be hard to tell whether they’re dirty or not. That’s why it's a genius idea to set two brush holders on your vanity - one for clean brushes, and one for brushes which are waiting to be washed. Purchasing a device like the StylPro can help to make even shorter work of washing and drying them too.
Set Up Your Most-Used Items
Try to only keep your most used items on the top surface of your vanity. You could try designating a drawer or getting an acrylic makeup caddy to hold your daily supplies, and then popping the rest into storage baskets in the cupboards below. If you have a lot of hot tools like a blow drier or flat irons, then you can get a heat resistant silicone mat for them to rest on and find a way to organize cords so that they don’t trail all over the place.
Arrange the Lighting
The right lighting is crucial to getting a flawless finish, and will also help to speed up the process of getting ready in the morning as well. Ensure that your vanity area is well lit by purchasing an illuminated mirror or a daylight lamp to get the best view. If your mirror is smaller and can be moved, placing it by your non-dominant hand can help you easily multi-task by reaching for products while also checking your reflection.
Have a De-Clutter
Once every few months, set up a big declutter session to streamline all your toiletries and makeup. Recycle any old electrical items, get rid of all those half-used open duplicate bottles of shampoo and shower gel, dispose of any expired medications, and go through your makeup as well. There is definitely an expiry date for makeup, especially when it comes to mascaras, which easily collect bacteria and can cause eye infections if they are kept too long.
If you’ve been holding onto lots of products that you find you haven’t used, it could be a good opportunity to swap with friends, or there are some women’s shelters which accept unopened cosmetics for their residents use. It can be a great opportunity to clear out and then have space for any new purchases - all while saving you time in the morning!