There are a lot of different personal care products you can buy to take care of your body. When organizing them the first thing to do is to evaluate what you currently have. Separate the products you have based on what they do/clean (teeth, hair, make-up, skin, etc.) and check expiration dates.
Once you have things in categories you can see what types of products you tend to buy and which areas you should start trying to use up.
When I’m trying a new product I recommend getting the smallest size they offer and really try to finish the entire bottle/item. (Within reason of course. If the product is hurting or damaging your body in some way, throw it out.)
I also put the new product where I can easily see it, either on my bathroom counter or where I normally store that type of item, so I remember to use it.
Remember to avoid the trap of aspirational clutter: things that you own but only aspire to use. If you don’t wear much make-up, really think hard before you purchase a 24 color eye-shadow palette because it was recommended to you or on sale. It’s good to try new things, but you also want to remember who you really are and what your natural inclinations are.
If you’re not going to finish using a product you can ask if anyone in your family will use it, but, most of the time you’ll just have to chuck it. Unfortunately, you can’t donate these types of items unless they are unopened.
Stocking-Up
It’s tempting to “stock up” on personal care products that you like but you need to take into account how long it takes you to use up the product, and how quickly it expires. As a general rule, I would recommend keeping no more than two back-up products. Obviously there are exceptions to this but this is usually the best way to avoid waste while still having the things you like on hand.
What types of personal care products do you tend to over buy? For me it’s nail polish. My girls and I rarely wear it and yet we have a ton. Let me know in the comments.
Call me at 208.736.3306 for a free consultation. I’d love to help you on your organizational journey.
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