Organization Quest

What You've Been Waiting For: The Makeup Organizer

If you've been following the Quest, you know that I tried to create my own makeup organizer this spring, which you would not think would be such a daring or difficult feat but it landed me in the emergency room nonetheless.  Anyway.  I tried to let the experience go, really. I lined up my makeup in neat little rows, only to have everything fall into eachother whenever I opened the drawer.  "That's fine," I'd lie, whenever I'd open the drawer to find blush toppled into what had been clearly designated as the eyeshadow area.  "A tidy makeup drawer isn't worth the risk of losing a finger."

Sure, I could have gone to the Container Store or Target and found an approximate replacement for the makeup organizer I'd envisioned making for myself, but that just seemed so . . . cowardly.  I felt like I'd just given up and let the X-acto knife win without a fight.  And that I just couldn't do.

"What are you doing?" Alpay asked as I dug out my heavy-duty protective gloves, safety glasses, and measuring tape.

"I'm gonna make that organizer once and for all," I said.

"Please don't," Alpay said.  But he knew better than to force the issue with a woman holding an X-acto knife.

In the end, it was fine.  Better than fine!  Are you kidding?  My makeup organizer is beautiful.  It's exactly what I wanted, completely and totally customized to fit the drawer and organize my favorite products. Only don't ask me for details on how I did it. It was enough to take a chance with my own finger, I'm not taking any chances with yours!

Above: life before my makeup organizer This is as good as it got; usually it was a lot worse.   

Creating Customized Make-Up Dividers out of Foam Core

Creating a Quick, Organized Day Pack of Travel Essentials with free GWP Bags

On a ride from central Cappadoccia to the area airport a few weeks ago, there were exactly four people in the van: Alpay, me, and a woman and a man we hadn't before met.  The guys cordially nodded  and proceeded to ignore eachother for the ensuing 45 minutes, going so far as feigning sleep to avoid engaging in conversation, while within minutes the woman and I had exchanged names, histories, and email addresses, looked inside eachother's purses, and offered to share snacks.   

Perhaps because my own mother's purse was Strictly Off-Limits, few things are as gratifying as looking in another woman's purse--with permission, of course.  On the ride to Kayseri, when the woman opened her bag to offer me some nuts, I commented on how organized her bag looked.  In the habit of tidy people everywhere, she was happy to show off her tricks and opened the bag right up, the better to examine the contents, which we did, piece by piece. Of the things I noticed right away:  there were no loose items at all--not one.  Everything was in its own little a bag or case or canister of some sort--passport, sunglasses, cell phone and ipod.  Even her lipgloss was stowed away in a little bag of travel essentials, which is where I got the idea of creating my own travel essentials bag with one of the free gift-with-purchase bags I'd brought along. 

Contents of my essential pack from top left: ibuprofen, 2" x 3" notebook, pencil, hand sanitizer, tissues, moleskin (to cushion blisters), wallet with cash, ID, and credit card, hand wipes, epi-pen (for allergies), (free, GWP) lipstick, ponytail holder, sun block, bandaids, and mirror/bronzer.

It all fits nicely in a little clutch.  After pulling this together, I was ready for anything!  And my bag was a lot tidier, too.

  

Taming Travel Chaos with Free, GWP Bags

There is something about the term "Gift With Purchase" that shorts all my circuits.  Who can resist those cute little bags full of free goodies?  Nevermind that the bags are often cheap plastic things that you would never, ever actually use as a clutch as advertised.  It's free!

Well, sort of.  You do have to buy product--usually to the tune of $20 bucks or more--to get the gift with purchase bag.  But the upside is that you do get exposed products and colors you might not otherwise try, and the gift usually comes with at least one or two neutral stand-bys everyone can use, which explains why I haven't had to actually  buy mascara, clear lip gloss, blush, or make-up remover in years. 

Still, there is the question of what exactly to do with an ever-increasing supply of little vinyl bags.  Happily, there is no shortage of ways to get some actual use out of them. As I recently realized, GWP bags are especially helpful for taming travel chaos.  Here are 8 ways we put GWP bags to use on our trip to Turkey:

#1: Organizing Vitamins, OTC Drugs, and Prescriptions
It's handy to have one place for pills and medications.

  

#2: Stowing Feminine Protection Products
If you've been following the Quest, you might recognize this bag from my medicine cabinet makeover.

#3: Pen Storage
Handy even if you don't feel compelled to travel with a handful of fountain pens at any given time.

  

#4: Cotton Balls, Q-Tips, and Cosmetic Rounds
I've found that cotton balls, Q-Tipsand the like have a tendency to get yucky if stored with makeup.  While you can use a ziplock baggie in a pinch, baggies tend to tear and give out over a number of days of heavy-duty travel.  This bag is also suitable for around-town essentials, i.e. ipod, credit card, and gloss. 

  

#5: Camera and Camcorder Bag
This is one of my favorite bags--and probably the most unusual: there are two compartments to the soft-sided, square-shaped bag: one large and one small.  The large side provides storage for our 35mm camera, while the small side is big enough for the camcorder.  Perfect!

 

 

#6: Binocular Bag
The original bag for the binoculars didn't fit as well as this freebie bag!   

  

#7: Travel-Size Soap, Toner, and Cream Organizer
This is probably closer to what the GWP bags are intended for.  I've found that this square-shaped bag, which has a three-sided zipper, is particularly useful for cleansers and face creams, as it lays flat on a hotel room vanity or counter and makes it easy to keep everything in the bag making it easy to pack up and go.

  

#8: Organizing Spillables
This is one of the most useful GWP bags I've gotten:  a heavy-duty plastic bag that's ideal for storing all kinds of spillables like perfume, large toner bottles and the like, minimizing potential breakage catastrophes. 

  

Tomorrow: creating a quick, organized day pack of travel essentials with free GWP bags.

Quick Tip: Getting the Most out of Powder Cosmetics

Back in the original Makeup Week that ran in April/May, several posts featured cosmetic safety, including expiration dates and avoiding microbial contamination.  The latter post detailed why such makeup-extending practices as adding water to the original product is not a good idea, as the introduction of foreign material increases the likelihood of product contamination.  But there is at least one way to be frugal that isn't an infection risk: when loading cosmetics onto a brush or applicator, start with the corners of the pan and work inward, thus avoiding the ubiquitous dip-in-the-center syndrome. Why bother? Because when you dip into the middle, you push product to the sides, where it is hard to reach the last little bits without breakage and waste. 

Where the Freebies Are: Finding Gift-with-Purchase Goodies

Later in the week I'll be writing about the organizational potential of gift-with-purchase bags that accompany cosmetic giveaways, but I wanted to write get this post out before it's too late, because there are some might nice gift-with-purchase (GWP) deals going on right now. 

How to find those GWP? The best way i've found is to go right to the manufacturer's site, i.e. Estee Lauder, Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, etc.  Sometimes there's a link to "events" where you can input your zip code to generate a list of nearby stores and information on the next GWP. Sometimes the manufacturer itself will offer GWPs through their website. Just how good the gifts are vary wildly according by the manufacture--some are pretty lame while others can only be described as extravagant. 

Here are some of the current deals:

Lancome: Hands-down, my favorite manufacturer's site is Lancome's.  It's also the only one that I've bothered to join as a "member" in order to get extra goodies.  At least once a month they have a seriously great giveaway.  Example:  until July 24 lancome.com members can choose four products from a selection of samples, including an eyeshadow quad, lip pencil, lip gloss, self-tanner, blush, bronzer, or juicy tubes, plusget a large Genifique sample, plus free shipping for purchases over $50. 

Smashbox: Free lipgloss with $60.00 purchase; from what I've been able to gather, in addition you may get foundation plus choice of one of three "deluxe-size samples" including foundation primer, tinted moisturizer, or lip gloss. There's also the strange "free gift Tuesdays + Thursdays" which cannot be combined with other offers; this involves a free, full-size product when ordered between 9am and 2pm Pacific time on Tuesdays or Thursdays.  Plus free shipping on every order!

Clinique: Choice of men's 3-step samples (three products) OR mascara sample OR Almost Makeup Sample + free shipping for orders over $50.00.  The website also features an event calendar giving information on in-store GWP. 

Estee Lauder: A "10-day supply" of Advanced Night Repair, + a choice of two samples, ranging from "trial size" eyeshadow to perfume, to 5-10 day supplies of various products like cleanser or firming cream, + free shipping for orders over $50.00.

Prescriptives: Free shipping on any purchase + a free sample (not disclosed on website and subject to switch-out)

Bobbi Brown:  Free shipping for order over $65.00 + two free samples (not disclosed on the website until checkout; when I checked, the only choices were for foundation)

You can also try department store's sites for information.  Current deals going on now include:

 Nordstroms: Lancome Gift With $29.50 purchase, including mascara, eye shadow quad, makeup remover, cleanser, lipstick, wrinkle cream, and tote.  In addition, Nordstroms also has a Estee $29.50 GWP that includes "lifting cream," 9-shade eyeshadow compact, full-size lipstick, mascara, and three different cosmetic bags.

 Macys: Estee Gift With $29.50 purchase (pictured below) including Cosmetic bag, eye pencil, eye shadow, perfume, full-size lipstick, high gloss, mascara, and patent tote.

Quick Tip: Washing Cosmetic Brushes

Brushes are great for applying any number of products, from foundation and face powder to blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, and even lipstick.  To keep brushes clean, just wash with anti-bacterial soap and warm water and air-dry.

 

Quick Tips for Speeding up Your Beauty Routine

Tuesday is my Monday, the first day of the week I have to be on site at work.  And so after a lazy, cosmetic-free weekend that spills over onto my work-at-home Monday, I'm often tempted to throw caution to the wind and shun makeup Tuesday morning, quite as if I simply can't spare the 30 seconds it takes to line my eyes or put on a little lip gloss, nevermind that whenever I go into the office bare-faced, there's always someone who will wonder--loudly and often--if I'm sick.

I came across "50 Ways to Speed up Your Beauty Routine" on Oprah's site a while back.  Because saving time and  streamlining routines is a big part of being organized, I thought it would make a good post for the Quest.  I've tested  most of the makeup tips and a good quarter of the hair and general grooming tips, and I have to say I'm both surprised and pleased with the tips I've tried.  I may not switch to a tinted moisturizer for foundation or use a light dusting of blush in place of eyeshadow every day of the week, but it in a pinch both techniques seem to work well enough and they do make good on their promise of saving time. 

This Week On The Quest: Back to the Makeup Drawer

Okay, I know, I know:  those of you whose cosmetic consumption is limited to an occasional swipe of chapstick wish I'd give the whole makeup thing a rest already. And I will, I promise, but right now there's still some unfinished business that needs to be addressed, namely that cosmetic organizer that sent me to the emergency room back in April.  Those of you who've been following the Quest know what I mean; for newbies to the Quest, suffice to say I had a little accident while attempting to make my own drawer organizer.  I'm not going to post a link to that post because I got scolded by my Dad for posting gross-out pictures and he had a point: that's not what the Quest is about.  But I just couldn't let the whole make-up organizer thing go without a fight.  And so that's one of the summertime projects I decided to tackle this week.

Meanwhile, there are so very many cosmetic topics that  never got addressed during the first cosmetic week:  the organizing potential of those freebie "gift with purchase" bags for all kinds of stuff, not just makeup; how to remove mascara stains, which believe me, is no easy task; corner-cutting tips for your morning routine and ideas on (safely and hygienically) getting extra mileage out makeup, as well as how to turn cosmetic purchasing mistakes into new favorites. 

Why Our Printer Keeps Breaking: 5 Seconds in the Life of Lickity Split

What?  I'm not doing anything.

 

Still not doing anything wrong!  People sure are suspicious.

 

Just getting a closer look.  Can't scold a kitty for looking.

 

Just lost my balance!  Geez!

 

Snapdragon!  You be the lookout!  Is the coast clear? 

 

Got it!

Choosing a Fun, Summertime Organization Project

Mid-July is here, which in my book is mid-summer, nevermind the naysayers who insist on pinning mid-summer to the summer solstice.  I mean, how can June 20 or 21 be mid-summer, when in my day we didn't even get out of school for summer vacation until June 15 or so?  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that summer = summer vacation.  Even if you aren't in school or have kids. 

In my experience, by mid-July, I run out of a little steam.  In the beginning of summer, there's an irresistible urge to make plans, draw up lists, create goals, and decide on projects. It's like New Year's Day, without the hangover or the prospect of months of dreary weather to contend with. 

While it may seem like summer is slipping by, it's not too late to dust off those lists and re-commit to a goal or project while the days are still long.  Why not make it something fun?  Regina Leeds, in her book, One Year to an Organized Life,dedicates July to such fun projects as pulling your address book together, organizing photos, and scrapbooking--all ideal, shady-porch projects.  Tackling a junk drawer or going through a jewelry box are both good lazy-day projects.  For the more ambitious, there are all those big, outdoor projects: house-painting, gutter-clearing, and yard work, not to mention scrubbing oil stains from the driveway, cleaning windows, and power-washing the deck--projects that just aren't meant to be when it's -10 degrees outside.  Summer is also an ideal time for organizing the garage, shed, or basement, clearing out a storage unit, or having a yard sale. 

This weekend, I think I'll review my project list and pick a few things I'd like to focus on.  I know I'd like to finish up a few things and also to start something new--I just need to decide what.  What about you?  I'd love to hear about your summertime projects and plans!

A Breath of Fresh Air

After nearly three weeks in Turkey, I'm back home and back on the Quest, which is not the same thing as being back on the wagon,  but I'm working on it.  I was actually more "on the wagon"--organized, tidy, orderly, and together--on our trip, even though we packed and unpacked a total of 12 times in 17 days (six hotel rooms in 4 different cities).  The constant packing and unpacking could have been a recipe for disaster or at least frustration, but by and large it went smoothly, with a minimum of angst or drama.  In fact, each time I packed things up, it got easier instead of harder.  As the trip progressed, we established certain what-goes-where standards--dirty laundry in the front pockets, for instance--and were better able to arrange things with the benefit of trial-by-error knowledge: dark and long-sleeved clothing were relegated to the bottom of the luggage while their light-colored and light-weight counterparts got priority placement near the top, and the contents of purses, day-packs, and camera bags settled into a predictable short-list of essential items.  Routine is the word that comes to mind when thinking of the order that was quickly established and nearly effortlessly maintained.  And yet "routine" is exactly what often bogs me down on any number of projects, whether creative or organizational. 

How can a single concept--in this case, the idea of "routine"-- be a comfort and an aid in some circumstances, yet disagreeably restrictive in others?   Maybe the problem isn't with "routine" per se, but with the particular "routine" at hand. 

The helpful routines we developed on our trip shared a number of attributes; perhaps the most important is that they were simple and pertinent to our goals.  They helped streamline and focus the process.  They had a point.

In contrast, once back home, I saw how cumbersome many previously-established domestic routines now seemed, how pointless or needlessly elaborate.  I'd rather toss freshly-laundered clothes in a pile to be ironed, for instance, than just fold them and put them away, quite as if a gigantic pile of (progressively more) wrinkly clothes was better than minimally wrinkled clothes neatly folded, stacked, and put away. 

One of the unsettling things about vacations is that they disrupt routines, which, paradoxically, is what also makes them so refreshing and valuable.  There have been many years we haven't been able to go on a real trip, but it's possible to get some of the greatest benefits of a vacation without going anywhere.  The key is to switch things around a bit. Get up early if you usually sleep in on the weekends, or give yourself a little bit of peace by retiring later than usual. Re-think what and why you do the things you do and consider if there aren't options to streamline, to simplify,  to cut things down--or even out.  Ask for help. Try somebody else's way. Do things in a different order. Give yourself a break, even if it's only for a few minutes to collect your thoughts or scribble down some ideas.  Vacations are nice, but they are time-limited.  Trying something new or forging a positive change--however small--has the potential to produce results that long outlive the season at hand. 

*This weekend, I plan on establishing a Flickr account to post more pix of our vacation, for those who are interested.