Organized chaos!

How I Organized My Nail Polish, Part 2

Over the weekend, I decided it was time to re-organize my nail polish stash and put it back to rights! (The last time I did this was almost exactly six months ago!) I’m still using the exact same method: Clear Storage Boxes from The Container Store–shoe box size. (I also use all of the various sizes of the clear storage boxes for *everything*!)  I thought I’d share an update, since I know some of us enjoy a peek into each other’s stashes.

The way I started was by pulling bottles from one brand at a time, lined them all up, and then sorted them by color on the floor. After I’ve sorted by brand and color, I put each one (standing up) in the container. Depending on how full the container is, if there is any room for the polishes to slide around, I fold up a piece of bubble wrap and place it along the side.  I also turn some bottles upside down to fit the last few remaining of the brand in the same box, too.  I stack all of the filled containers on top of each other, about eight high (around four feet in height).

For brands that I don’t have too many shades of, then I try to combine them with similar-shaped bottles or brands. Barielle, Dashing Diva, and Duri have very, very similar bottle shapes, so I keep those together. I keep my higher-end polishes like Chanel and Dior together as well. I also keep base, fast drying, and top coats separate (along with other treatment products) in a separate container so I can easily access them as I need to.

I know that a lot of people have found Ikea Helmers to work well for storing nail polish, but I don’t have a good place for them in my apartment, and I don’t really dig the look and feel myself. Maybe one day when I have more room, I’ll be able to find a classier organization system! My dream is to have California Closets re-do a room and give it a freestanding beauty and makeup organization makeover…

See more photos…

Sorted by color… (Essie)

Essie (so pretty!)

SpaRitual

OPI

MAC

Orly

Designer (Chanel, Dior, etc.)

Barielle, Dashing Diva, Duri

Zoya (excludes a case already sorted by color)

Zoya

Nubar

China Glaze

China Glaze

Ta-da!