how to reduce your beauty stash considerably!

This is my stuff that I want to get rid of! 

I made a new years resolution that I would have a big sort out of all my beauty products and get rid of stuff I just don't use any more or bought for the sake of it, which we are all guilty of doing are we not? So I thought I'd post this today, on a lazy Sunday, where you are most likely to be snowed in, bored and looking for something to do. Why not have a small sort out of your beauty draw?
I've got some tips to help you with what can sometimes feel like a mammoth task...

1. Don't do it all at once. There is no point just getting everything out and rifling through it for a few reasons; you'll get bored, and end up throwing stuff away that you sort of wanted to keep, and it will take a long time! So do it in stages, set yourself an hour each week to just go through a small section of your collection and before you know it, you'll have a growing pile of stuff ready to chuck.

2. Ask yourself three questions: When did I last use it? Do I think I'll use it again? Do I have something better to do the same job? If the answer to these are, over three months ago, no and yes, then throw it.

3. Be ruthless. After asking yourself those three questions, don't dither, just chuck it. The likelihood is that you won't miss it anyway!

4. If you're not sure, pop it in your weekly make up bag. I've been doing this a lot recently, and found it has reduced my stash a lot. If you really are unsure of whether to chuck something, then try and incorporate it into your daily make up. If you don't enjoy using it, or you can't find a way to use it then it's time to say bye bye! There's no point keeping something if you can't use it.

5. Don't throw it straight away. Have a box somewhere where you can't see it, and put all the make up products in there that you think you want to get rid of. If you don't do back to the box looking for something, and you haven't missed it in your daily make up routine, then throw it away for definite. Usually, I find that once something goes in the box, I don't miss it!

6. Check the use by dates! They say that these aren't really that important, but generally each make up item does have an eventual expiry date. You should throw away any mascaras that are over 4 months old, especially if they have dried up. My godmother used an old mascara and got an eye infection - yucky! Foundation lasts the longest especially if its in a sealed tube or pump, so you can keep these for up to 2-3 years. However, if it starts to go lumpy and discoloured, chuck it! Eye shadows last a long long time, anything up to 5 years. Lipsticks last up to 5 years, but according to my friends mum who is a beautician, they start to go a bit funny after 5 years, and can cause a reaction, so be careful. Whilst you're sorting out, go through each product and check that it doesn't look a bit dodgy or smell a bit funky!

7. Have a 'to use up' pile. I've got a lot of stuff in my drawer like shower gels, body lotions, that I've got in various gift sets at Christmas, and a load of half used cleansers. I have a box that has got products that I don't want any more, but don't mind using up. That way, less is getting wasted, and I don't have to buy loads of new bath products!

8. Get organised. I love having all my make up divided up into sections so I know where everything is. That way, I can easily pick out any products that I know I'm not using. I picked up this drawer organiser from Ikea for just under £10! I divided it into face, eyes, cheeks, lips, plus a few other compartments for various other products.

What do I do with my old make up?
After you've sorted out your stash and have a pile of products you want to get rid of, it's time to decide what you want to do with them! Divide it up into piles: wearable/usable condition; passed use by date/not possible to wear; new/barely used make up. 
The products that are passed their use by date and therefore not possible to wear can go straight in the bin, as there is nothing you can do to save it! If it's a MAC product, you can always clean out the casing and add it to a 'Back to MAC' pile to get a free lipstick after you have 6 empty containers.
The new or barely used make up pile and make up in wearable/usable condition (ie make up that's had fair usage) has a few pathways to go. Firstly, you can donate it to willing friends or family. Secondly, you can put it in a blog sale - this is probably best for newer/barely used make up, and remember to state the usage of each product in your sale. Finally, you can donate to a charity called Give and Make Up. Basically, they are a refuge charity who protect women and children from domestic violence in safe shelters. They are always looking for things to help the women feel more at home, and accept make up, as long at it's clean and not in tubes. (ie mascara/lipgloss) They also accept bath products and old clothes, so click here to find out more.

It's a wordy post, but I hope you are feeling inspired to go and sort out your stash now!

What are your top tips for sorting out make up? Share them below!