This post will give you 16 makeup organizer ideas.
We all know dorm and apartment living in college can be a tight squeeze. It’s hard to organize things when you have limited storage and small spaces. Luckily, there are tons of handy tips and simple tricks for making cramped living quarters work for you, all while keeping your countertops clutter-free.
Your desk serves a lot of purposes and one of those can be functioning as a makeshift vanity. Of course you need space to study, but it also comes in handy when you need to quickly pull out your makeup to get ready to go out.
If you are obsessed with cosmetics (like me), you likely love to coordinate everything and make sure each item has a correct place. If you want to be able to find your makeup more easily, you need a high-quality setup for your products!
{See related: How to Have the Cutest College Bathroom: 15 Essential Items}
Below you will find 16 makeup organizers for saving space in your college room. Let’s get right to it!
Table of Contents
1. Acrylic Stackable Drawers
My favorite way to store makeup is with acrylic drawers. These consist of 3 organizers that can be used individually or stacked to save space on a countertop or desk.
This unit comes with 6 drawers and 16 slots. The drawers have various sizes and compartments which are perfect for holding palettes, perfumes, lipsticks, foundation, makeup brushes, and everything else that is currently thrown carelessly into your makeup bag.
This is an organization freak’s dream storage unit. Just keep it on your desk or in your bathroom (if you have your own!). You can use all the drawers alone as under-the-sink storage to hold things like cotton balls and swabs.
The best part is that a clear organizer allows you to see all your products so you know where they’re at. There are so many different variations of acrylic storage at home goods stores and most are relatively affordable.
2. Rotating Countertop Storage
One of my favorite makeup organizer ideas was trending on TikTok for quite some time! This rotating tower is the perfect counter storage for all your beauty and skincare products. This acrylic storage has 360-degree rotation which helps you find all your essentials easily. The trays are also adjustable to fit all different types of cosmetics. How genius!
This storage unit is easy to assemble and clean, so it’s perfect for college students. This allows you to clean up your counter space and organize all your products in one convenient space. For girls who are in a rush in the morning, this is a great storage option.
Related reading: The Best Makeup For People Who Hate Makeup
3. Metal Cabinets
Under the sink storage is a great trick if you don’t want to have any clutter on top of your vanity. This space-saving drawer unit keeps all your products neat and tidy while increasing your storage wherever you place them. You can also buy multiple drawers and stack them to maximize space.
These drawers are wonderful not just for makeup, but other beauty products too. You can store all your hair products, heat tools, skincare, and body care in one convenient place. These drawers would also work great under a desk if you are living in a dorm without a bathroom.
4. Rolling Storage Cart
A storage cart like this one is the perfect addition for any dorm room or college apartment. This cart frees up a lot of space and provides a home for all of your makeup. It has a super slim design so it can be used in tight spaces in your room or bathroom.
I used one like this during all of college for so many different purposes. You can put little cute storage bins on each level and fill them with different products. One can be for cosmetics, but another can be for skincare, hair care, hair tools, or literally anything else you have laying around that needs a place.
5. Over-the-Door Storage
This is such a great space saving hack if you have limited drawers and storage for your beauty products. You can hang a shoe organizer over your door and use it to sort all your products. It allows all your makeup to be easily within reach and all in one convenient location.
You can use one of the pockets for all your makeup brushes, one for scrunchies, one for palettes, and so on. This hanger is one of my favorite makeup organizer ideas of all time.
6. Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag
A travel toiletry bag like this is fantastic for an on-the-go college student. With this bag, you can have all your makeup in one place. Even if you’re not traveling, it can hang on a hook on the back of your door, near your mirror, or on a towel rod. It gives all your makeup products a home in one bag!
7. Vanity Drawer Organization Bins
If you have a lot of drawers in your bathroom or desk, these clear acrylic bins will keep everything organized. This set comes with 17 individual storage bins that can be used separately or stacked and can customize to fit in any layout.
These are also easy to clean which is important when storing your makeup in them. Nobody wants dusty, crusty bins!
Related reading: The 13 Best Bedroom Makeup Vanity Ideas
8. Makeup Palette Organizer
If you are a big palette girl like I am, you have a lot of them. This acrylic clear palette organizer is perfect for any countertop. It organizes all of your makeup palettes and puts them at an arm’s reach. It is just easier to see what you’re working with when they’re sorted and within sight instead of thrown in a drawer somewhere.
This one has 7 slots to divide your palettes evenly and can most certainly be used for other products too.
9. Clear Toiletry Bags
If you tend to opt for the more traditional makeup bag route, these clear toiletry bags are a safe bet. They come in a pack of 3 for only $10! You can keep them in a drawer, under your sink, or in a cute basket so that all your makeup will be gathered in one place.
The clear bag looks chic and allows you to see which products are where. These also great for travel and can come in handy in so many different ways. I have one in my purse to keep all my essentials everyday!
10. Transparent Brush Holder
For makeup brushes, I love the look of this clear makeup organizer for your counter. It is both aesthetically pleasing and functional for sorting out all your makeup tools.
This cosmetic organizer provides great storage and can be used for countless other products, not just makeup brushes. I think it would be great for storing eyebrow products, eyeliners, and all your lip products too. It is a great solution for keeping your bathroom countertops organized and neat.
11. Mini Countertop Drawers
Here’s another pick from our list of makeup organizer ideas. This little countertop drawer unit is great for college dorms… so great, in fact, that I have one of my own!
These mini 3-drawer plastic organizers have so many different uses; they are so versatile and look chic. Think about storing eye creams, cotton swabs, and little things in them that you want in a place that’s easy to grab.
12. Hair Tool Organizer
This organizer is specifically made for your hair’s heat tools. It’s not exactly a cosmetic-centric item, but it’s too handy not to include in this list!
This styling center stores all of your hair tools in one efficient spot. This organizer has 3 sections. One for a straightener, one for a curler, and another for a hair dryer. It also comes in different colors to match your bathroom and create an eye-pleasing space.
The basket at the bottom also keeps all the cords tangle-free in one place. This storage system is both functional and versatile. The compact size makes it the perfect addition to any crowded dorm room or college apartment, too!
13. Cosmetic Turntable
This next makeup organization idea is an amazing clear cosmetic turntable. This storage has multiple compartments and dividers to hold all of your products. It offers storage for smaller items and bigger ones too!
The rotating design gives you easy access to all your products. It works great under sinks, in large drawers, or on top of your counter.
14. Makeup Storage Display Box
Another one of my favorite makeup organizer ideas has been everywhere lately it seems! This makeup display box comes in two sizes and two colors. It can sit on your counter, desk, dresser, or anywhere you want to make a statement. Makeup storage has never looked so glam!
The large size which is pictured here has 4 storage drawers that are all dust-proof and moisture-proof. The clear double doors on top are fantastic for larger products while the sliding drawers keep powders and smaller products hidden but accesible.
15. Countertop Organizer
If you don’t have that much makeup but you want something cuter than just a basic makeup bag, clear trays like this one are great for keeping on your bathroom counter, desk, or dresser.
This one from Target is made of clear acrylic with gold trim to display all your products. It has small slots for mascara, lipgloss, or eyeliner, and bigger slots for powder compacts, setting sprays, or foundation. All the sections keep your products organized and your space clutter-free.
16. Gold-Tiered Wire Rack
The last organization piece is actually a cute little spice rack that doubles as the perfect beauty countertop organizer. I bought one for my apartment and love the aesthetic of it in the corner on top of my sink.
I use the top for perfumes and the bottoms for some makeup products I like to have at easy reach, like setting spray, tinted moisturizer, concealer, lip products, and mascara.
You can also store some skincare products like moisturizers, eye creams, face masks, and serums on this rack. It looks so gorgeous and definitely decorates any bathroom with a chic vibe. If your accent color in your college dorm or apartment is gold, this is definitely an organization piece you need!
What are your favorite makeup organizer ideas?
We have a lot of tips, but what are yours? Share them with us in the comments below!