Best makeup drawer organisers

Measure the makeup you want to use from the drawer

Lay out your everyday makeup and separate it from spare or occasional pieces. Keep brushes, pencils, tubes and palettes in groups that you normally reach for together. Measure the longest brush, widest palette and tallest object in its intended stored position. A lipstick case standing upright can need more closing height than a wider compact lying flat. Try each position before deciding a compartment needs to be deeper.

Check the makeup maker’s storage and care guidance for the products and tools. Use a suitable dry drawer and keep the trays clean according to their instructions. Let cleaned brushes and trays dry as directed before putting them away. Choose a layout where lids stay closed and loose powder can be cleaned without emptying an entire drawer.

Include the tray base and the highest item

Measure the flat inside footprint, the lowest closing point and how much of the drawer opens. Include sloping walls, rounded corners, handle screws and any liner. Check the widest part of a bottle or compact against the usable compartment inside a tray. A tray with a 5 cm rim can contain an object that rises much higher. Use the tallest loaded point for the final closing check.

Keep room for fingers around a broad compact. If its edges sit tightly between the walls, you may have to tip the tray to get it out. Try the whole removal motion with a paper outline before buying. The drawer measuring guide covers the base and travel checks that affect every layout.

Compare clipped sections, loose trays and a broad open base

The Joseph Joseph Viva twelve-piece set has clipped trays and dedicated brush and pencil sections. The maker’s shown arrangement measures 62 × 35.2 × 5 cm and specifies a minimum drawer height of 7 cm. Rearrange the individual pieces for your own footprint, then include the contents when you check the closing clearance. A joined set can be easy to keep in one group if it leaves enough grip space.

The Vtopmart clear tray set gives you separate small rectangles you can arrange around different groups. Use the long pieces for brushes or pencils where the inside length allows, and reserve the short compartments for individual small items. Fit only the pieces you need. The unused trays still need somewhere to go. Include any supplied pads under the tray when measuring height.

The iDesign extra-large tray gives a broader open base for palettes or a group you want to lift out together. Its 30.5 × 20.3 cm outside footprint needs a clear part of the base. Check the inside span against the widest palette and leave room to hold it. A large single tray may be harder to remove if the drawer opens only partway.

Put daily items where you can see and return them

Build the layout around the first things you use. Keep a regular order so a small item returns to its own position. Leave a space to lift the biggest palette and avoid covering the brush grip with another tray. Put the occasional group behind the daily pieces only if it can come out without tipping the front tray or catching the cabinet above.

Try the arrangement with the normal number of items, then open and close the drawer gently. Check that a tall tube stays below the rail and that a loose tray remains flat when one side is empty. Use the sliding organiser guide for a stable fit where the materials allow it. If a tray corner hits a curved wall, the rounded-corner guide shows how to leave that part clear and use smaller pieces.