Put My Blush Down, Flip It and Reverse It: How to Make a (Reversible) DIY Makeup Organizer

I made this little guy back in January, when I was still trying to get organized for the new year (which you may remember seeing on Snapchat). But there were so many projects to share, I’m only now getting around to posting. Whoops!

Luckily, organization is a year round battle for most of us, right? So, I’m hoping this reversible makeup organizer will be right up your alley. I feel like I am literally at Sephora every single weekend picking up new makeup brushes, lipgloss, mascara, etc and my growing collection definitely needed a home base.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own…

Materials:

• 1×4 wood
• saw (table, circular, or handsaw will all work – I like this little guy for small projects)
• sandpaper
• wood glue
• clamp
• acrylic paint
• paint brush
• sealant
• drill and spade bits in multiple sizes (depending on the sizes of the holes you’d like to create)

Instructions:

1. Start by measuring and cutting 5 pieces of 1×4 to the same exact length. I found 8 inches long to be a good size. If you made this 12 inches or longer, you could have this cut for you at a home improvement store (the shortest they’ll usually cut is 12 inches). Just in case you don’t have a saw at home.

2. Next, give each piece a light sanding (then wipe clean) and stack the pieces on top of each other to determine an order that works, where all of the pieces line up. Sometimes, if a board has warping, you will only be able to line it up one way, if at all, so that’s where testing this comes in handy.

3. Once the stacking order has been determined, pencil in the number on top of each piece of wood to remind yourself. Then, you’re ready to paint the front sides of all 5 pieces of wood. To get a ‘reversible’ look, you’ll only want to paint one side.

4. Wait for the paint to dry and add contrasting patterns, if desired, with more paint.

5. Once dry, determine the stacking order once again and add a generous amount of wood glue in between each piece of wood, like the photo.

6. Make sure all of the boards are lined up, then clamp them together. Depending on how long your organizer is, you may want two clamps (one on each side). Wipe off any wood glue from the surface that has pushed through the joint of the wood pieces. Set aside for 24 hours.

7. Once the glue has had time to set and dry, use a drill and various spade bits to create the holes in the top of the glue together block. I went with 1 1/2 inch, 1 inch, and 3/4 inch spade bits for the holes I created – decided on those 3 dimensions so I could fit different kinds of things in each hole.

8. Once the holes have been completed, run sandpaper over any rough edges, until smooth. Add your makeup brushes, lip glosses, etc. Done!

Photography and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff

Think you’ll give this DIY idea a try? Which side do you like better the plain wood side or the painted side?