Growing up with two sisters and living away at college for 4 years, I realized something: don’t take personal space for granted. It’s a rare commodity. When I finally moved into my own place a few years ago, I knew I had to dedicate a spot in my apartment for “getting ready.” I wanted a place where my beauty products were organized and neat so I could sit down every morning and prepare for my day in peace, without running all over the place looking for a spare bobby pin or eye shadow brush.

Setting up a vanity station, I found, was something that required some planning. Here are my tips for creating the perfect set-up at home:

1. Make sure you go through your stash and throw out anything that’s old or expired
There’s no use in organizing products you don’t use or should no longer be using due to expiration dates. (YES, makeup has expiration dates!) Do a full clean-out of makeup, hair, and skincare products and only keep what you use regularly. This will minimize clutter and make for more efficient decisions when getting ready every day. If you need help figuring out when makeup expires, read this.

2. Pick a vanity table that makes cleaning easy
My vanity has a glass top (see photo above!), so wiping it down is a breeze. If your vanity table is made out of wood or another material that’s difficult to clean, remember you can always take measurements of the table’s dimensions and have a piece of glass cut to sit perfectly on top.

3. Find the perfect spot in your home to set up your vanity
This could be in your bedroom near a window so you can make use of natural light, or even in a corner of your home office. I wouldn’t suggest setting up in any of your main living spaces, but hey – your house, your rules!

4. Be creative
Put some personality into your vanity area by adding a fun vintage mirror painted in your favorite color, or making decorative organizers out of mason jars or flower pots to ensure each of your brushes has a home. Here are some ideas to get you started!

Setting up an organized vanity area is guaranteed to make getting ready at home fun and fabulous!