5 Ways to Repurpose Luxury Candle Jars

In a recent post, I talked about how much I love luxury candles.  I mentioned that a bonus is that they often come in beautiful jars, so once you burn them up and finish enjoying their wonderful scents, you can repurpose the jars and use them to store various items.  Below are five ideas:

1. Makeup brushes and beauty tools:

Hanna's Room

2. Q-tips and cottons:

L: Trendenser, R: Skona Hem

3. Fresh flowers:

dear lovely

4. Office supplies - including pens, pencils, scissors, and paper clips:

L: Lonny, R: The Beauty Lookbook

70 Percent Pure

5. Small plants - something I hadn't thought of until I came across these images:

tutorials >> L: A Pair and a Spare DIY, R: Luxirare

How Sue Organizes Her Accessories

I have a new How I Organize series post for you guys today!  The spotlight is on blogger and shop owner Sue of The Zush, who shares with us how she beautifully organizes her accessories:

These photos are from my closet and the little dressing/vanity area right outside my closet.  I try to keep all my accessories (and I have a lot...I LOVE accessories) out where I can see them, but I like for them to look neat.  Right now I've got most of my clutches lined up on a shelf using pot lid holders that I picked up at The Container Store.  As for my perfumes and jewelry, I love to display them out on trays. We sell a lot of trays at The Zhush and this python one is my favorite.  I also love this little ceramic tray as a catchall for keeping smaller items like cell phones and earrings looking neat and pretty.  Finally, when I'm not sure if I'm ready to get rid of something, I usually move it into one of these fabric square storage boxes (also from the Container Store). If I go looking for it, then I know I need to keep it, if not, then after about a year, I'll usually give it away or donate the item.  If it's something really sentimental, I'll save it for my children.

-Sue

A Glamorous Dressing Room

Absolutely loving this beautifully organized dressing room from the home of Rita Hazan:

 Shoes are neatly arranged on white open shelves (from Ikea!) and beauty essentials are on a glamorous mirrored vanity

A stylish modern black platter helps keep things organized.

 Such much goodness here - the big window with floor to ceiling drapes, the tufted daybead, the unique gold wall studs, the brass glass pendant...

A patterned tray corrals jewelry and pretty objects.

See more of Rita's home here. 

photography by Brittany Ambridge and design by Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent

My Stylishly Organized Drawer

I recently gave one of my drawers a little makeover with a clear organizer and a roll of duct tape. I used the organizer, which I picked up from Ikea, to separate all my items. It has lots of little compartments that make it easy to designate a spot for each thing. When everything is in it's place, I can quickly find what I need.

As for the duct tape, I used it to create a stylish drawer liner.  3M has a great snake print tape from their new Expressions line that can be used in a lot of creative ways.  Kelly of Fabulous K recently used it to cover a photo frame and Megan of Honey We're Home used it to cover a mousepad and a tray.  To make my drawer liner, I simply measured the bottom of my drawer, cut a piece of poster board to size, covered it with strips of the duct tape and then fit it inside the drawer. Super easy. Looks great and as a bonus, it helps protect my drawer.  If anything spills, I can easily wipe it off. This is what I see when I open my drawer now:

What do you think? Not too shabby huh?

If you're thinking of using snake print tape for a little project of your own, use this coupon for $1 off.

This post was brought to you by Office Depot.  All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed here are my own. Thank you for supporting Arianna Belle sponsors!  

How Monika Organizes Her Jewels & Perfumes

Today I'm delighted to bring to you a new How I Organize post! Shop owner and lifestyle blogger Monika Hibbs (who just became a mom to a sweet baby boy!), gives us a look at how she beautifully organizes her jewelry and collection of perfumes:

I like to have most of my everyday jewelry in place, ready for me to quickly pick up and go! Having all those jewels organized on my side table along side my perfume is perfect!  The silver tray is from The Cross Design, one of my favorite home décor stores in Yale Town, Vancouver. The Stag Head jewelry holder, which holds my bracelets is from Front & Company in Vancouver. 

For pieces that I only take out for special occasions I like to have them all wrapped up in the boxes they came in. I laugh, because my husband thinks I'm a horder- whereas I like the organization of each piece in it's place! Takes up a little bit more room, but those boxes are just too nice to throw away!

headshot photo by Melissa Skoda, all others by Ellen Ho of Hong Photography

Muji Acrylic Storage

I love finding pieces that can be mixed and matched to accommodate various space and storage needs. My most recent finds are these Muji acrylic drawers and stands. The configuration below shows the 2 Drawer Acrylic Case with the Large Acrylic Stand on top of it, used for organizing makeup brushes, tools, and cosmetics.

For additional storage compartments I could swap out the 2 Drawer Case for the 3 or 5 Drawer Case...or maybe add the Small Acrylic Stand... or this case placed horizontally on top of the drawers... So many possible combos! 

image credit: top photograph by Emily Weiss

How Jenna Organizes Her Makeup Brushes

Today participating in the How I Organize series is Jenna of the lovely blog The Three Little Birdies.  She shares with us how she beautifully organizes her makeup brushes.

With an increasing collection of makeup brushes and makeup itself, I found myself frantically searching for a specific makeup brush every morning while trying to get ready for work. With no rhyme or reason, I would just toss my brushes in a drawer and leave them to get smashed by the million other makeup items I would throw on top of them.

I got the idea from Sephora to use clear jars filled with a weighted object to display and keep my brushes organized. While having a hard time trying to find beanbag fill, I opted for a $1.00 bag of white beans to use instead. I filled each glass container halfway full of the beans and stuck my brushes straight in the beans to stand them up. I designated one jar for eye brushes and one jar for face brushes. It was a cheap and easy alternative to easily find a brush, keep them clean and keep them organized. Another suggestion is to use coffee beans as a filler; your brushes will have an extra special scent and might give you an early morning boost while doing your makeup!

Beautifully Organized Glassess

Do you have a designated spot for your glasses/sunglasses? While you can certainly just store them in their cases and in a drawer, for those of us though who tend not to use our belongings when they're hidden away, a good option is to keep them corralled in a tray, which allows them to be out where you can see 'em and easily accessible. This works whether you have two or three pairs (like me)...

or you have several pairs...

Another option is to hang them. A simple sturdy hanger works great.

Or you can create a DIY organizer using a frame and wire. Find out how to make your own here and here!

image credits: 1- photography by tinywater via the glitter guide; 2- via lonny blog, 3- photography by anh sunstrom via the glitter guide; 4- via apartment therapy, 5-via pretty stuff tumblr , 6-a beautiful mess, 7-gomming.com

Organizing Sunglasses

Love this idea from Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere. She used a frame, hooks, and wire to create a sunglass holder:

See how she did it here.

p.s. Along similar lines, another idea. 

Holding Makeup Brushes

Keep makeup brushes together and within easy reach by organizing them in a pretty little cup...

...or maybe a re-purposed glass jar or vase...

...and if you have brushes that are shorter than your container and consequently are inconvenient to grab, take a cue from the people over at the Makeup Box Shop(photo above right) and Carlee of Deliciously Organized(photo below) and fill a portion of your container with little beads or sand (or marbles). Doing so will help brushes stay upright, in place and optimally accessible.

How do you like organizing your brushes?

image credits: 1- photography by virginia macdonald, styled by samantha pynn, via style at home; 2- into the gloss; 3- erika of small shop studio via made by girl; 4- via made by girl; 5- into the gloss; 6- via real simple ; 7-photography by heather bullard, via this is glamorous; 8- thank you, ok blog; 9- via jessie lauren blog; 10-via the makeupbox shop; 11- delicisouly organized

How Victoria Organizes Her Vanity

Today participating in the How I Organize series is the super sweet Victoria of the lifestyle blog vmac and cheese. She gives us a peek inside her home and shows us how she beautifully organizes her makeup, perfumes, products and other lovely things atop her dresser:

I'm not the type who likes to hide everything away -- my house definitely looks like someone lives there and my vanity area is no exception! An antique wood dresser which belonged to my great grandmother is right at home in a sunroom off of our bedroom, which we use as a dressing area. Atop the dresser, I store makeup in clear acrylic drawer and cosmetic organizers that I purchased from The Container Store. I also showcase different perfumes and products on an old mirrored tray found at the flea market; jewelry rests in a repurposed ceramic soap dish. Getting ready in the morning is easy with all my items in quick reach, and the area looks pretty, lived in, and organized!

Godmorgon Makeup Organizer

Loving the this little box from Ikea.  So perfect for organizing a makeup drawer. It compartmentalizes and gives a home to mascara, lipstick, nailpolish, etc. so they're accessible and easy to find. Here it is in action:

image credit: Style at Home via Marcus Design

Hair Dryer & Curling Iron Storage

Loving thismountable acrylic organzier for stowing away hair tools and keeping them from creating clutter in the bathroom. This one also looks like a good option.

image credit: domino

Trays for Controlling Bathroom Clutter

If you like having your products out where you can see 'em, (as opposed to inside a cabinet or a drawer), consider using a tray to contain them. They look so much neater in a tray than when they're spread out everywhere, and, especially when the product packaging is pretty, can look like a beautiful little vignette.

Also, since a tray gives you boundaries to work with, it can help you edit down your products to just what you actually use on a regular basis.

image credits: 1-photography by lucas allen for domino via brides ; 2-into the gloss

Beautifully Organized Space of the Week

This beautifully organized vanity has a flip top that reveals a mirrored underside and built in compartments that neatly house makeup. Clear acrylic trays atop the vanity keep essentials in order.

photography by Joy Von Tiedmann for House and Home

Beautifully Organized Space of the Week

This week's beautifully organized space is from the home of interior designer and fellow design blogger Erica Cook. She keeps her makeup organized in sectioned drawer trays, her jewelry in beautiful boxes, and a few select pieces out to enjoy in perfectly styled vignettes that are free of clutter -only what she uses and loves:

images via moth design

Erica once suggested to me that her and I may be style twins. I'd definitely agree. We have similar taste and seem to be drawn to the same things (case in point: I also have amethyst rocks and tiffany boxes in little vignettes).To check out how uber stylishly this mother of five boys lives, click on over to her blog Moth Design. She shares many other gorgeous shots of her uh-mazing home.