Knowing how to organize hair products is one of those tasks that reveals more than you expect. Most people, when they pull everything out, find duplicate bottles of the same shampoo at different fill levels, specialty products purchased with good intentions and barely touched, and accessories scattered across three bathrooms. This guide works through the process the way we approach it at The Uncluttered Life, Inc. — one focused step at a time.
Set your timer for 60 minutes and take a before photo.
Pull Everything Out and Line It Up
The KonMari Method® principle applies here: gather everything from everywhere before making any decisions. Pull from under bathroom sinks, from linen closets, from inside drawers in every bathroom. Also check bags around the house — newly purchased hair supplies have a way of ending up in closets or gym bags after a trip. Check your luggage if you have recently traveled. Check your purse.
Line products up rather than making a pile, since bottles tip and can leak. Make sure every cap is secure before you move anything. If something is leaking, transfer it to a different container or bag it and discard it.
Group and Check Expiration Dates
Before grouping, check every bottle for leaks. Then match exact duplicates first — it is common to have purchased two of the same product at once, or to have loaded up during a sale.
Shampoo
Group all shampoos together regardless of brand. I have two bottles of Nexxus Therapee Ultimate Moisture Shampoo, a bottle of baby shampoo originally purchased for my grandson (my daughter brings his own when he visits, so this one barely moves), and a few samples from the beauty supply store that I know I will never use. Everything lines up together so I can see exactly what I have.
Shampoo Expires — Check the Dates
Did you know that shampoo expires? Expired shampoo can cause scalp irritation, itchiness, and in some cases infection due to bacterial growth and chemical changes. If yours is past its date, there are still good uses for it: cleaning hairbrushes (not bristle brushes), shaving your legs, or pre-treating oil stains on shirt collars. Shampoo is designed to lift scalp oils, so it works perfectly on collar marks.
Conditioner
Group conditioners separately. I use Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisture Conditioner and go through it more slowly than shampoo, so I typically have just one bottle at a partial fill.
Specialty Hair Products
Gather all styling products, treatments, and serums together. The FDA does not require traditional expiration dates on hair products, but the general professional guideline is to discard any unopened product after 36 months and any opened product after 12 months. Expired styling products will not damage your hair but will not perform properly either. One of the most useful habits for organizing hair products is to write the purchase date and opening date on each bottle in permanent marker — somewhere that will not rub off on your counter or wash off in the shower.
Edit Honestly
Once everything is grouped, go through it one product at a time. Decide what you will realistically use, what is expired or past its prime, and what someone else could benefit from.
For products in good condition that you simply are not using, consider donating to a homeless shelter, a women's shelter, or a local human services organization. Travel-sized products from hotel stays are especially useful for organizations that put together hygiene kits — my daughter participated in a back-to-school hygiene kit drive in high school and I always contributed overstock from my bathroom to those kits.
For near-empty bottles of products you decided to keep, do the reverse of your instinct. Start with those nearly empty bottles and use them every day until they are gone. Recycle the empties. Do not purchase anything new until you have finished what you have. You will likely discover that a few products you thought you needed were not missed at all.
Return Everything to Its Place
Return only what you decided to keep, organized thoughtfully. If how to organize hair products has been an ongoing challenge in your bathroom, this is the moment to assess whether the storage system itself needs updating. Clear organizers work well in this category because you can see what you have at a glance. STORi and NUBEE both make good options for shelving or deep drawers; clear pantry-style bottle organizers also work well under the sink.
The last step is to clean all your hairbrushes. I do this with shampoo — work it through the bristles, rinse, and dry them flat on a clean towel. It is a habit worth building in regularly, since oil and dirt accumulate in brushes faster than most people realize.
Take an after photo. You are finished for the day.
Steps provided by professional organizers at The Uncluttered Life, Inc.
Pull the Next Card
The Declutter Deck® covers every room and category in your home with the same focused approach. Each of the 52 cards gives you one specific task sized for 30 to 60 minutes. Tag us at @lifehackdecks with your before and after photos.
