The biggest tip I can provide to anyone looking to reduce the amount of money they spend on makeup is to design a simple beauty inventory spreadsheet. Inventory systems and spreadsheets may not be the most exciting things, but they are extremely helpful in shining a light on shopping issues or staying organized for project pans. Keep reading for my tips on how to design a simple beauty inventory spreadsheet.

How to Design a Simple Beauty Inventory System

There is no one-size-fits-all method for how to design a simple beauty inventory spreadsheet. Ultimately, what is easy for some people may be difficult for others due to the subjectivity of the term ”simple”.

1 | Prepare to Inventory

Pulling a page from Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I started the inventory compiling all the beauty products I owned. My collection was so large that entire dining room table was covered with products.

As I initially laid out my products, I tried to keep some level of organization. Therefore, I stacked similar products near to one another. By grouping similar product types together, I could more easily assess what items I wanted to declutter. From there, depending on the product’s usage or expiration date, I donated or sold these products.

Once my collection was free from all the products I no longer loved, I began the arduous job of designing my beauty inventory spreadsheet.

2 | General Makeup Organization

To start, I opened a blank page in a fresh Excel workbook. However, Google Sheets will work, too. Then, I made a dedicated page for each major product category type.

• Palettes
• Eyes
• Base/Complexion
• Face/Cheeks
• Lips
• Skincare
• Haircare

3 | Overview Tabs

Next, I created two overview tabs where I could track the number of products in my collection in real-time as well as use charts to visualize my progress.  By using visuals, I remained more motivated to keep working towards my rolling project pan goals.

For example, as you can see from the above charts, my goal was to decrease my collection by 20% by the end of the year. Instead, by the end of 2017, I finished or decluttered 68% of the items I started the year with. The more I saw my pie-chart grow, the more excited I was to finish products.

4 | Create Categories That Work for You

Depending on the category, I made note of product characteristics such as brand, shade, texture, color story. Regardless of category, I logged the monetary value of each product. Even free gifts and deluxe samples were assigned a monetary value.

Categorization example for concealers

Having been a VIB Rouge for the past few years, one of my other goals for 2017 was to NOT re-up my Rouge status. Keeping track of the money my collection was worth made me more hyper-aware of how much I had been wasting.

Finishing products made me feel less ashamed of my spending. However, I was generally sickened to realize how much money I spent throughout the year.

Year-End Empties/Declutter Value

The Benefits of Keeping a Beauty Spreadsheet

One of the biggest benefits to keeping a simple beauty inventory spreadsheet is that it makes it easier to track how much you are spending on beauty items. When you want to make a new purchase, look at the spreadsheet to see what you own within a particular category. Are you buying something similar to what you already own?

Also, by logging my progress finishing up products or decluttering, I am better able to assess how long it takes me to actually use up products. As such, spreadsheets like this make it easier for anyone looking to participate in a project pan. For example, in 2017 I finished or decluttered 49 skincare products, but I didn’t finish a single blush or bronzer. Therefore, I should think critically about whether I can justify new blush and bronzer purchases.

Finally, designing a simple beauty inventory spreadsheet makes life easier for beauty bloggers or influencers. How so? You can track important information such as Cruelty-Free status, price, expiration date, etc.

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Did you find my post on how to create a beauty inventory system helpful? Check out my updated post on using pivot tables to create a comprehensive beauty inventory.

Did you enjoy my post on how to create a beauty inventory system? Check out this post on what my dream beauty collection looks like.

Do use an inventory system for makeup? If you’re downsizing your collection, what method helps you most? Please let me know in the comments below.

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