Transform A Sushi Mat Into The Perfect Organizer For Makeup Brushes

Kitchens tend to have a lot of common items that merit a second chance at life before being tossed out. If you've recently taken the Marie Kondo route on a kitchen cabinet organization, you've probably encountered a number of utensils or tools you hadn't used in ages. And if you've come to unearth an old sushi mat that's seen better days, YouTuber @celiskarlaenglish walks us through a DIY that will get extra mileage out of this humble kitchen accessory.

Taking advantage of its practical roll-up design, the creative YouTuber transforms a bamboo mat into a clever makeup brush holder. When unrolled, you get a full display of all your makeup brushes in one glance. And when you're done, it rolls back neatly into a compact cylinder, making it easy to store away in a drawer or dresser. This project can be assembled with objects you have lying around the house. In addition to the bamboo sushi mat, you'll only need some industrial-strength adhesive or a glue gun, a black elastic band, and any ribbon of your choice. Then get out your makeup brushes to start DIY-ing your way to a savvy new organizer for your makeup dresser or beauty room.

If you don't have an old mat lying around, you can grab a BZG 2 Pack Bamboo Sushi Rolling Mat set from Amazon. Lay your bamboo sushi mat flat on a table and place your makeup brushes along its surface to approximate the spaces between them. Slip the end of the elastic between two bamboo sticks on the mat's left side, and pull it through around a centimeter or two. Then, fold this section back to create a tab before securing the elastic in place with glue.

Once the elastic is properly anchored to the edge of the sushi mat, place your first makeup brush along the edge and secure its place by slipping the elastic between the bamboo pieces and pulling it under then over a single bamboo stick to tighten it in place. Leave just enough tension to allow the brushes to be slipped in and out. Repeat the same steps for the other brushes, making sure you leave enough space between each brush to allow the mat to be rolled smoothly. When you get to the last brush, repeat the step of securing another tab to the mat's rightmost edge.

Turn the mat over and glue a piece of ribbon, such as the Handyman Crafts Store Black Double-Faced Satin Ribbon, across its length to cover the elastic's backside. The ribbon should extend beyond both edges, leaving enough slack to tie them into a bow. This versatile organizer also works well as a holder for other makeup accessories like eye pencils or liquid liners. Or use it to keep a set of colored pens, pencils, or paintbrushes neatly together.